KASHMIR VENNEMA(Earth-12116)
KASHMIR VENNEMA
(Earth-12116)
Real Name: Kashmir Vennema
Identity/Class: Extradimensional/Alternate Reality (Earth-12116) human technology user
Occupation: Interdimensional technology procurer, purchaser, and salesperson
Group Membership: Vennema Multiversal
Affiliations: President Victor von Doom of Earth-62111, unspecified associate/body guard
Enemies: Black Widow-21611 (Natasha Romanoff), , Kashmir Vennema of Earth-13010
Known Relatives: Unidentified father (deceased)
Aliases: "Number 12" (see comments)
Base of Operations: Currently unrevealed;
apparently died on Earth-62111;
formerly Vennema Multiversal, Earth-17121;
formerly Earth-12116
First Appearance: Captain America and Black Widow#636 (November, 2012)
Powers/Abilities: Kashmir does not have actual superhuman powers; however, she is highly intelligent (possibly genius level), charismatic, calm under pressure, and is a skilled negotiator.
She has access to advanced technology from Vennema Multiversal and other sources. She was seen to possess a cube containing an entire planet populated by omega-level psychics; whoever held the cube could harness and focus the combined powers of every creature within, though when faced with someone with a gun, she was unable (perhaps due to stress, panic, or other reasons) to utilize the power to protect herself.
Height: Approximately 5'8"
Weight: Approximately 135 lbs.
Eyes: Apparently brown (the lighting was poor)
Hair: Black
Distinguishing Features: She has the Vennema Multiversal symbol tattooed
on her left medial (towards the thumb or body midline, depending on how her arm
was positioned) forearm triangle blackened in.
History:
(Captain America and Black Widow#636 (fb) - BTS) - Kashmir's father was a used
car salesman, and he taught her more than one trick of the trade.
(Captain America and Black Widow#636 (fb) - BTS) - Kashmir's father died on the job of a heart attack selling a lemon of a car to a college kid.
(Captain America and Iron Man#636 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Kashmir Vennema was recruited into Vennema Multiversal, an organization of Kashmir Vennemas across numerous universes, who obtained technology from one reality and sold it to another for profit, heedless of the damage to each reality.
(Captain America and Black Widow#636 (fb) - BTS) - Kashmir contracted with President Doom of Earth-62111 to sell or trade a Cosmic Cube to him.
(Captain America and Black Widow#636 (fb) - BTS) - As Vennema
Multiversal was allegedly unable to obtain a Cosmic Cube to sell to Doom-62111,
Kashmir instead decided (or was instructed) to sell him a cube containing an
entire planet populated by omega-level psychics.
For unspecified reasons (possibly because other Kashmir's
had been assassinated on such missions?), she also changed her meeting place
with President Doom on short notice.
(Captain America and Black Widow#636) - Alongside her own
bodyguard(?), Kashmir met with President Doom at an undisclosed location on
Earth-62111. She apologized for changing their meeting place on such short
notice, telling him that it couldn't be avoided; she further spun it that as
their negotiations would prove interesting to other parties, he might value the
privacy a last minute adjustment might afford.
Not appreciating excuses nor lack of what he had asked for,
Doom asked Kashmir if she thought he was to be trifled with. Kashmir instead
calmly asked that he listen to what she had to say before he wore himself out
with all the ranting. She apologized for having been unable to obtain the Cosmic
Cube but explained that the cube she did hold might prove just as valuable to a
man of vision. She explained the nature and abilities granted by the cube/weaponized
world of telepaths. After Doom admitted to being intrigued, Kashmir explained
that reshaping the thoughts of those around you was just one of many
applications, as she told him she was sure he could imagine. Meanwhile, Kashmir
felt that her father would be proud or jealous of her, as she closed bigger
sales than he ever dreamed of.
Just then, striking from the shadows, Black Widow-21611 fired
shots that slew Kashmir's bodyguard and blew the hand off of the agent of Doom
holding his money. Kashmir yelled that there was a sniper and told everyone to
take cover, but just as Doom was exclaiming that he did not flee, the Widow's
next shot went through Doom's head, killing him and knocking off his mask.
Hiding behind a large crate, Kashmir used the cube to
communicate with Vennema Multiversal, explaining how their attacker was using
auto-calibration variation ammunition that was not native to this world,
indicating he or she was turning their technology against them. As another
Kashmir spoke through the cube, telling her they needed to stop the attacker(s)
and find out who they were, the Widow fired another shot into the cube itself,
destroying it and apparently killing those within. Kashmir was disturbed and
rambled how the shooter didn't know the significance of the cube, which was
"useless to you," as the Widow approached behind her. The Widow explained
she wasn't there to steal from her, but that she and her associates only stuck
their heads out of hiding when they were running one of these operations. She
further noted that she realized that someone shooting up your business meetings
had a negative impact on cash flow. She finished with "But trust me --
this is worse," as she apparently fatally shot Kashmir, then rolled up her
sleeve to confirm the tattoo before using a cell phone or other communication
device to mark that Kashmir ("Number 12") as eliminated (see comments).
Meanwhile, once the shooting started, Kashmir was considering
that maybe her dad wouldn't have been jealous but might instead be disappointed
in her. That was her final thought.
Comments: Created by Cullen Bunn and Francesco Francavilla.
Interestingly, while in Captain America and Black Widow#536, Black Widow-21611 called Kashmir-12116 "Number 12" after killing her, in Captain America and Iron Man#535, two other Kashmirs at Vennema Multiversal referred to this Kashmir-12083 as "Operative 12," in They definitely weren't the same Kashmirs, as Kashmir-12083 appeared again later in that same issue.
This Kashmir was somewhat similar in appearance to the Kashmir at the end of Captain America and Iron Man#635, but she was wearing a short skirt instead of pant suit. While everyone, especially women, changes up their looks and dresses differently for different occasions, etc., I think we were supposed to be able to identify them partly by their clothing and hairstyles. Regardless, I'm guessing that the two from the end of Captain America and Iron Man#635 were supposed to work in the office, rather than as field agents.
There's one panel where Kashmir seems to be kneeling next to another fallen Kashmir, but I think that was just art/perspective.
While geography and real world history aren't really my strong-suits, you can Google "Kashmir" to see it is an Asian region incorporating different territories ruled by India, Pakistan, and China.
These Kashmir Vennema profiles may be a bit heavy in detail and dialogue, but that's because I'm trying to give each counterpart some distinction in terms of behavior, speech patterns, etc.
What is up with the choice of her name? I think Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) says it best in Avengers Assemble#21: "What's a cashmere enema?"
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Kashmir Vennema-12116 should be distinguished from
her various alternate reality counterparts:
Kashmir Vennema-13010 - recruited by Vennema Multiversal, but later left the group and had a husband and child, but her family was killed by VM. She liberated brainwashed heroes from them and worked to destroy VM. This Kash teamed with other heroes to see VM destroyed. She later went on to recruit a few other versions of herself to start a new VM. Captain America and Black Widow #640
Kashmir Vennema-16211 - recruited by Vennema Multiversal, traveled to Earth-616, where she tried selling brainwashed heroes to the Secret Empire, but was killed by aBlack Widow-21611 instead. Captain America and Black Widow #636
Kashmir Vennema-60413 - recruited to Vennema Multiversal, later helped return their captive heroes to their own realities when VM was dismantled. She planned to return to her own reality. Captain America and and Black Widow #640
Kashmir Vennema-71211 - dreamed being heroine Rocket-Lass or Agent Amazon one day. Captain America and Black Widow #637
Kashmir, a Led Zeppelin song from the album Physical Graffiti (not side 1 of
Zeppelin IV, as Demone said in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, one of the best
movies ever)
Google it, and play it along while
you review this and related profiles
images: (without ads)
Captain America and Black Widow#636, pg. 2, panel 3 (with cube and
bodyguard/agent);
pg. 3, panel 1 (with cube, close-up);
panel 5 (full
body, from rear, in sniper sights);
pg. 7, panel 2 (Widow checks
tattoo/symbol)
Appearances:
Captain America and Black Widow#636
(November, 2012) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Francesco Francavilla (artist), Jake Thomas (assistant editor), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Last updated: 05/20/15
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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