MANTA

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (race of origin unrevealed)

Occupation: Member of Shi'ar Imperial Guard

Group Membership: Shi'ar Imperial Guard

Affiliations: Arc, Astra, Binder, Black Light, Blackthorn, Blimp, Cosmo, Deathbird, Earthquake, Electron, Fader, Fang, Flashfire/Tempest, Gladiator, Hobgoblin/Shapeshifter, Hussar, Impulse, Ka'ardum, K'tor, Kwill, Magic/Magique, Mentor, Monstra, Moondancer, Neosaurus, Neutron/Quasar, Nightside, Oracle, Plutonia, Schism, Scintilla/Midget, Smasher, Solar Wind, Spaceknights (Rom, Scanner, Seeker, Trapper), Squorm, Starbolt, Titan, Voltor, Voyager, Warstar, White Noise, Zenith;
formerly Lilandra

Enemies: Binary, Black Bolt, Captain Atlas, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Darkstar, Her, Ikaris, Korvus, Liberator, Lilandra, Lobo (DC), Lockjaw, Cassandra Nova, Perun, Quasar (Wendell Vaughn), Scy'ar Tal, Starfox, Starjammers (Binary, Ch'od, Corsair, Cr+eee, Havok, Hepzibah, Korvus, Marvel Girl (Rachel Grey), Polaris, Raza), Thanos, Vanguard, Vulcan, X-Men (Angel (Warren Worthington), Beast (Henry McCoy), Colossus, Cyclops, Darwin, Havok, Marvel Girl (Rachel Grey), Nightcrawler, Phoenix, Phoenix (Jean Grey), Polaris, Storm, Warpath, Wolverine);
formerly Ka'ardum

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile throughout Shi'ar Empire

First Appearance: X-Men I#137 (September, 1980)

Powers/Abilities: By opening her cape, Manta releases a blinding flash of blue-white light, brighter than the stars, to dazzle and blind all within its influence. This light is apparently connected to her life force, and disruptions of it cause harm to Manta. When Manta rekindles the light, she restrains the darkness within herself. Manta can fly, either under her own power or by using a Shi'ar anti-gravity device. It is unknown if her abilities are possessed by her entire race or solely her. The full extent of her abilities are likely unknown.

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 125 lbs.

History:

(X-Men I#137) - Lilandra sent the Imperial Guard against the X-Men (Angel (Warren Worthington), Beast (Henry McCoy), Colossus, Cyclops, Phoenix, Storm, Wolverine) on the moon to give the Shi'ar rights to slay the Phoenix. If the X-Men won, the Shi'ar would leave the Phoenix to them. A massive battle broke out and the Imperial Guard soon won. Guard members in this mission: Earthquake, Gladiator, Hussar, Manta, Oracle, Smasher, Starbolt, and Warstar. During the battle, Manta, after evading a blast from Phoenix, used her infra-red vision to see Nightcrawler in the shadows and blasted him unconscious.

(Rom Annual#4) - In far space, Guard members Binder, Chakar, Kwill, and Voltor were killed by the maddened Spaceknight Pulsar. Former Shi'ar ally Dr. Tyreseus donned Pulsar's armor and, calling himself Liberator, began slaying Shi'ar ships. Members of the Guard were sent to investigate, and battled other Spaceknights, Rom, Scanner, Seeker, and Trapper. During the battle, Manta blinded Rom after Gladiator had been ineffective against him. Rom hit Manta with his neutralizer, though, causing her to cry out, “No! My light! My life!” Gladiator ended up aiding the Spaceknights in destroying the Liberator. Guard members in this mission: Electron, Gladiator, Magic, Manta, Oracle, Tempest, and Warstar.

(X-Men: Spotlight on Starjammers#2) - Members of the Imperial Guard participated in an initial assault on the Starjammers (Binary, Ch'od, Corsair, Cr+eee, Hepzibah, Raza) at Deathbird's orders. When Binary blew a hole through the ship's wall, they briefly tried to save the Shi'ar on board, Manta using her light to aid B'nee in attempting to fix the ship, but Deathbird ordered them to teleport away, leaving the soldiers to their fate. They battled with the Starjammers and Zenith was killed during the battle. Guard members who participated in the initial assault: Hussar, Manta, Quasar, Warstar, and Zenith.

(Quasar#32) - Impulse, Magique, and Manta were sent to a moon of Saturn to retrieve the Nega-Bands from Captain Marvel's corpse, but found Atlas, Minerva, Quasar, and Starfox there. Magique cast an illusion that the entire Imperial Guard were attacking, distracting the foes. Manta blinded Quasar, but was then hit by Starfox, who stimulated the pleasure centers of her brain, rendering her incapable of fighting. The other two were also defeated.

(Quasar#33) - Members of the Imperial Guard attacked Quasar and Her when the heroes neared the Guard ship. He boarded their ship and the Guard agreed to release Atlas to him so as not to damage the ship. Quasar quickly departed before they could pursue him. Guard members in this mission: Electron, Hobgoblin, Manta, Neutron, Nightside, Oracle, Scintilla, Starbolt, Tempest, and Warstar.

(Starblast#2) - Gladiator ordered the humans aboard the battle-cruiser (Binary, Black Bolt, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Darkstar, Ikaris, Lockjaw, Perun, Quasar (Wendell Vaughn), Vanguard) to leave, but they refused. After some brief explanations by Gladiator, more of the Imperial Guard teleported aboard to investigate. After a deadly battle, during which Neutron traded blows with Perun, the humans agreed to surrender the ship if the Shi'ar would help the humans pursue the Black Fleet. Guard members in this mission included: Gladiator, Manta, Moondanacer, Neutron, Nightside, Smasher, Solar Wind, Starbolt, and Voyager.

(Quasar#55 - BTS) - The Guard helped Earth's heroes to get to the Stranger's Lab World where the Starblasters resided.

(New X-Men I#124) - Lilandra, influenced by Cassandra Nova, sent several of the Guard to contain the X-Men on Earth. They flew over the grounds and Manta used her powers to detect the mutant's infrared heat sources. They fought against the X-Men, Manta and Squorm flying down to attack Beast and Phoenix after Fader and Monstra were defeated. Manta barely evaded Beast's claws, but was then knocked out by a series of blows from Phoenix. Guard members in this mission included: Arc, Blimp, Fader, Gladiator, Manta, Monstra, Neosaurus, Oracle, Plutonia, Schism and Squorm.

(New X-Men I#125-126) - Joined by Smasher, the conscious Guard attacked Cassandra Nova, who easily defeated them.

(Marvel Universe: The End#5-6) - Members of the Imperial Guard were briefly summoned alongside dozens of Earth heroes to battle the powerful Thanos. Members of the Guard included: Gladiator, Manta, and Starbolt.

(JLA/Avengers#1) - The Imperial Guard fought Lobo. Members of the Guard in this mission: Astra, Fang, Electron, Flashfire, Hobgoblin, Hussar, Impulse, Magique, Manta, Mentor, Neutron, Nightside, Oracle, Scintilla, Smasher, Starbolt, Titan, Warstar.

(Uncanny X-Men#477 - BTS) - The Imperial Guard was dispatched to defeat Vulcan, who'd been destroying ships in Shi'ar space.

(Uncanny X-Men#480) - The Guard finally defeated Vulcan (keeping him alive at the orders of K'tor) after a deadly battle which left some Guard members, including Cosmo, Impulse, Smasher, and Titan, seemingly slain. Guard members in this mission: Astra, Cosmo, Electron, Gladiator, Hobgoblin, Impulse, Manta, Mentor, Neutron, Nightside, Oracle, Plutonia, Scintilla, Smasher, Starbolt, and Titan.

(Uncanny X-Men#485 - BTS) - Members of the Guard stood guard at the wedding of Deathbird to Vulcan, D'ken acting as new emperor having ordered it. The X-Men (Darwin, Havok, Marvel Girl (Rachel Grey), Polaris, Warpath), Starjammers (Ch'od, Corsair, Cr+eee, Hepzibah, Raza), Korvus, Lilandra, and the armies of General Ka'ardum attacked, and the Guard fought against them. Magique briefly fought Hepzibah. Vulcan then assassinated D'ken.

(Uncanny X-Men#486) - Vulcan murdered Corsair and proclaimed himself emperor. Deathbird ordered the Guard to follow Vulcan's orders, and they were soon ordered to retreat. Guard members in this mission (and last): Earthquake, Electron, Gladiator, Magique, Manta, Mentor, Nightside, Starbolt, and Warstar.

(X-Men: Emperor Vulcan#2) – The Scy'ar Tal waged war on the Shi'ar and destroyed the planet Feather's Edge. Vulcan, with Deathbird and the Imperial Guard (Gladiator, Manta, Nightside, Oracle, Starbolt, Titan, Warstar) teleported aboard the Starjammers' ship.