| Super Name: | Tarantula |
| Real Name: | Maria Vasquez |
| Aliases: |
Maria Vasquez Clay Riley Anton Miguel Rodriguez Luis Alvarez La Tarantula El Arana Mr. Valdez |
| Publisher: | Marvel |
| Gender: | Female |
| Character Type: | Human |
| 1st Appearance: | Heroes for Hire #1 |
| Appears in: | 58 issues |
| Birthday: | |
| Died: |
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Red Sonja ( 8 - 0 ) |
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Supergirl ( 8 - 0 ) |
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Storm ( 5 - 5 ) |
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Wonder Woman ( 5 - 6 ) |
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Power Girl ( 4 - 0 ) |
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Psylocke ( 4 - 8 ) |
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Mary Jane ( 3 - 3 ) |
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Dawnstar ( 2 - 0 ) |
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Meriem Cooper ( 2 - 0 ) |
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Black Widow ( 1 - 3 ) |
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Willow ( 1 - 2 ) |
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Buffy ( 1 - 5 ) |
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Emma Frost ( 1 - 7 ) |
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Faith ( 1 - 3 ) |
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Jean Grey ( 1 - 1 ) |
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Rogue ( 1 - 9 ) |
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Rogue ( 1 - 9 ) |
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Psylocke ( 4 - 8 ) |
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Emma Frost ( 1 - 7 ) |
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Wonder Woman ( 5 - 6 ) |
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Buffy ( 1 - 5 ) |
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Storm ( 5 - 5 ) |
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Black Widow ( 1 - 3 ) |
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Faith ( 1 - 3 ) |
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Mary Jane ( 3 - 3 ) |
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Willow ( 1 - 2 ) |
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Jean Grey ( 1 - 1 ) |
The fourth character to bear the name, Maria Vasquez joins the Initiative and was a member of the third Heroes for Hire team. Edit
Heroes For Hire
Tarantula joins Misty Knight's team after the Superhuman Registration Act is passed. With a bad attitude and an veiled history, Maria is valued for her combat skills. If she isn't ordered not to kill, she will gladly inflict pain on her opponents to the chagrin of her teammates. In a conversation with her father, Maria confesses to becoming a hero to avenge her sister who was killed in explosion in Stamford Connecticut. Shortly after this revelation, her father is killed by ninjas, who were acting on a hit placed by Ricadonna to kill Maria and the rest of the team. Avenging her father, Tarantula kills the team of ninjas herself.
Tarantula and Collen Wing are captured and tortured by the Brood thanks to Humbugs betrayal. The rest of the team come to their rescue and Shang-Chi kills Humbug to avenge Tarantula's torture. Shang-Chi departs the group carrying the still injured and unconcious Tarantula in his arms
Abilities
Maria is an accomplished martial artist and highly skilled in using the blades on her wrists an the toes of her boots.
Maria can also scale walls with ease. She can stick to almost any surface without damaging it.
