Calypso (Marvel Comics)

Calypso was created by screenwriter Dennis O'Neill and artist Alan Weiss. Calypso originally appeared as a minor character in The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1, # 209 and Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1, # 65, where she was an ally of the enemy of Spider-Man , Craven the Hunter . After Craven’s death, Calypso cast a spell on Lizard and sent him to battle Spider-Man in Spider-Man Vol. 1, # 1-5, and subsequently appeared as a cameo in Daredevil Vol. 1, # 310-311 and Daredevil Annual Vol. nineteen. Calypso's next appearance was in the Web of Spider-Man Vol. 1, # 109-110 and Spider-Man Annual 1997. She was killed in the storyline spanning The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1, # 249-253.

Calypso was a voodoo priestess of Haitian descent ^[1] . She was a psychopathic woman who entered into an alliance with Sergei Kravinov . Calypso, it would seem, enjoyed the fits of Craven’s anger that turned into hatred of Spider-Man, which ultimately brought him to suicide in the Kraven's Last Hunt storyline ^[2] .

When artist Todd MacFarlane began writing a new story for Spider-Man called Torment , he decided to make Calypso the main antagonist, which became a dangerous threat to Spider-Man. The origin of the supernatural powers of Calypso was attributed to the murder of her younger sister. She takes control of Dr. Kurt Connors' alter-ego, the Lizard , which she sends to kill Spider-Man. However, he managed to stop both, and Calypso was apparently killed ^[3] .

Her super voodoo abilities prevented her from going to another world and she was resurrected. Commanding a squad of savages, she attacked Spider-Man and Alexei Kravinov, the youngest son of Craven the Hunter. Wanting to avenge the death of Sergei, Calypso used her abilities to direct them against each other. They neutralized her spell and concluded a temporary truce. Defeating Calypso, Alexey told Spider that he would keep her in his mansion in order to get information about his long-lost father. But instead, he killed Calypso. ^[4]

Calypso had extensive knowledge of religion and voodoo practice. In particular, she uses voodoo drums, potions and amulets in battle. She has a super-ability to control the consciousness of other people, and is also endowed with the gift of resurrection.

What if?

In reality, where Spider-Man was forced to kill the Lizard, Calypso manipulates his distraught son Billy, offering him a chance to take revenge on Spider-Man by making him “like his dad” ^[5] .

Television

• In the 1994 Spider-Man animated series, Calypso was originally introduced as a research scientist named Dr. Maria Crawford . She was responsible for creating an amazing serum that turned Sergey Kravinov into Craven-Hunter, who affectionately called her "Calypso", in honor of the Greek nymph who gave life to Odysseus. And the serum healed any wound, and protected from disease and infection, but the serum turned a person into a wild animal in human flesh. Mary creates in New York an antidote to this serum, which turns Sergey from a wild barbarian into an ordinary person, and helps Spider-Man get rid of his mutation by teaming up with Sergey and the Punisher . Then she and her lover go to Africa, at the very center of the plague epidemic. There, Maria, through infection, is exposed to the deadly plague disease, and Sergei has no choice but to use the same serum on her. Taking the drug by drinking, after a few days, causes a mutagenic change in Maria’s DNA, after which she turns into a wild, bloodthirsty, ugly, and ferocious woman Calypso. After struggling with Craven, Spider-Man and the Black Cat , she was introduced an antidote developed by Debra Whitman and Kurt Connors, after which, her human appearance returned. After that, Craven and Calypso went on a trip.
• Calypso, voiced by Angela Bryant, appears in the animated series New Adventures of Spider-Man , along with Craven Hunter, in the second episode of the second season. It is she who calls Craven to go to New York to hunt for Spider-Man, and she goes to New York after him.

Video Games

• Calypso is the secret boss at the end of Spider-Man 2 .
• Calypso helps Craven the Hunter in Spider-Man 3 . She gives the Lizard a more monstrous form and sends it against Spider-Man.
• The noir version of Calypso appears as the exclusive antagonist in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions in the Nintendo DS version, where she was voiced by Jennifer Hale . Calypso uses a fragment of the tablet of order and chaos to create an army of zombies. She also plans to resurrect her beloved Craven the Hunter from the dead. Calypso is defeated by the noir Spider-Man.

• Calypso on Comicvine.com
• Marvel Comics Women Calypso Page
• Calypso Biography Spiderfan.org