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| Ashley Kafka | |
|---|---|
 Ashley Kafka | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance |
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| Created by | J. M. DeMatteis (writer) Sal Buscema (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Ashley Kafka |
| Notable aliases | Queen Goblin |
| Abilities | Expert at psychology As Queen Goblin: Super-strength Enhanced durability Goblin Gaze |
Dr. Ashley Kafka is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. She is usually depicted in stories revolving around thesuperheroSpider-Man. Introduced inThe Spectacular Spider-Man #178 (July 1991), she was created by writerJ. M. DeMatteis and artistSal Buscema. The character was inspired by therapeutic hypnotist Frayda Kafka.[1] In the comics, Dr. Kafka is apsychiatrist at theRavencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane, and an occasional ally of Spider-Man. After having been killed byMassacre, Dr. Kafka was twice "reanimated" with hersoul intact in a cloned body byBen Reilly andNorman Osborn, dying again in the former body to the Carrion Virus before going on to become theQueen Goblin in the latter body after being magically corrupted by Osborn's "sins" (theGreen Goblin persona) by theBeyond Corporation.
The character has appeared in several forms of media outside of comics, including animated series and video games. A male version of the character appeared in the 2014 filmThe Amazing Spider-Man 2 portrayed byMarton Csokas.
Ashley Kafka first appeared inThe Spectacular Spider-Man #178 (July 1991), and was created byJ.M. DeMatteis andSal Buscema. She was killed inThe Superior Spider-Man #4 (April 2013) before being twice revived inDead No More: The Clone Conspiracy #2 (November 2016) andRavencroft #5 (September 2020), becoming the Queen Goblin inAmazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 #88 (February 2022)
Ashley Kafka grew up in New York with her mother and her sister, Norma, who had been born with severe facial birth defects and was mentally challenged. Kafka looked after Norma while growing up. Their mother died when Kafka was nineteen years old and Norma was left at a psychiatric hospital, where she died a short time later. Kafka then went to college at the Empire State University where she studied psychology and earned a degree.[2]
Kafka goes on to become a professional psychologist specializing in the criminally insane and founds a maximum security sanitarium called the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane, where she treats super-criminals.[3]
Kafka is later killed byMassacre during a breakout attempt.[4] In "Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy",Ben Reilly resurrects Kafka in a clone body, but she dies after undergoing cellular degeneration.[5][6]
InRavencroft,Norman Osborn uses Reilly's cloning method to revive Kafka in a new clone body.[7] She later becomes the Queen Goblin after being infused with Osborn's sins.
Ashley Kafka is an expert at psychology.
On her second "reanimation" (with a slightly degraded soul) in a cloned body, Ashley was exposed to the sins of Norman Osborn and was mutated into the "Queen Goblin", which gave her a red-skinned goblin-like appearance and granted her goblin serum-like abilities like enhanced strength, speed and durability while seemly a healing factor and perhaps increased intelligence based on the source of the powers. She also possesses a Goblin Gaze that causes anyone hit by it to relive their trauma.
As Queen Goblin, Ashley Kafka rides a Goblin Glider and wields a high-tech Pumpkin Scepter that has two features. The first feature can be used in a rigid state. The second feature is a chain retractable state. In addition, the Pumpkin Scepter can fire explosive blasts through the Pumpkin Scepters extremities.
In 2022,Screen Rant included Queen Goblin in their "10 Spider-Man Villains That Are Smarter Than They Seem" list.[8]
In the Marvel/DC crossoverSpider-Man &Batman, Kafka was present when behavioral psychiatrist Cassandra Briar attempted to use Carnage as the test subject for a chip that would lobotomize the homicidal instincts of dangerous patients, Kafka objecting to the treatment in the belief that she could still reach Kasady through conventional therapy.[9]
On Earth-71290, Ashley Kafka works at Ravencroft where she hasEdward Whelan as her assistant.Web-Weaver enlisted them to help hide the Great Web of Life and Destiny from theSinister Squadron. When Some of the spider-themed heroes arrived to make sure it is safe, the Sinister Squadron arrived with their leader Madame Web (an unidentified reality version of May Parker) causing Ashley and Edward to flee.[10]
In theMC2 reality, Ashley Kafka marriedJohn Jameson, with whom she had a son named Jack. Jack became a costumed adventurer known as "The Buzz" without them knowing.[volume & issue needed]
Ashley Kafka appears inThe Amazing Spider-Man 2 film tie-in game.
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