| Diamondback | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Captain America #310 (October 1985) |
| Created by | |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Rachel Leighton |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Avengers Resistance The Initiative BAD Girls, Inc. Serpent Society Femizons S.H.I.E.L.D. |
| Partnerships | Black Mamba Asp |
| Notable aliases | Diamond Girl Snapdragon |
| Abilities |
|
Diamondback (Rachel Leighton) is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Originally depicted as asupervillain who was part of theSerpent Society, she was first introduced inCaptain America #310 (October 1985) and became a series regular for years afterwards.
Rachel Leighton made her debut as part of the Serpent Society and soon came into conflict withCaptain America as the group carried out an assassination. Later, on Leighton started to develop feelings for Captain America, drawing her away from the Society to the side of the good guys. After Captain America helped foil a takeover byViper, the two began to date. Because of her involvement with a superhero the Serpent Society voted to execute her, but her life was spared by her friends within the Serpent Society. Leighton, along withBlack Mamba andAsp, formed BAD Girls, Inc. a trio of adventurers who would on occasion aid Captain America. During the "Civil War" storyline BAD Girls, Inc. sided with Captain America's Anti-Registration group. She later became an agent ofS.H.I.E.L.D., before briefly returning to her criminal roots as part of Serpent Solutions.
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Rachel Leighton first appeared inCaptain America #310 (October 1985), and was created by writerMark Gruenwald and artistPaul Neary.
Rachel Leighton was born inAustin, Texas. She was once a part-time sales clerk at a boutique, but later became a mercenary. InCaptain America #319, she reveals to Captain America that she has a brother and that when she was younger, she introduced by him toTrapster. In exchange for weaponry that Trapster provides her with, Leighton suggests that in return she prostitutes herself to the criminal. One of the members of the originalSerpent Society,[1] Diamondback is a seductively sly woman with expertise in hand-to-hand combat, being trained byAnaconda atTaskmaster's academy. She primarily wields acid-laced or poison-tipped diamonds. After her first confrontation withCaptain America while on assignment to findMODOK,[2] Diamondback is instantly smitten with him.
Viper stages a coup of the Serpent Society, causing several of her underlings to infiltrate as new members and setting Viper up to take over by force. Diamondback and the Society's leaderSidewinder escape, recruiting Captain America's allies to rescue the members who are still loyal to Sidewinder.[3]
Diamondback is later revealed to have resigned from the Serpent Society and begins dating Captain America.[4][5] Diamondback is put on trial by the Serpent Society for her consorting with the enemy, with most of the Society falsely believing that she had sold out secretive information to Captain America. The Society finds Diamondback guilty for her actions and nearly executes her.[6] Diamondback escapes with Captain America andPaladin's help, and later hires Paladin to help get revenge on the Serpent Society.[7] Along with her best friendsBlack Mamba andAsp, she forms "BAD Girls, Inc."[8]
Rachel's brothersDanny and Ricky fall in with a gang led by a man known as "Bing." Yearning to be included, Rachel approaches Bing alone. Upon claiming she would do anything to join the gang, Rachel is beaten by Bing, who kidnaps and abuses her until she agrees to steal packages of Captain America's blood fromAvengers Mansion.[9][10] Bing kills Danny, who sought to replace him as aid to theRed Skull,[11] and Rachel's other brother Willy, who sought revenge for the brutality inflicted on his sister.[9]
During the "Civil War" storyline, Diamondback joins theSecret Avengers along with Asp and Black Mamba.[12] She takes part in the final battle of the "war", but refuses the offer of amnesty that comes with Captain America's surrender.
Diamondback appears inCamp Hammond, as an official recruit for theInitiative.[13] WhenNorman Osborn assumes control of the Initiative during the "Dark Reign" storyline, Diamondback agrees to work for him.[14] Diamondback is revealed as a member of the Initiative's Delaware-based team, theWomen Warriors.[15] AfterConstrictor saves her life from a crashing plane, the two begin a relationship.[16]
Later, Rachel is shown working as an agent ofS.H.I.E.L.D. and sporting a new costume.[17]
Captain America (Sam Wilson) learns ofViper's plans with the Serpent Society, who are now operating under the new name of Serpent Solutions. He visits Diamondback for information on the group. After Diamondback is attacked and stabbed byBlack Racer, Captain America attempts to come to her aid. Diamondback betrays Captain America, revealing herself to be a member of the Serpent Society once again, and Captain America is captured.[18] In the ensuing battle, Diamondback turns against Viper and helps the heroes defeat the Society.[19]
A second Diamondback is introduced in the "Secret War" storyline. This Diamondback isDeborah "Debbie" Bertrand, an Olympic athlete and gymnast who attended theUniversity of North Carolina. For undisclosed reasons, Bertrand purchased equipment from theTinkerer, which he had designed for Rachel Leighton. Perhaps hoping to use Leighton's reputation to boost her own, Bertrand begins operating as Diamondback, despite Leighton still being active under that identity.[20]
A third Diamondback, apparently Rachel Leighton, resurfaced as a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, trying to rekindle her romance with Captain America while working undercover for the Red Skull.[21] Truly loving Steve Rogers, but still willing to follow the plot, she is confronted and killed by the Red Skull,[22] only to "resurrect" herself with a biomechanical form able to control technology.Nick Fury explains that Leighton is an advancedLife Model Decoy and decides to keep her in storage while working to restore her proper programming.[23] Before Leighton can be restored, Iron Maniac wipes her memories and reconfigures her into an armor for his use.[24]
While regaining his franchises,Roderick Kingsley sells one of Diamondback's old costumes to an unnamed female criminal, who is trained to replace her.[25]
Rachel Leighton is an athletic woman with no superhuman powers. She has skill in gymnastics, and at pitching small ballistic objects with great accuracy, and at piloting small aircraft. She also has knowledge of general street-fighting techniques, and some jujitsu. Leighton wears a costume of synthetic stretch fabric backed by Kevlar weave, with two biceps-belts and two thigh-belts for carrying throwing diamonds, concealed pockets in the boot tops, boot-heels, glove tops, and brassiere for other throwing diamonds, and throwing diamond earrings. Her personal weaponry consists of throwing diamonds, which are actually 4-inch (100 mm) hollow zirconium octahedrons (though not made of diamond, they are shaped like diamonds) containing various substances; spent uranium, plastic explosives, nitric acid, tear gas, smoke, curare-derived narcotics, etc. Her equipment was originally designed and manufactured by theTrapster,[volume & issue needed] but her later design and manufacture was by theTinkerer.[volume & issue needed]
An alternate universe version of Rachel Leighton / Diamondback fromEarth-1610 appears inAll-New Ultimates #1. This version is a teenage delinquent and a member of the Serpent Skulls gang.[28]
Diamondback was meant to appear inCaptain America: Brave New World, portrayed byRosa Salazar, before her scenes were cut.[31]