| Stingray | |
|---|---|
 Walter Newell / Stingray. Art byLee Weeks. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | As Walter Newell: Tales to Astonish #95 (September 1967) As Stingray: Sub-Mariner #19 (November 1969) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas (writer) Bill Everett (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dr. Walter Newell |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Astonishing Avengers Mercs for Money Secret Avengers Heroes for Hire The Initiative Defenders Point Men Avengers |
| Partnerships | Namor |
| Notable aliases | Stingray |
| Abilities |
|
Stingray (Walter Newell) is asuperhero appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics.[1] Created byRoy Thomas andBill Everett, the characterfirst appeared inTales to Astonish #95 (September 1967). Stingray is anengineer andoceanographer.[2]
Walter Newell debuted inTales to Astonish #95 (September 1967),[3] created byRoy Thomas andBill Everett.[4] He appeared under the codename Stingray inPrince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #19 (November 1969).[5] He appeared in the 2014Avengers World series.[6] He appeared in the 2016Deadpool & the Mercs for Money series.[7][8] He appeared in the 2018Avengers series.[9][10]
Walter Newell first appears in the titleTales to Astonish as anoceanographer working for theUnited States government. The character encounters the human/Atlanteanhybrid heroNamor the Sub-Mariner and his loverLady Dorma, while supervising the construction of a domed sub-sea city whose purpose is to harvest food for mankind. The city, however, is destroyed by the villain thePlunderer.[11] Newell becomes a perennial character in the titlePrince Namor, the Sub-Mariner and aids the hero and Dorma against the villainTiger Shark[12] and is coerced by the government into investigating the disappearance of water from the Earth's oceans. This is attributed toaliens who are believed to be in league with Namor. Ordered to capture Namor, Newell develops a suit based on the form of the sea creature themanta ray, and as 'Stingray' captures Namor, who was weakened at the time. Newell, however, believes Namor to be innocent and allows him to escape.[13]
Stingray aids Namor and theInhumanTriton against a group of Atlanteans who destroy anocean liner and falsely claim to have done so for Namor. The culprit is revealed to be AtlanteanwarlordAttuma, who is eventually defeated.[14] Stingray assists Namor in a search for his father Leonard Mackenzie, with Mackenzie being accidentally killed in a battle with villainsLlyra andTiger Shark.[15]
After brief appearances in titles theHulk[16] andThe Defenders,[17] Newell becomes a regular guest-star in the titleMarvel Two-In-One. The character moves his oceanographic facilities and research toHydro-Base, an artificial island previously used by the insaneecologistDoctor Hydro (occupied by Dr. Henry Croft and the passengers of anairplane, who were captured by Hydro and changed intomerfolk known as theHydro-Men).[18] As Stingray, Newell aidsFantastic Four member theThing, Triton, and heroine theScarlet Witch against the villains theSerpent Squad and companyRoxxon Oil to prevent them from obtaining theartifact theSerpent Crown.[19] Stingray is present whenMister Fantastic cures Croft and the other passengers, and aids the Thing and InhumansGorgon andKarnak againstMaelstrom's Minions, who steal a dose of the healing compound.[20]
Newell marriesDiane Arliss, the sister of Todd Arliss (the real name of villain Tiger Shark)[21] and leased part of Hydro-Base to superhero team theAvengers, and becomes an associate member of the team.[22] During the first "Armor Wars" storyline, AvengerIron Man confronts Stingray, mistakenly believing that Newell's suit was based on technology stolen fromStark Enterprises, forcing Stark to publicly fire Iron Man to protect his company from being affected by his current actions after he confirmed that Stingray's suit had been independently created.[23] Stingray aids the Avengers when Hydro-Base is invaded byHeavy Metal, a team ofrobot villains (consisting of theSuper-Adaptoid,Machine Man,Awesome Android,TESS-One, and theKreeSentry 459).[24]
During the "Acts of Vengeance" storyline, the Hydro-Base is damaged by an attack fromDoctor Doom'sDoombots and sinks, with Stingray aiding the AvengerQuasar in asalvage operation,[25] and then joining a group of reserve Avengers in a battle against theMad Thinker's Awesome Android.[26] In the titleMarvel Comics Presents Stingray encounters now-brother-in-law Tiger Shark and after a battle work together to save Diane Arliss, who is trapped after acave-in.[27] The character aids the Avengers,Canadian super teamAlpha Flight, and thePeople's Protectorate duringThe Crossing Line storyline[28] and with Namor battles asubterranean army.[29] Diane confirms to him sometime later that she is pregnant, although the details have never been mentioned or seen since.[30]
After featuring in aMarvel Comics Presents solo story[31] the character appears in the first storyline of the third volume of the title theAvengers.[32] Later, Stingray aids the Avengers in an extended storyline against futuristic villainKang the Conqueror;[33] appears in thelimited seriesAvengers/Thunderbolts[34] and the final issues of the third volume of the Avengers.[35]
During the "Civil War" storyline, Stingray is a member of the Secret Avengers – led byCaptain America – who oppose theSuperhuman Registration Act.[36] After Captain America's arrest and subsequent death, Stingray acceptsTony Stark's (Iron Man'salter ego) offer of a full pardon, and joinsThe Initiative.[37]
The character appears in another solo story in the second volume ofMarvel Comics Presents[38] and in an ongoing basis in the titleAvengers: The Initiative.[39]
During the "AXIS" storyline, Stingray is among the heroes recruited by an inverted Doctor Doom to join his team of Avengers. This group tries to focus on the innocent people put in danger where Scarlet Witch, now uncaring of morality, attacks Latveria. Stingray does his part by rescuing several people from a debris-filled river. His actions earn him the respect of U.S. Agent.[40]
As part of the "All-New, All-Different Marvel", Stingray is seen as part ofDeadpool'sMercs for Money.[41] It is later revealed that he is adouble agent who Captain America assigned to monitor the team.[42]
During the "Secret Empire" storyline, Stingray appears as a member of a resistance againstHydra following their takeover of the United States.[43]
Stingray and Diane were later on a cruise that was attacked by Tiger Shark. Their fight took place underwater until Namor crashed it demanding their allegiance. When Stingray tried to reason with Namor, he is attacked by the War Sharks summoned by Namor forcing Tiger Shark to side with Namor. This attack left him near-death, but he survived as confirmed when the Avengers confronted Namor and the Defenders of the Deep about this action.[44]
During the "Iron Man 2020" event, a recovered Stingray fought Captain Barracuda and his army of Robo-Buccaneers at theBermuda Triangle. The battle was crashed byMachinesmith who persuaded the Robo-Buccaneers to join the A.I. Army. As the Robo-Buccaneers take up the offer and leave with Machinesmith, Stingray states to a confused Captain Barracuda that he will have to knock him out now.[45]
Stingray is later sent by the Avengers to issue a reprieve to an imprisoned Namor to settle a raging civil war in Atlantis.[46] After Namor quells the civil war and assumes the title of Last King of Atlantis, Stingray is appointed an ambassador from the surface world and is invited to the newly transformed Atlantis.[47]
Walter Newell designed and wears the Stingray battlesuit, an armored exoskeleton composed of a superhard artificial cartilage designed mainly for underwater use.[48] It enhances his strength and durability to superhuman levels, which allow him to operate within the crushing pressures of the ocean depths. His suit is equipped with an oxygen-diffusing system providing breathable air almost indefinitely, allowing him to breathe underwater. The suit also gives him enhanced swimming speed,[49] and its streamlined wings allow him to glide through air for great distances. The Stingray battlesuit's chief offensive weapon is a powerful electrical discharge device built into the exoskeleton,[50] able to project bolts of up to 20,000 volts through air or water and released through the gloves. The suit grants protection against radiation.[51]
Additionally, Walter Newell has a gifted intellect and has a Ph.D. in oceanography. He is an experienced oceanographer and a skilled inventor of experimental oceanographic equipment.[52]
Michael Doran ofNewsarama included Stingray in their "Best Marvel Characters Left To Adapt To The MCU" list, writing, "Stingray has got a cool suit and name."[53] Rob Bricken ofGizmodo ranked Stingray 66th in their "Every Member Of The Avengers" list.[54]
Comic Book Resources ranked Stingray 8th in their "25 Obscure Marvel Characters Who Deserve Their Own Movie" list.[55]Screen Rant included Stingray in their "10 Best Tech-Based Characters Who Should Join The MCU Next" list,[56] and ranked him 9th in their "Marvel's 10 Most Powerful Aquatic Characters" list,[57] and 13th in their "13 Best Avengers Members Who Joined in the '90s" list.[58]
An alternate universe variant of Stingray from Earth-295 appears inAge of Apocalypse. He is the captain of the submarineExcalibur which transports refugees to Avalon.[59]
A zombified alternate universe variant of Stingray from Earth-2149 appears inMarvel Zombies.[60]
An alternate universe variant of Stingray from Earth-1298 appears inMutant X. This version is a member of theDefenders.[61][62]
An alternate universe variant of Stingray from Earth-12311 appears inSecret Wars. This version is a spy who wields advanced armor developed byArno Stark.[63]
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