Black Mamba (comics) - Fictional Character Biography

Fictional Character Biography

Tanya Sealy was born in Chicago. A former call girl, she was chosen under unknown circumstances by Roxxon Oil Company to partake in a covert operation to retrieve the mystical Serpent Crown. The executives at Roxxon had a device surgically implanted in Sealy's brain which granted her superhuman abilities. Working together with three other snake-themed villains, Sidewinder, Anaconda, and Death Adder, she became a founding member of the Serpent Squad. During her first mission, Black Mamba nearly overcame the Fantastic Four's Thing, but was defeated. She also encountered Iron Man while searching for a powerful weapon known as the microscanner.

Invited by Sidewinder to join his criminal organization, the Serpent Society, Black Mamba accepted. Before working with Roxxon, she was a call-girl, and while the money was satisfying, it was not a steady income, so she jumped at the opportunity to earn vast amounts of money with Sidewinder. While in the Serpent Society, Black Mamba gained great friendships in Diamondback and the Asp, and also became romantically involved with Sidewinder. During Viper's infiltration of the group, Black Mamba stood loyally with Sidewinder, which Viper was ready to kill her for. When Diamondback turned over a new leaf, it sparked something in Black Mamba. She joined her friends Diamondback and Asp in forming BAD Girls, Inc. and worked several mercenary-for-hire missions. She also briefly served in Superia's all-female group, the Femizons, but betrayed the group to aid Captain America and Paladin.

For some time, Black Mamba served in Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil in hopes of a large profit, battling the Thunderbolts. She eventually went back to the Serpent Society for a very short time, and then left to be with Diamondback and Asp and continue to do missions as the B.A.D. Girls. She also fought Luke Cage and Iron Fist, and was shocked to realize her group had been hired by Cable himself.

During the Civil War storyline, Black Mamba appears along with her friends Diamondback and Asp as a member of Captain America's anti-registration group. She took part in the final battle of the "war", but did not accept the offer of amnesty that came with Captain America's surrender.

Later Black Mamba and the other BAD Girls were captured by The Mighty Avengers in a New York City street mall. She escaped captivity and was later seen with several other villains in "The Bar With No Name".

In Secret Invasion, Black Mamba rejoined the Serpent Society. The Society held a number of civilians hostage in a compound in the American Midwest claiming they were protecting themselves from the Skrulls. However, they were easily defeated by Nova and his new Nova Corps.

Later, several Serpent Society members including Anaconda, Black Mamba, Bushmaster and Cottonmouth, fought members of the New Avengers in a semi-tropical locale. She was defeated by Captain America.

During the Dark Reign storyline, Black Mamba is revealed as a member of the Initiative's new team for the state of Delaware, the Women Warriors.

Black Mamba is one of the assassins tasked by the Assassins Guild to collect the bounty on Domino's head. She attempts to use her powers on Wolverine, causing him to perceive Mariko. She is later stabbed in the chest by X-23, but ultimately healed by Elixir, albeit to Wolverine's chagrin.