Steel Raven

Origin

Aranda Charboneau was a wealthy socialite, who also established herself as a top reliable and skilled mercenary, working under the name Steel Raven. She spent much of her time caring for her son, who appeared to have suffered psychological abuse and trauma. Her proficiency as a mercenary would earn her a contract with an advanced top secret research facility known as the Fortress.

Creation

Steel Raven is a Marvel comic book character who first appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #150 released in 1994. Created by Ann Nocenti and Steve Lightle. The character had a small appearance in Civil War Battle Damage considered as a potential Initiative recruit by Tony Stark.

Major Story Arcs

Jessie/Jesse

One of Raven's assignments under the direction of Fortress executive Zachary Hoffner is to locate and retrieve a young mutant named Jesse. This young mutant Jesse's powers enable him to mimic the appearances and emotions of those he was in proximity of, and at the time was in the form of a young girl named Jessie. Jessie, as a mutant, was also a priority for Charles Xavier of the X-Men and he sends Wolverine to help the young child control his mutant powers. Wolverine, in turn, seeks the help of Typhoid Mary to carry out this mission. In her normal, human, 'Mary' persona, Typhoid Mary is able to enter the Fortress unperturbed, posing as a computer technician and find Jessie. However, when they try to escape, a security alert is triggered and the two are captured. Jessie transmits Mary's mental cries for help to Daredevil and Ghost Rider (although Vengeance shows up instead and battles Wolverine at first). Steel Raven arrives and beats Daredevil, but in the chaos, Typhoid Mary escapes with Jessie. Steel Raven is assigned a new mission to once again retrieve Jessie. She tracks down Typhoid Mary, but finds her in a new, abusive-man-hating persona: Bloody Mary, but without Jessie. As it turns out, Bloody Mary had realized Jesse was in fact a boy and not a girl, ignorant of Jesse's ability to metamorph to appear as those in his proximity. Steel Raven realizes that Mary was going on a mission of vengeance against women beaters and is sympathetic to her cause. The two team up to exact punishment on Dr. Hoffner for his cruel mistreatment of young children. Not particularly fond of what the Fortress had planned for Jesse, Steel Raven helps Mary escape by stalling Wolverine and essentially ignores her mission to recapture Jesse.

New Genix

Steel Raven at one time also aids in training New Genix, a team of super-humans kids who are brainwashed by the Fortress into believing they are living in the 31st century.

Powers and Abilities

Steel Raven is highly conditioned and physically fit and possessed high levels of stamina, fitness, and fighting skills, both of an armed and unarmed nature. A proficient sharpshooter, Steel Raven has access to an arsenal of high tech weapons and often carries a selection of blades, knives, bola, pistols, machine guns, rifles, shurikens, throwing blades, and explosives on her. She also is known to use an energy bola which can shock opponents into a neutralized state. Steel Raven is considerably wealthy.

Physical Characteristics

Height: 5' 10"

Weight: 127 lbs

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Blue