VIRAGO
Real Name: Mallon (first name unrevealed)
Class: Human mutate
Occupation: Bodega owner, former superhero
Group Affiliation: formerly Sirens, Jesus League of America
Known Relatives: Danny Mallon (Sleepman, son)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: San Futuro, CA, Earth-Marshal Law
First Appearance: Marshal Law (Epic) #1(October, 1987)
Powers: Virago possessed superhuman strength, durability and the power of flight. She could mentally dominate men with vocal commands.
History: (Marshal Law: Fear and Loathing (Epic)) - The Jesus League of America were America’s most beloved superheroes. They preached Christian values and morality, although they were all terrible hypocrites. The Jesus League announced man’s first mission to the stars, and many people in the nation prayed that Public Spirit would be selected. Public Spirit said he believed in prayer, and belied God had chosen him to go to space. He showed little regret at leaving everyone else behind, making his fiancee Virago, who was pregnant with his child, unnerved. Public Spirit flew into space towards Nemesis, the sun’s sister star, aboard a craft capable of near lightspeed.
(Marshal Law (Epic) #1-3) - The megaquake called the Big One that devastated San Francisco. The city was rebuilt as San Futuro and was plagued by superheroes that were suffering from PTSD after their involvement in The Zone. Danny Mallon pretended to be crippled and ended up working with Marshal Law, the city’s finest hero hunter. Mrs. Mallon ran a bodega in San Futuro and struck up a friendship with Marshal Law, playing the doting mother and asking him to keep her son safe. Danny started assaulting and murdering women in his identity of Sleepman. He wore a bag over his head because he couldn’t stand what he’d become, and considered himself the lowest form of life, a superhero. Marshal Law was assigned the case, and suspected Public Spirit, since blood and semen samples from the crimes suggested a flyer. Marshal Law knew he wasn’t objective because he had a pathological hatred of heroes, and hated Public Spirit most of all. Danny Mallon hacked S.H.O.C.C.’s files of Public Spirit, and showed Law evidence that Public Spirit had murdered his fiancée Virago to ensure that he’d be able to go on his mission to the stars. Virago was pregnant, and if she gave birth he would have been disqualified because the program called for unmarried men with no children. Law intended to confront Public Spirit at the Superdrome, an amusement park that showed off S.H.O.C.C.’s creations. Mrs. Mallon and Danny accompanied him, and Danny mooned over Celeste, who was giving a demonstration of her powers. Mrs. Mallon bragged that she was much more beautiful in her youth, and waled off when Danny refused to stop oogling Celeste. Public Spirit denied Law’s accusations, and S.H.O.C.C. troops dragged Law off. While he was fighting them Sleepman attacked and murdered his girlfriend Lynn Evans. Law visited Mrs. Mallon’s bodega, and after she prayed for Lynn’s soul she started flirting with Law, who was in no mood for her advances. She noticed he wasn’t buying his usual treats, and guessed that Law’s girlfriend had left him. She said she remembered when Danny’s father left her and said time healed all wounds.
Comments: Created by Pat Mills & Kevin O’Neil.
Virago was originally published by Epic Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics. Her appearance in Marshal Law (Epic) #1-3, Marshal Law: Fear and Loathing (Epic) was reprinted in Marshal Law: The Deluxe Edition.
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