TheCrimson Cowl is an identity used by different fictional characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics.
The first incarnation of Crimson Cowl, created by writerRoy Thomas and artistJohn Buscema, first appeared inThe Avengers #54 (July 1968).[1][2]
The second incarnation of Crimson Cowl, created byKurt Busiek andMark Bagley, debuted inThunderbolts #3 (June 1997).[3] Her true identity was revealed inThunderbolts #67 (September 2002) byFabian Nicieza.[4]
Ultron posed as the original Crimson Cowl in order to lead his own version of theMasters of Evil withEdwin Jarvis as a brainwashedbody double,[5] and merged himself as leader of thePhalanx.[6]
| Justine Hammer | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Thunderbolts vol. 1 #3 (June 1997; as Crimson Cowl) Thunderbolts vol. 1 #67 (September 2002) Iron Man vol. 7 #1 (October 2024; as Iron Monger) |
| Created by | Kurt Busiek Mark Bagley Fabian Nicieza |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Justine Hammer |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Masters of Evil Hammer Industries Roxxon |
| Notable aliases | Crimson Cowl Iron Monger |
Justine Hammer is daughter ofJustin Hammer who dealt with disapproval from her own father so she constantly tries to prove her worthiness and uses the supervillain community to accumulate power for herself as the second Crimson Cowl.[7] Shortly after theAvengers' andFantastic Four's apparent deaths, the Crimson Cowl forms her own version of the Masters of Evil while working forHydra to win New York City's crime families' favor which enrages theThunderbolts led byBaron Helmut Zemo as a maleCitizen V. When the Thunderbolts face the Masters of Evil in battle, the Crimson Cowl and her team escape when her teleportation ability creates a blinding flash in the first fight and she escapes for the second fight.[8]
After the Thunderbolts turn on Zemo andTechno which caused villains and heroes alike to hate, the Crimson Cowl attempts to induct the group into the Masters of Evil. She sendsCyclone to bait the Thunderbolts into an ambush. After defeating the Thunderbolts, she attempts to blackmail the group into joining her, threatening to turn the group over to enemies.[9] The Thunderbolts decline her offer and are saved byHawkeye disguised asDreadknight.[10]
The Masters of Evil, outnumbering the Thunderbolts with 25 members, then plan to use a weather machine to blackmail world leaders for one billion dollars. Hawkeye infiltrates the group, usingMoonstone's reputation as a traitor for attempting to unmask the Crimson Cowl who teleportedDallas Riordan into her Crimson Cowl costume before her so-called unmasking.[11] During a battle between theV-Battalion and the Thunderbolts, the Crimson Cowl teleports Riordan to her hideout on the border of Symkaria andLatveria as a prisoner. The female Citizen V fights the Crimson Cowl, culminating in Riordan falling off a bridge while unmasking her.[12]
Silver Sable allows Hammer to stay in the country of Symkaria after inheriting her father's fortune, initially unaware that she's a supervillain. The Crimson Cowl creates a new incarnation of the Masters of Evil. Hawkeye,Songbird andPlantman defeat most members and convince several that the Crimson Cowl would kill the group with her father's biotoxin, inducting several members of the Masters of Evil into the Thunderbolts. She's defeated whenSkein deconstructs her Crimson Cowl costume, leaving Hammer naked and allowing the Thunderbolts to place her in a cell.[13] Hammer remained in custody while her Crimson Cowl cloak gets utilized by her ex-colleague.[14]
During the "Civil War" storyline, Hammer forms a crew withRazor Fist andDiamondhead in an attempt to escape asuperhuman prison. She teleports to the security center, knocking out both guards and releasing all of the prisoners. Razor Fist holdsRobbie Baldwin as a hostage and accidentally releases Baldwin's kinetic energy, rendering most of the prisoners unconscious, maimed or dead; Hammer is found knocked out.[15]
The Crimson Cowl is later hired by theHood to take advantage of the superhero community split caused by theSuperhuman Registration Act.[16]
Justine is later a recurring adversary toIron Man, in which she has left behind her Crimson Cowl identity to leadHammer Industries and is revealed to beSasha Hammer's mother. Beginning with theIron Man storyline "Stark Resilient", mother and daughter promoteDetroit Steel to investors (such as corrupt military General Bruce Babbage) while Stark Resilient promoted repulsor technology as free energy to the world. Justine also buys surplusH.A.M.M.E.R. equipment sold afterNorman Osborn's fall for herpersonal line of drones and battlesuits.[17] Hammer continues as an adversary alongside theMandarin in subsequentIron Man storylines ("Demon", "The Long Way Down" and "The Future"), additionally antagonizingWar Machine andPepper Potts.[18][19][20] After Iron Man andZeke Stane join forces, Justine is warned to which she ignores before Zeke and Sasha kill her for revenge for the Mandarin's abuse.[21]
Hammer is resurrected byBelasco as the newIron Monger for a plot withRoxxon andA.I.M. to take over Stark Unlimited. She uses a magic virus onIron Man's armor, and utilizesFlying Tiger,Tiger Shark, the Strikeforce B.E.R.S.E.R.K.E.R.s, andForce II as diversions. AtStark Tower, Hammer hasDoctor Druid andMonica Rappaccini as her brokers and the board of directors initially found in her favor, resulting in a fight with Iron Man where Justine's demonic deal is revealed. This gets stopped by Iron Man convincing Justine's demonic benefactors to cease and the board of directors in changing the vote. After being dropped off back at Stark Tower, Justine surrendered her Iron Monger armor to Iron Man as she leaves.[22]
Justine Hammer is an adept athlete, unarmed combatant, a shrewd businesswoman and negotiator, making her a formidable leader and criminal organizer.
Hammer's main equipment is her prehensile Crimson Cowl cloak. Her equipment's many billows seem capable of elongating, strangling and grappling, and pummeling as well as even forming sharp edges with its corners. Her Crimson Cowl cloak also contains devices enabling her to levitate and to teleport herself and her teammates away from the scene, with a brilliant, debilitating flash of light just prior to the effect.[23]
Justine later utilized her own Iron Monger armor via a special broach.[24]
TheUltimate Marvel version of Justine Hammer is a tech-based enhanced individual and the daughter ofJustin Hammer Jr. InUltimate Comics: Armor Wars, she suffered from a sickness from her enhancements as she assistsIron Man before it's revealed she actually working forHoward Stark Sr. which culminated in a technological disruption device that killed her.[25]
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