DRAGONFLY

Real Name: Meiko Yin

Identity/Class: Human athlete, citizen of Korea

Occupation: Former assassin

Group Membership: Former member of the True Believers

Affiliations: Elektra and Spider-Man;
former employee of the Black Tarantula,
former disciple of Madam Qwa, former lover of Karsano

Enemies: Spider-Man, Electro, Dragonfly (Karsano), True Believers, Yano

Known Relatives: Angela Yin (Cousin)

Aliases: None known

Base of Operations: Formerly New York, currently unknown

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man I#421/1 (March, 1997)

Powers/Abilities: The Dragonfly is a martial arts expert. Madam Qwa, the sensei of the True Believers, an offshoot of the Hand, trained her. She also used a sword, which she was a seeming expert at using.

History: (Amazing Spider-Man I#421/1(fb)) Meiko Yin, the cousin of one of Peter Parker’s fellow photographers at the Daily Bugle, became engaged to a man named Karsano. Shortly after their engagement, they began to study the martial arts. However, Karsano, seeking new challenges, joined an offshoot of the Hand known as the True Believers. He became their assassin, known as the Dragonfly. Their sensei, Madam Qwa, ordered Karsano to kill Meiko to prove his loyalty. He accepted the challenge. He had three attempts to do so.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#421/1) Meiko came to New York to meet Angela, to stay with her. She met her at a fair, but Karsano and a small group of True Believers attacked her. Spider-Man was present, however, and helped fight them. They drove of the ninjas, who fled. They later attacked Meiko on the roof of Angela’s apartment, again with Spider-Man in attendance. Spider-Man and Meiko humiliated Karsano, who committed a ritual suicide. Later, Madam Qwa told Meiko she had passed the test.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#422) The Dragonfly trained with some True Believers. Shortly afterwards, she was commanded to kill Spider-Man’s friend and colleague, Joe ‘Robbie’ Robertson.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#423) The Dragonfly and a group of True Believers attacked Robertson, only for Electro, who’d been hired by the Rose to kill the True Believers, to attack them. He would have killed her, if it were not for the intervention of Spider-Man and Robertson. As he saved her life, she spared him.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#424) As a punishment for failing to kill Robertson, Madam Qwa ordered Meiko to kill Angela, or she would be killed. Meiko decided to flee, rather than kill her cousin. Another of Qwa’s assassins, Yano, saw this, and pursued her to a train yard. Elektra and Spider-Man both arrived there, and helped Meiko battle the True Believers and Yano. Meiko defeated Yano, while the others easily defeated the True Believers. Afterwards, Meiko said she would pursue a new path in life.

(Civil War: Battle Damage Report) - Tony Stark listed Meiko as a foreign national, who was sometimes active in the United States.

Meiko was one of several pawns in the long running Rose-Black Tarantula war. Electro and Doctor Octopus were probably the main ones, although Spidey himself was involved as Ricochet.

The name True Believers would pretty much have to be a(n) homage to Stan Lee's term "True Believer," which referred to the loyal fans of Marvel--Snood.

By Voice of Doom

CLARIFICATIONS:
Dragonflies (Meiko and Karsano) are to be distinguished from:

• Dragonfly, Veronica Dultry, of the Ani-Men, @ Uncanny X-Men#94
• Dragonfly, Andre LeRoux, of the Super Soldiers, @ Super Soldiers#6
• Dragonfly, of SHIELD, who sought information on Cable, @ Soldier X#1
• Dragonfly, of the Ultraverse, one of the Gross Babies, @ Prime I#26
• Dragonflies, SHIELD assault helicopters used against Godzilla, @ Godzilla#4

The True Believers have no known connection to:

• Stan Lee's True Believers (see comments)
• True Believer of the New Universe, the dream/imaginary form of Tad, @ Starbrand#9

Dragonfly/Karsano

Karsano was Meiko’s fiancée, until Madam Qwa ordered him to kill Meiko. He was humiliated in battle by Spider-Man, and killed himself. However his engagement to Meiko has been called into doubt as a possible cover-up for Meiko’s activities. He was also previously called the Dragonfly--preceding Meiko in that title.

--Amazing Spider-Man I#421 (421(fb), 421

Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man I#421 (March, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Steve Skroce (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#422-424 (April-June, 1997) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Joe Bennett (pencils), Bud LaRosa, Ralph Cabrera (#23-24) & Harry Candelario (#23) (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Civil War: Battle Damage Report (2007)

Last updated: 08/24/04

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

All characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters