Shinobi Shaw

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caption=Shinobi Shaw
Whilce Portacio, Art
comic_color=background:#ff8088
character_name=Shinobi Shaw
real_name=Shinobi Shaw
species=Human Mutant
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="X-Factor"#69 (August 1990)
creators=Chris Claremont
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Shaw Industries, Hellfire Club Inner Circle, Upstarts, Baron Zemo
aliases= Black King
powers=Density control|

Shinobi Shaw, also known as a Black King of the Hellfire Club, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Marvel Universe. He is a comic book supervillain, a foe of the X-Men and their affiliated teams. His first appearance was in "X-Factor" #67 (June 1990).

Fictional character biography

Shinobi is thought to be the son of Sebastian Shaw, the leader of the Hellfire Club. Shinobi himself has been somewhat uncertain about this as his powers are more like the former Black Bishop of the Club, Harry Leland.

Shaw was a member of the Upstarts, a group made up of Siena Blaze, Graydon Creed, Fabian Cortez, Trevor Fitzroy and probationary members Andreas and Andrea Strucker (of Fenris). They were manipulated by the Gamemaster and originally Selene, but the group quickly turned against her. The group participated in an elaborate game, wherein they would hunt and kill assigned targets for points. During one of these games, the Upstarts targeted the surviving members of the New Mutants and the Hellions, but were defeated by the combined forces of X-Force and the New Warriors.

Shaw once attempted to kill his father, and initially believed himself successful (though his father would resurface later). Shaw was briefly able to take control of the Hellfire Club, assuming the mantle of Black King. Enjoying the luxury of the position, he was attended by many beautiful scantily clad female and male servants. Eager to return the Inner Circle to its former glory, Shaw approached Elisabeth Braddock and Warren Worthington, attempting to convince them to become a part of the Inner Circle. Both X-Men refused, however. He also tried to enlist Storm as a member, but she also refused.

Later, he worked with Spiral and Mindmeld as they experimented on Karma's siblings. However, his personal assassin Clear-Cut betrayed Shinobi and aided X-Force in defeating him.

After his father returned to power, Shinobi disappeared, and his whereabouts are unknown.

In the recent "X-Men: 198 Files", Shaw was confirmed as being one of a handful of mutants who retained their powers following House of M.

Powers and abilities

Shinobi is a mutant who can alter his body's density from diamond-hard to intangible. He usually uses it as a means of escape, but he can also use the intangibility to reach into an opponent's heart and induce a heart attack (this has no visible adverse affects on Shaw himself). Although he does not demonstrate it well, Shinobi Shaw considered himself a criminal mastermind of the highest calibre.

Ultimate Shinobi Shaw

Shinobi Shaw has recently appeared in the Ultimate X-Men title, as Emma Frost's boyfriend. He is a member of the new Hellfire Club and may be its leader. One of his operatives, Gerald Levine, is currently spying on the Xavier Institute and presumably Jean Grey, under his orders. When visiting the school Shinobi and Gerald attacked Jean in an attempt to lure the Phoenix Force out of her body. This failed, the Phoenix fought back, and Shinobi and Gerald were expelled from the school and taken into police custody. Later on Emma revealed that she's actually a secret member of the Hellfire Club together with Shinobi and she was plotting against the X-Men in secret. Currently the Hellfire Club is plotting a new attack on the X-Men, though it's uncertain if Shinobi and Gerald will be included in them.

Character

* Shinobi is another name for a ninja.
* Shinobi had a finger cut off by Trevor Fitzroy, but it was successfully re-attached.

Bibliography

* "X-Force" v1, #32-33 by Fabian Nicieza

* "New Warriors" v1, #45-46 by Fabian Nicieza

* "X-Men" vol. 2, #29 by Fabian Nicieza

Footnotes

References

* [http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/s/shawshinobi.htm Marvel Directory: Shinobi Shaw]