SILVERCLAW

Real Name: Maria de Guadalupe Santiago

Identity/Class: Demi-god

Occupation: Protector of the Kamekeri, College student (Empire State University) and reserve Avenger

Citizenship: Costa Verde

Place of Birth: Kamekeri Village, Costa Verde

Education: College Student (Empire State University)

Group Membership: Avengers (Reserve member)

Affiliations: Edwin Jarvis, Haywire of Earth-712, Ms. Marvel, Operation: Lighting Storm (Machine Man, Rick Sheridan, Sleepwalker, Sum)

Enemies: Diablo, Elements of Doom, Graviton, Moses Magnum, Kang, Kulan Gath, Order (Dr. Stephen Strange), Hulk (Banner), Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner), Presence, Puppet Master, Reptyl, Ruul/Kree, Taskmaster, Thanos, Yandroth

Known Relatives: Jaime Santiago (father, deceased), Peliali (mother)

Aliases: La Garra Argentado (see comments), Daughter of the Volcano God, La Garra Plata

Base of Operations: Empire State University dorm rooms;
    formerly Avengers Mansion

First Appearance: Avengers III#8 (September, 1998)

Powers/Abilities: Silverclaw can transform into any animal within her native jungle in Costa Verde, while retaining a silver hue to her skin. For example, she can become a bird to fly and a snake to constrict enemies.

Height: 5'7" (human), variable
Weight: 150 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black, white on the ends

History: (Avengers III#29 (fb)) - Here's her origin in her own words:
    "In ancient times, my people--the Kamekeri--believed in many gods----Inti, Kuat, Viracocha, Manco Capac, Aiomum Kondi, Coniraya, Guecufu, Kanassa, Okonorote, Kulimina, and many more. They were a part of the Kamekeri's daily lives--governing everything from plantings and harvests to the rule of law.
    But in time, missionaries came, bringing the word of Christ and calling all else foolish and false belief. They helped the Kamekeri, and taught them modern ways----and the Kamekeri heeded their teachings and gave up the old beliefs. It is said that the old gods left, then--going wherever it is gods go when they have no more followers. They all withdrew from the Earth to the skies----except for one--Peliali, the volcano god, whose home was in the bones of the Earth----and who swore never to leave her home, or her people.
And Peliali, they say, dwelt in the hills, where she had always dwelt----and the Kamekeri forgot her----and the old ways became dismissed as foolish stories......as the ignorance that reigned before the teaching of Christ and the church. But some years ago, a man of the Kamekeri began to study the old ways, the old legends. And he went up to the mountains where Peliali was said to dwell----and he claimed to have found her. And the Kamekeri mocked him----and the church denounced him---but still he went up to the mountains for many trips, many months----and one day he came down with an infant, a baby girl, who he said was his daughter----his and Peliali's. I was given a Christian name, and a Christian upbringing----was baptized and prayed over----but there were times, now and again, when--things happened----and my father's tales seemed true (she refers to her unwillingly shapeshifting while being baptized). And as I grew up, I stood out as something wrong, something freakish. And I didn't have much control of my powers yet. The other children would make fun of me----and I'd get upset, and change--into a monkey, or a snake. It...didn't help matters.
But my father continued to study the old myths, and he taught me about my heritage, about what he called my birthright. And somehow, hearing those stories calmed me--helped me to control my changes. He tried to take me to see my mother, too----but every time we went, the caves he said were hers were empty----and I began to dread those visits.  I didn't want to believe, didn't want to believe, didn't want to be so different. And one year, he grew sick and died, and I grieved over losing the only parent I'd ever known----and I was taken in by the church orphanage. It was supported by Child-Care, an American charity. They were nervous about my powers----which they considered ungodly.
    And then, one day, a letter came in--one of the many responses to Child-Care's TV ads...it was from Edwin Jarvis, the butler to the well-known Stark family in America. He wished to sponsor a child. And already, there were stories from America about how the mysterious Iron Man protected the Starks' company----and it was decided that I would be his sponsoree, in the hopes that if there was trouble, the Starks and Iron Man might help. I was so happy that someone wanted to help me--me, specifically--and I immediately started to write him letters. And he wrote back. I told him about my life, but I didn't tell him everything. I didn't tell him about my birthright. I was determined to be modern, to reject the legends I was mocked for. I was the first in the village to sneak out, go to the city----to get my nose pierced, to buy CDs. I always knew the most modern bands, the American TV stars--and I was eager to go to the U. S., to go to college there.
But though I never rold Tio Edwin about my birthright, I never quite let go of it----I remembered my father's teachings. And I kept the ceremonial garb he'd made me. I had it with me when I left home to fly to the states for the first time--and it was there, at the Costa Verde National Airport, that terrorists who'd heard about me coerced me to do their bidding----and so I came to meet Tio Edwin and the Avengers in a manner I never would have dreamed of. And always, always I remembered my father's warnings. He told me of a prophecy--about how a great threat would come, a threat from a long time past----and that as the only child of the gods, I'd have to stand against it. I tried to believe he was crazy. No one has ever seen Peliali, and I tried to believe I was a mutant--something modern, scientific----but I guess--I was kidding myself--"

(Avengers III#8) - Silverclaw was manipulated by agents of Moses Magnum into fighting the Avengers at the Aeroverde International Airport. In the end, she apologized to the Avengers and explained how the agents threatened to kill the passengers of her plane if she didn't help them in gaining a seismic wave-projecting cannon.

(Avengers III#9) - Silverclaw aided the Avengers in going undercover aboard the floating resort known as the Evangeline alongside Justice & Scarlet Witch. She then aided the team in battling Moses Magnum.

(Avengers III#26-27) - Silverclaw recieved a letter from "Captain America" telling her to meet a few other superheroes (Warbird & Ant-Man) atop the Brooklyn Bridge. When she arrives, Captain Marvel joined them as "Captain America" arrived and told the group that he planned to spy on the Triune Understanding and destroy the will-suppresor they were using there. Silverclaw deduced that the way this "Cap" was acting, he could not be the real Captain America. The fake Cap revealed his true identity of Taskmaster and unleashed his Split-Second Squad to battle the team. Just as they defeated Taskmaster, Lord Templar unleashed a blast of light and the group woke up inside a giant crater that was once a Triune building. The media arrived to see the whole thing. The group was called to Avengers Mansion to talk to the Avengers about what happened at the Triune building and Silverclaw apologized for everyone.

(Avengers III#28-30) - Silverclaw recieved a telegram saying "The Time Has Come" and called the Avengers to help her in Costa Verde. She gave her life story as the team arrived in a Kulan Gath-controlled Costa Verde. Warbird, She-Hulk, & Goliath entered the main city and were transformed into Hyborian-era followers of Kulan Gath (unbeknowst at the time, this is what created a divergent Yellowjacket). Iron Man grabbed some vines and pulled the group out of the transformation field. Silverclaw was contacted by Peliali and revealed that Kulan Gath was after Peliali. The team flew towards the highlands of Costa Verde to witness Peliali battling some followers of Kulan Gath. They battled the followers as Peliali disappeared, so the team went undercover in the heart of the city where they battled more followers and were gassed by Kulan Gath. They awakened in the center of the city to see Peliali captured and floating in a mystical bubble. Kulan Gath revealed his plan to sacrifice Peliali so her goddess energies would flow into him, making him a god. The team, along with Silverclaw, proceeded to escape and battled some more of Gath's followers, as Silverclaw herself went toe to toe with Gath. Silverclaw gave a speech to the people of the Kamekeri (her tribal people in Costa Verde) that broke them free of Gath's spell. The team was secretly aided by Yellowjacket and Gath was captured by the Dark Ones he worshiped. At the end of the adventure, Silverclaw was offered reserve membership in the Avengers and she accepted.

(Maximum Security#3) - Silverclaw accompanied the group of Avengers who boarded the Ruul/Kree Watchtower supervising the force field around Earth. She was returned to Earth with the others for the final battle against Ronan.

(Avengers III#39-40) - Silverclaw battled Diablo while the rest of the Avengers team battled a city transformed into Hulks.

(Avengers: Celestial Quest#1-8) - Silverclaw accompanied the Avengers and Mantis on a mission to save Sequoia/Quoi/Q, the Celestial Messiah, from murder at the hands of Thanos. This trip brought them to Tamal, the World of the Cotati, and the Rot, a black area of space...This was Silverclaw's first trip off of Earth, and her first kiss, as well.
She attempted to dissuade Haywire from his obsession with his dead girlfriend, Inertia, but ultimately failed.

(Avengers III#42) - Silverclaw was seen alongside a small team of Avengers battling the radioactive versions of other heroes who have been poisoned by the Presence.

(Avengers III#43-44) - Silverclaw battled alongside her teammates against a Deviant invasion.

(Thunderbolts I#57-58) - Silverclaw got hiked up into the upper atmosphere by Graviton, just like almost every other superhero on Earth.

(Avengers III#46-48) - Silverclaw helped the team invade the base of the Master of the World.

(Avengers III#52-53) - Silverclaw participated in the assault of Kang's Damocles base.

(Avengers III#55) - Silverclaw sat in as a witness on the formality court-martial hearing of Warbrid, in which she was unanimously acquitted of any wrongdoing in the murder of the Master. In addition, Maria stayed around for the feast to celebrate Kang's defeat.

(Avengers III#56 (fb)) - Silverclaw was given a training session in Quinjet flight by various reserve Avengers, when they were attacked by the Elements of Doom. She participated in the brief battle, until the Elements were destroyed by a Chemical Destabilization Cannon.

(The Order I#5-6) - Silverclaw, alongside the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and numerous others, participated in a mass assault on the Order/Defenders who had virtually taken over the world under the manipulation of Yandroth.

(JLA/Avengers#4) - Silverclaw was among the members of the Avengers caught in a time disruption caused by Krona, and took part in their assault on Krona's stronghold.

(Avengers III#501-503) - Silverclaw was present among the Avengers who gathered during the Scarlet Witch's assault.

(Fantastic Four III#538) - Following the Superhuman Registration Act, Silverclaw was tracked down by Ms. Marvel, who attacked her and attempted to force Silverclaw to register her identity to the government. During the battle, Silverclaw remarked that they were the laws of the United States and not the laws of her native Costa Verde.

(Ms. Marvel II#18 (fb) - BTS) - Silverclaw was captured by agents of the Puppet Master and brought to his Chilean base where he took control of her with a puppet and added her to the large number of women under his control.

(Ms. Marvel II#18) - The mind-controlled Silverclaw stood alongside a number of other superhuman women under the Puppet Master's control -- Dusk (Cassie St. Commons), Stature, and Tigra -- while Arana was added to the group.

(Ms. Marvel II#19) - When Ms. Marvel and her Operation: Lightning Storm team came to investigate, the Puppet Master sent Silverclaw and Tigra to attack them.

(Ms. Marvel II#20) - Silverclaw and the other women continued the battle until Ms. Marvel smacked Silverclaw and Tigra's heads together, knocking them out. The Puppet Master subsequently blew himself up in a suicide attempt designed to also take out Ms. Marvel (the latter part failing), which freed Silverclaw and all of the other women from his control.

(Ms. Marvel II#20 - BTS) - Silverclaw and the others were to receive medical attention and to be flown home the next morning.

Comments: Created by Kurt Busiek and George Perez.

    Silverclaw has entries in OHotMU: Avengers 2005 and the Civil War: Battle Damage Report#1.

Profile by Proto-Man.
Updates by Snood.

    According to my international expert, Luis Olavo Dantas, "The original mistake was Kurt's, not yours - but still, "La Garra Argentado" is obviously the Spanish translation of Silverclaw's name.  However, Spanish adjectives do have gender variation, and while "La Garra" is feminine, "Argentado" is masculine. The correct form is "La Garra Argentada". "--Snood

    Silverclaw is seen on the cover of Avengers: The Initiative#1.

Clarifications: None that I know of.

Images:
Avengers III#8, p3, pan1 (main image)