Valentina Vostok
| Valentina Vostok | |
|---|---|
|
Cover of Showcase #96, art by Jim Aparo | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Showcase #94 (August 1977) |
| Created by |
Paul Kupperberg (writer) Jim Aparo (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Lieutenant Colonel Valentina Vostok |
| Team affiliations |
Checkmate The Agency Doom Patrol Soviet Air Force US Secret Service Black Lantern Corps |
| Notable aliases | Negative Woman, White Queen |
| Abilities | Experienced espionage operative. |
Valentina Vostok (alternately spelled Valentina Vostock) is a fictional character by DC Comics. She first appeared in Showcase #94, (August 1977), and was created by Paul Kupperberg and Joe Staton.[1]
Fictional character biography
Lt. Col. Valentina Vostok of the Soviet Air Force stole an experimental Russian fighter plane in order to defect to the United States. The plane malfunctioned en route and she crash-landed at the spot where the original Doom Patrol had apparently perished and was fused with the negative energy being which formerly inhabited the body of the Patrol's Negative Man. However, instead of being able to send it out from her body under her control, Vostok gained the ability to transform herself into such a being. Years later, it was revealed by Doom Patrol villain the Brain that Niles Caulder, founder of the Doom Patrol, manipulated Valentina's transformation into a superhero in order to create a replacement for presumed dead Negative Man.
Assuming the name Negative Woman, Valentina defected to the United States and became a member of the second incarnation of Doom Patrol for several years. Valentina became romantically involved with teammate Joshua Clay, aka Tempest, but broke off the relationship due to the nature of her powers changing to match that of her predecessor: her body became permanently radioactive, requiring her to constantly wear radiation-blocking bandages over all of her body, and the radio-energy being would emerge from her under her mental command.[2]
Ultimately, when Negative Man was found alive and rescued by the new Doom Patrol, the negative energy abandoned Valentina and was returned to Larry Trainor. Though she was initially furious at having lost her power and being replaced by Negative Man, his ultimate rejection of the power allowed for Valentina to leave the Doom Patrol on good terms, unaware of the fact that the negative energy being would ultimately return and claim Trainor again, turning him into Rebis.
Valentina would go on to work for the American secret services, being involved in a number of US government departments including serving for a time as head of the Agency and working for the original incarnation of Checkmate.
White Queen
Vostok was later named White Queen of the current incarnation of Checkmate, replacing Amanda Waller.
Final Crisis
A Negative Woman was among those in the Blüdhaven Strike Force in Final Crisis #4 sent by Checkmate. Included are Count Vertigo and Atomic Knights.[3] Vostok is seen under Darkseid's control in Final Crisis: Resist.
Blackest Night
Valentina was apparently killed during the events of Final Crisis, as her corpse is reanimated as a member of the undead Black Lantern Corps during the Doom Patrol series' Blackest Night tie-in storyline. She attacks Larry Trainor, using a corrupted version of the Negative creature (whether this is a construct created by her black power ring, or a revival of her former powers, is not made clear).[4] Trainor absorbs both Negative Creatures, taking control and sending both of them into Valentina. This causes her body to overload and explode, destroying the black ring.[5]
New 52
In the New 52 reboot(2011), Negative Woman first appears in Justice League vol.2 #24 in a camera being watched by Grid, and later comes back in Justice League vol.2 #27 where she was seemingly killed off by Johnny Quick and Atomica.
Powers and abilities
Valentina formerly possessed a radioactive "soul-self", and was capable of flight and intangibility, and could generate minor explosions upon contact with positive energy. She no longer possesses these abilities.
In other media
Valentina Vostok appears in Legends of Tomorrow portrayed by Stephanie Corneliussen, in the episodes "White Knights" and "Fail-Safe".[6] In 1986, Vostok is a Soviet scientist employed by Vandal Savage to develop a composite "nuclear man" similar to Firestorm; Savage had witnessed Firestorm in action a decade previously as part of Rip Hunter's team. Savage and Vostok capture Dr. Martin Stein and torture Stein's allies to force him to divulge the secrets of the matrix. Vostok discovers that Stein is part of the matrix, and forces him to merge with her. She ignores his warning that the result will be unstable without the "quantum splicer" developed to stabilize the fusion process. Jefferson Jackson encourages Stein to fight Vostok's control, giving Jackson an opportunity to touch the composite and break Stein free. Vostok loses control of the matrix, and the energy is released as a nuclear explosion. Hunter's team escapes, but Vostok's status is not revealed.
See also
References
- ↑ Michael Browning, "The Doom Patrol Interviews: Paul Kupperberg," Back Issue (TwoMorrows Publishing), # 65 (July 2013), p. 43
- ↑ Kupperberg, Paul; Keith Giffen & Sal Trapani, "Negative Woman Goes Berserk!" DC Comics Presents #52, December 1982, DC Comics.
- ↑ "Final Crisis" #4 (2008)
- ↑ Doom Patrol (Vol. 5) #4
- ↑ Doom Patrol (Vol. 5) #5
- ↑ Ausiello, Michael (2015-09-23). "'Legends of Tomorrow': Stephanie Corneliussen Cast as Valentina Vostok". TVLine. Retrieved 2016-03-21.