WINTER WOMAN

Real Name: Angela Stover

Identity/Class: Science-and/or-Magic-Base Mutate (see comments)

Occupation: (see comments)

Group Membership: Anti-Registration Underground (All-Out/Unarmed Training Automaton Attacker/Richard Taine, Awe-Striker/Cecily Johnson, Basic Black/Norman Gentry, Battlestar/Lemar Hoskins, Brain Spasm/Dennis Hoxie, Canasta/Henry Cavanaugh, Captain Kinship/Edward Randlebuck, Dahntu/Charles Luc Phan, Freeware (Kurt Duryea), Gladiatrix/Robin Braxton, Green Guardswoman/Natalie Bell, Harbormaster/Sean Beckett, Haunter/Mark Runnemyer, Human Haze/Steve Cochrane, Iguanid/Tom Boldstep, Johnny Justice/Jonadab Megyscol, Kruzado/Dorothy Cardoza, Lawman/Leon Frankfurt, Leather Angel/Andrew Mussawyr, Masked Rose/Josie Tyler, Natural/Beru Addison, Network/Valerie Martin, Orange Crusher/Andy Gardner, Panthrax/Alex Mitchell, Peace-Lover/Barry Kanczeski, Qiblah/Jared Nelson, Saint Hildegard/Sonya van Jagt, Scorecard/Bill Merrick, Skybolt/Zack Zimmerman, Solo/James Bourne, Spaceheat/Charles Yaméogo, Staten Island Star/Russell Feldman, Stone-Tough/Ted Pendleton, Tosser/Ferris Hartke, Typeface/Gordon Thomas, U.S. Annie/Harriet Best, Warbug/Bernard Van Buren, Xantippe/Mandy Atkinson, Zapster/Langley Saint-Margaret, others); see comments

Affiliations: See comments

Enemies: (At least formerly) S.H.I.E.L.D. and its "Cape-Killers"
    see comments

Known Relatives: See comments

Aliases: See comments

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    previously an unidentified Anti-Registration Underground safehouse in Manhattan, New York
    see comments

First Appearance: (Unidentified) Civil War: Front Line#4 (2006);
   (identified) Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14 (2010)

Powers/Abilities: See comments

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'9"; see comments)
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 155 lbs.; see comments)
Eyes: Unrevealed (see comments)
Hair: Blonde

History: See comments.

(Civil War: Front Line#4 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14: Anti-Registration Underground (fb) - BTS) - Following the Stamford disaster, where hundreds had perished during a battle between New Warriors and four Raft escapees, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) and others worked with US officials to develop the Superhuman Registration Act (SHRA), outlawing any crimefighting activities by unregistered super heroes. 

    Vigilante Typeface, although his identity was already known, resolved to fight a perceived assault on freedom, and he organized an Anti-Registration Underground, beginning with ex-government operative Battlestar and anti-terrorist Solo, to support super heroes who continued fighting crime without SHRA approval. Their ranks were soon supplemented by mystic-armored Freeware; bodysuit-enhanced Green Guardswoman; Masked Rose, leader of super-team T,J,A.W. (Truth, Justice, and the American Way), empowered by accidental mutant blood exposure; exoskeleton-empowered Network; and cyborg Skybolt. Via a covert interview with Alternative reporter Sally Floyd, ARU members publicized their perspective, and several other anti-registration heroes joined, including Winter Woman.

(Civil War: Front Line#4) - Winter Woman was present with the ARU when S.H.I.E.L.D. raided the ARU's safehouse and arrested most of its members.

    As the ARU members debated whether to seek and join Captain America (Steve Rogers)'s Secret Avengers, a better organized and equipped anti-SHRA unit, or to remain independent, armored S.H.I.E.L.D. Cape-Killers, accompanied by Iron Man, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), Wonder Man (Simon Williams) and at least ten unidentified flying heroes, raided the base. Caught by surprise, few ARU members managed to effectively fight back against their more powerful and organized opponents. Although S.H.I.E.L.D. captured over 40 members, the Harbormaster, the Awe-Striker, Canasta, Dahntu, the Green Guardswoman, and the Tosser evaded capture, as did the Masked Rose, who had been absent seeking new recruits. 

(Civil War: Front Line#5/2) - ARU prisoners, such as Typeface, were seen being sent to the Prison 42.

(Civil War#6 - BTS) - The Secret Avengers and the Superhuman Registration Act resistance arrived at Prison 42 to free the prisoners.

(Civil War#7 / Amazing Spider-Man I#538 / Civil War: Front Line#10-11 - BTS) - The Secret Avengers penetrated Prison 42, freeing many prisoners. When the combined anti-registration forces were confronted by Iron Man's pro-registration forces, Secret Avenger Cloak (Tyrone Johnson) teleported both groups to Manhattan. Freed ARU prisoners took part in the battle between the pro and anti-registration heroes, spanning from the Negative Zone prison to the streets of New York. In the ensuing battle, which caused severe damage, the Thunderbolts' Venom (Mac Gargan) apparently killed Typeface. Other fatalities may also have occurred. Following Captain America's surrender to forestall further civilian risk, Battlestar and possibly others avoided recapture.

    The government offered amnesty in return for registration. Although Gladiatrix rejected the offer, Network registered under the 50 States Initiative, while Solo also registered but pursued independent interests. Presumably additional ARU members followed Gladiatrix's example, others followed Network's or Solo's, and still more remained at large.

Comments: Created by Paul Jenkins and Ramon Bachs.
    Codename, real name, and nature provided by Ronald Byrd

   During the production of the Civil War: Battle Damage Report (2007) writer Paul Jenkins provided Ronald with authorization to provide identities, real names for the various background Anti-Registration Underground characters, and to flesh them out as much as he wanted. Ronald provided identities and real names for the Anti-Registration Underground entry in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14 (2010). There wasn't room to provide much more than that in that entry. However, Ronald had backgrounds and histories in mind for these characters when he provided their names.
    While the information is unofficial until it sees print, here is the full story behind Winter Woman:

REAL NAME: Angela Bridget "Bridge" Stover
ALIASES: Annie Stouffer
IDENTITY: Known to US authorities
OCCUPATION: Independent filmmaker
CITIZENSHIP: USA
PLACE OF BIRTH: Cobbler's Roost, Vermont
KNOWN RELATIVES: Craig Stover (father), Nell Stover (nee Coch, mother); Calvin Stover, Devon Stover, Elden Stover (brothers); Bethel Stover Porgie (sister); Tim Porgie (brother-in-law); Sally Clerk Stover (sister-in-law); Gerald Clerk-Stover, Kerry Clerk-Stover, Lawrence Clerk-Stover (nephews by marriage); Sherry Porgie (niece)
GROUP AFFILIATION: Producers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild: American Federation of Television and Radio Artists); formerly Anti-Registration Underground
EDUCATION: Film degree
SHRA CLASSIFICATION: Science-and/or-Magic-Based Mutate
FIRST APPEARANCE: Civil War: Front Line#4 (2006)

HISTORY: During much of Angela Stover's childhood, her bed was in direct proximity to an adjacent room walled over by earlier tenants and unknown to her family. Within the hidden room, an area of a few square feet exhibited paranormal traits, most notably an intense and unexplained coldness. Over the years, the coldness erratically expanded and permeated Stover's room while she slept. When Stover was twelve, her family, in the process of packing for relocation to a new home, discovered the hidden cold spot, which was subsequently the subject of scientific investigation. In her late teens, Stover manifested various superhuman abilities, most prominently cold projection. Genetic testing determined that she was not a mutant, and she correctly suspected the paranormal room to be the source of her powers. After earning a film degree, Stover, under the name "Annie Stouffer," directed several short films and television episodes, occasionally using her powers in place of traditional special effects. While working on a television project intended to unite several actors known for their roles as super-heroes on television -- Joe Smith (the Crimson Bat), Michél Wilson (Monster Man), and others -- Stover conducted research on many super-heroes, both real and fictional. Although the project fell through, Stover's research on super-heroes inspired her to become one herself: Winter Woman.

     Following the passage of the Superhuman Registration Act (SHRA), Winter Woman refused to register because she harbored a grudge against S.H.I.E.L.D. for repeatedly refusing to acknowledge her requests to be allowed to shoot film footage of the interior of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. Eventually she was recruited into Typeface's Anti-Registration Underground and was present when S.H.I.E.L.D. raided the ARU's safehouse and arrested most of its members, including herself. She was detained in the Negative Zone Prison 42, indicating she maintained his refusal to register following his arrest. Whether or not she remains in government custody is unrevealed.

HEIGHT: 5'9” WEIGHT: 155 lbs.

EYES: Blue HAIR: Blonde

ABILITIES/ACCESSORIES: Winter Woman can, with minimal effort, psionically absorb thermal energy from any heat source in her surroundings within a thirty-foot radius from her current position, thereby creating intense cold within said radius; this ability converts the latent thermal energies within said radius, including those of living beings, into an unknown form of energy that immediately dissipates. With minor effort, she can focus the effect upon living beings, immediately inducing symptoms of chilblains, frostbite, and/or hypothermia, including cold extremities, numbness, dehydration, epidermal damage (itching sensations, burning sensations, blisters, flaking, and/or swelling), slowed heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle rigidity, lack of motor control, general physical weakness, loss of coordination, and/or mental dysfunction). With significant effort, she can form a semi-solid sphere of thermal energy around herself, via which she can hover or fly small distances; however, her control over such flight is sporadic at best, so she customarily relies upon conventional transportation or upon the powers of fellow superhumans for travel. She maintains a body temperature of 98.7 at all times, rendering her impervious to the effects of temperature extremes, whether low or high.

Profile by Ronald Byrd, with help from Snood and Multi-Tasking Mike Fichera.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Winter Woman should not be confused with:

• WINTER of Earth-928, circa 2099 AD - Theatre of Pain--2099 AD#1
• WINTER, CLARY - actress, neighbor of Jack Russell--Werewolf by Night I#11
• WINTER, JULIA - responsible for the creation of the Master--Monsters Unleashed#8 (9
• WINTER, Colonel of the Old West - father of Leota de Winter--Marvel Westerns: Strange Westerns starring the Black Rider#1
• WINTERBRAND TECHNOLOGIES (Alan Weiss) - created Augmen-- Iceman II#1
• WINTERGARDEN, JACK - writer, family tortured and slaughtered by Inanna's bailiff--Hellstorm#15
• WINTER GUARD (Darkstar, Fantasma, Powersurge, Sibercat, Steel Guardian, Vanguard, Vostok) - Russian heroes, contains remnants of Soviet Super Soldiers + People's Protectorate + Siberforce--Iron Man III#9
• WINTERHALTER, Mrs. of Earth-982 - teacher at Midtown High School--Spider-Girl#89
• WINTERMAN - Stark-designed technology intended to create benevolent Bluesky technology, usurped by Luna Inc.--Free Comic Book Day 2010 (Iron Man/Thor)
• WINTER SOLDIER (James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes) - former partner to Captain America as Bucky--Captain America Comics I#1
• WINTERS, JEFFREY - werewolf aboard the Eighth Avenue Elevated Train in which Hodiah Twist investigated murders, exposed by Hodiah Twist, decapitated and slain with silver blade by Conrad Jeavons-- Marvel Preview I#16
• WINTERS, JOAN - 1940s, heiress, harassed by servants posing as ghosts, rescued by Mantor--Human Torch Comics#2/7
• WINTERS, JULIA - formerly the infant Bucky--Captain America V#7
• WINTERS, Ms. - adoptive mother of Julia--Captain America V#7
• WINTERS, NANCE - human mind-controlled into serving the Acolytes--X-Men II#1
• WINTERS, NORAH - Front Line community events reporter, mocked and then showed romantic interest in Peter Parker--Amazing Spider-Man I#575
• WINTERS, WILLIAM - pre-modern era, publisher of Ted Wayne, killed by the Clutching Hands, framing Wayne--Journey into Mystery I#1/3
• WINTERS, MR. - Springdale high school principal, victim of Class Clown, appears similar to Mr. Weatherbee from Archie--Marvel Comics Presents#96/4
• other "Winter" or "Woman" characters, groups, items, events, races or places...

images: (without ads):
Civil War: Front Line #4, page 5, panel 4 (main; woman in white behind Sally Floyd)

Appearances:
Civil War: Front Line#3/1 - BTS (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Ramon Bachs (penciler), John Lucas (inker), Cory Sedlmeier (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#4/1 (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Ramon Bachs (penciler), John Lucas (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#4/3 (September, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Sean Chen (penciler), Rick Magyar (inker), Molly Lazer, Aubrey Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Front Line#5/2 (October, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Steve Lieber (artist), Molly Lazer, Aubrey Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War#6 -BTS (December, 2006) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War#7 -BTS (January, 2007) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven (pencils), Dexter Vines, John Dell & Tim Townsend (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#14 (June, 2010) - Jeff Christiansen & Mike Fichera (head writers/coordinators), Markus Raymond & Mike O'Sullivan (coordination assistants), Stuart Vandal, Sean McQuaid, Michael Hoskin, Ronald Byrd, Markus Raymond, Mike O'Sullivan, Madison Carter, Kevin Garcia, Gabriel Shechter, Jacob Rougemont, Rob London, Rich Green, Chris Biggs, David Wiltfong, Jeph York, Mark O'English, & Mike Gagnon (writers), John Denning (associate editor), Alex Starbuck (assistant editor), Theodore Kutt (copy editor), Mark D. Beazley (editor, special projects), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editor)

First posted: 04/04/2026
Last updated: 04/04/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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