IRON MAIDEN

Real Name: Melina Vostokovna

Identity/Class: Human using exo-skeleton, Russian

Occupation: assassin, mercenary, former agent of espionage for Russian government

Group Membership: Superia's Femizons

Affiliations: Black Lotus, Blackbird, Damon Dran, "Deadshot" Darrance, Laralie/Wrangler, N'Kama, Russian government, Snapdragon (Sheoke Sanada), Kono Sanada, Superia

Enemies: AIM (Allesandro Brannex, MODAM), Black Widow (Natasha Romanova), Captain America, Diamondback (Rachel Leighton), Paladin, Thunderbolts (Fixer, Joystick, MACH-4), Jimmy Woo

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Melina Vostokoff

Place of Birth: Serov, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia

Base of Operations: Currently unknown;
    formerly Femizonia Island, formerly Damon Dran's undersea base

First Appearance: Marvel Fanfare I#11 (November, 1983)

Powers/Abilities: The Iron Maiden is a master combatant, assassin, and agent of espionage. She wears a flexible metal costume which protects her from the force of many impacts and insulates her against many forms of energy attack. It may grant her some level of superhuman strength, making her somewhere between peak and enhanced human.

Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed

History: The Iron Maiden was originally an agent of the Russian government. She was forced to live in the shadow of the legendary Black Widow. This caused her to develop a hatred for the Widow. Eventually, she left the service of Russia and became a freelance assassin and mercenary.

(Marvel Fanfare I#11-12) - The Iron Maiden was one of a group of assassins sent by Damon Dran to assassinate the Black Widow. The Iron Maiden outlasted the other assassins, and was on the verge of overpowering the Widow when she was interrupted by Jimmy Woo and a squadron of SHIELD I agents. Melina fled, and was followed into the sewers by Woo and the Widow. She ambushed them, but Woo used his energy blaster to blow a hole in the floor she was standing on, which generated a powerful whirlpool and sucked her down to the next level.

([Captain America I#387, 388], 389-392) - The Iron Maiden was one of the army of superhuman female criminals gathered by Superia as part of her plot to sterilize the rest of the world and gain power for her potential nation of women. She was part of the army that defeated and captured Captain America and Paladin when they tried to sneak aboard the ship to Femizonia. Melina was one of the small group that stayed by Superia, as her "lieutenants" following the defeat of her initial plot.

(Captain America I#411-413, [414]) - She accompanied Superia and the other remaining Femizons to Boca Caliente for the AIM Weapons Expo. Superia attempted to execute Alessandro Brannex, to take over AIM for her own uses, which brought her group into conflict with MODAM and the other security forces of AIM. In addition, the assassination failed because Superia did not realize Brannex was an Adaptoid. MODAM overpowered Superia and Blackbird, and the Iron Maiden was unable to reach her to even try to stop her.

(Thunderbolts II#105) - When the U.S. became embroiled in its Superhuman Registration Act, Iron Maiden attempted to obtain a fake i.d. and sneak into Canada. She was pursued by Fixer, Joystick, and MACH-4 of the Thunderbolts, and Joystick brought down Iron Maiden while the Fixer and MACH-4 made wagers on the fight.

Comments: Created by Ralph Macchio and George Perez.