Chameleon
Chameleon is a comic book character that first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #1
The Chameleon is a spy and master of disguise. Throughout his history, he has used a variety of traditional, high-tech and biologically enhanced ways to change his appearance, believably imitating almost anyone.
History
The Chameleon often works as a spy or thief for various crime bosses throughout New York. It is extremely rare for the Chameleon to commit crimes for his own benefit.
Bullied as a child by his step-father, Dmitri Smerdyakov took to wearing disguises to hide his disfigured face. Soon he found his true calling as a spy-for-hire, saboteur, and career criminal. When he decided to disguise himself as Spider-Man, a new masked-hero and unknown quantity, to steal valuable documents, he was confronted by the web-slinger and soundly defeated.
Chameleon's next gambit was to contact his step-brother, Kraven the Hunter, and convince him to try his hand at prey worthy of his skills. Kraven was no match for Spider-Man, and the two villains were arrested and deported back to Russia. They returned and the lfie-long feud between Spider-Man and Chameleon truly began.
Eventually these confrontations reached a more personal level. Using secret plans left by the late Harry Osborn, Chameleon discovered Spider-Man's secret identity. First he crafted androids of the hero's deceased parents. Believing them to be his true mother and father, Spider-Man was shocked when the androids were "killed" and revealed to be nothing more than machines. However, this was nothing compared to what followed.
After capturing Spider-Man, Smerdyakov disguised himself as his rival's alter-ego, Peter Parker, and attempted to rape his wife, Mary-Jane Watson. Although she was able to beat him off with a baseball bat, the experience traumatized her.
Fortunately for Spider-Man's friends and family, Chameleon's memory is spotty at best. Years of abuse by his step-father and step-brother had taken its toll, and Chameleon was driven insane. At one point, Chamelon donned the identity of the deceased Kraven after apparently assuming his personality. Another time had Chameleon take a swan dive off of the Brooklyn Bridge, declaring his love for Spider-Man. However, he survived this incident, as well as a near-fatal shooting by his nephew Alyosha Kravinoff, only to suffer the most embarassing defeat of his career. Chameleon once again disguised himself as Peter Parker and tried to kill his Aunt May, but he was fed a drugged pie by the old lady and was once again captured.
Chameleon was recently seen as a member of Norman Osborn's Sinister Twelve and M.O.D.O.K.'s 11 (although it was later revealed to be a disguised Super-Adaptoid infiltrating M.O.D.O.K.'s group in an attempt to kill him).
Following the events of Brand New Day, all memory of Spider-Man's secret identity has been erased. Chameleon was seen impersonating newly elected president Barack Obama, until he was foiled by Spider-Man (who was photographing the event).
Power's and Abilities
Chameleon is a master of disguise. Throughout the years he has utilized conventional masks, as well as holograms and chemicals, to disguise himself, relying on his impressive acting skills and talent for imitating voices to complete the image. He is also a master spy and saboteur, although his obssession with Spider-Man has led him to largely abandon his profession in pursuit of revenge.It is important to note that fighting skills are not among Chameleon's specialities. His true skill lies in avoiding detection. Once found, it usually takes no more than a punch or two to bring him down.
In other media ...
Chameleon made several appearances in the various Spider-Man cartoon series.
In the Spider-Man: The Animated Series of the 1990's, he was depicted using hologram generating belts to photograph and create disguises.
In the Spectacular Spider-Man series, he is first seen attempting to steal the symbiote from Dr. Conners lab. He fails, and later attempts to frame Spider-Man for a string of robberies with the help of his henchmen Quentin Beck and Phineus Mason. Disguising himself as a police officer, Chameleon makes his escape while leaving his allies to be carted off to prison. Beck and Mason have since reappeared, as Mysterio and The Tinkerer respectively, and have apparently severed all ties to Chameleon.
| Super Name: | Chameleon |
| Real Name: | Dmitri Smerdyakov |
| Aliases: |
Dmitri Smerdyakov Dmitri Kravinoff (as disguises) Peter Parker J. Jonah Jameson Professor Newton Spider-man |
| Publisher: | Marvel Publishing |
| Gender: | Male |
| Character Type: | Human |
| 1st Appearance: | The Amazing Spider-Man #1 |
| Appears in: | 134 issues |
| Birthday: | |
| Died: |
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