Man-Killer is a name used by two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The second version, Katrina Luisa Van Horn, has been viewed by critics as a "caricature of feminists, who despised all men."
Publication history The first version of Man-Killer first appeared in Captain America #111 (December 1968) and was created by Stan Lee and Jim Steranko.
Man-Killer first appeared in Marvel Team-Up #8 (April 1973) and was created by Gerry Conway and Jim Mooney. The character subsequently appeared in Daredevil #121 (May 1975), #123 (July 1975), Iron Man #126-127 (September–October 1979), and Marvel Team-Up #107 (July 1981), where she seemingly died. The character appeared several years later in Web of Spider-Man Annual #3 (1987), and made several appearances in the series Thunderbolts (1997-2000), eventually joining the titular group. Man-Killer received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z 2006 #7.
Fictional character biography Robot Man-Killer is a robotic assassin who was sent by Madame Hydra to kill Captain America. It is ultimately defeated and destroyed.Captain America #111 (March 1969)
Katrina Luisa Van Horn Katrina Luisa Van Horn was an Olympic skier and is a militant feminist. After engaging in an argument with anti-Women's Liberation skier Karl Lubbings, the two took their disagreement to the slopes. Katrina was an Olympic-level skier, but Lubbings cut her off and both skiers plunged off the mountain. Katrina was severely injured and disfigured. She was fitted with a powered exoskeleton and took the name Man-Killer.Marvel Team-Up #8 (April 1973) She has worked freelance and as an agent for Hydra.Daredevil #121-123 (May - July 1975)
Man-Killer has been a member of Crimson Cowl's incarnation of the Masters of Evil.Thunderbolts #3 (June 1997) Some time later, Erik Josten (Atlas of the Thunderbolts) finds Man-Killer working as a bartender in his team's adopted home of Burton Canyon, Colorado. When Josten becomes a regular at the bar, Man-Killer is congenial towards him, pretending not to recognize him as Atlas.Thunderbolts #27-35 (June 1999 - February 2000)
As Amazon, she was briefly a member of the Thunderbolts under Hawkeye.Thunderbolts #67 (September 2002)
Man-Killer later appears as part of Helmut Zemo's third incarnation of the Masters of Evil.Thunderbolts (vol. 4) #10 (April 2017) During a battle with the Thunderbolts, Man-Killer is killed by Kobik.Thunderbolts (vol. 4) #12 (June 2017)
Powers and abilities The Katrina Van Horn version of Man-Killer was given robotic implants replacing or compounded with bones and nerves, which give her superhuman powers, good athletic abilities, and the ability to throw knives at a range of hundreds of meters. She was also given Pym particles to grow in strength proportionate to size.Thunderbolts #100
In other media The robot version of Man-Killer appears in the Avengers Assemble episode "New Year's Resolution". This version is a time-traveling assassin working for Kang the Conqueror.
References
External links Man-Killer at Marvel.com Man-Killer at SpiderFan.org Leader's Lair
Gay League Profile