VILLAINS! Your Thoughts On: SHARKEETA!

[Nyssane]

I've been spending this lovely Sunday morning reading some Golden Age Wonder Woman, and it brought me to Comic Cavalcade #21, which features the villainess Queen Sharkeeta. I had actually read this issue a few years ago, but I had forgotten what a fun, crazy villain Sharkeeta is. She fits right up there with Wonder Woman's kookiest villains like the Blue Snowman, Mouse Man, or Egg Fu.

For those who haven't read it (the issue can be pretty hard to find), here's a quick summary:

Gerta von Gunther (Paula's daughter) experiments on a bunch of "ugly baby sharks," transforming them into "lovely mermaids" with her supervitalitee solution. Paula disapproves, so Diana takes the mermaids to Reform Island in order to be taught human love and affection. Diana's afraid that the mermaids will revert to their shark nature when they mature. Mala suggests they put the mermaids in a pond so she can observe them. The supervitalitee solution, which Gerta is still giving the mermaids, enlarges the mermaids to normal size (they were tiny) and gives them wings. Sharkeeta is angry that the mermaids are treated like normal fish, and decide to crash the Water Festival of Jewels.



During the festival, Sharkeeta and the mermaids use "chlorofleur vines" to capture the amazons who were swimming to grab the jewels. Sharkeeta overhears Hippolyta telling Diana and Mala that as long as she has the magic girdle, she's unconquerable. When Mala and Diana leave, Sharkeeta attacks Hippolyta and takes the magic girdle. Hippolyta leaves a trail of pearls while Sharkeeta takes her prisoner. Gerta meets up with Diana and Mala, who ignore her to follow Hippolyta's trail. Sharkeeta returns to the amazons who are all trapped in fishbowls, and tells them she's going to drown them all and turn Paradise Island into the mermaids' playland.



Suddenly, a swarm of giant swordfish (lol) attack the mermaids just as Diana and Mala make it to the hideout. Wonder Woman deflects the swordfish's "swords," and uses them to cut free the amazons. Sharkeeta and the others attack, and with the magic girdle, Wonder Woman can't beat her. Gerta, following behind, uses her "humanizing fluid" on Sharkeeta, which ends the battle. Sharkeeta states that she doesn't want to fight and begs to return to Reform Island. Later, the mermaids exclaim, "We mermaids are happy now!" Hippolyta replies, "People who love are always happier than those who hate!" Diana ends the story with, "Too bad Gerta's humanizing fluid doesn't work on the man's world -- we might rid it forever of its fightful nature!"

Pretty great story... I would love to see a modern take on Sharkeeta. Maybe a Queen Clea/Sharkeeta team-up.

Recommended Reading:

• Comic Cavalcade #21
• The Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia

Other Villain Threads:
Cheetah
Angle Man
Villainy Inc.
Queen Clea
First Born

[Dr. Poison]

I didn't know much about Sharkeeta until I read this thread but I honestly think she has potential. If I were to introduce her in the New 52, I'd have be a minion of Queen Clea. Perhaps Clea had some scientist develop Sharkeeta as part of a "super soldier" experiment to help her take back Aquaman's kingdom of Atlantis and the surface world. Given the nature of the New 52 Amazons, Clea views them as possible allies given their common dislike towards men. After Clea approaches the Amazons for their help, Diana gets word and tells Clea that the Amazons are now on a different path to enlightenment. Clea doesn't like this and thus, battle ensues between Diana, Clea, and Sharkeeta.

[Darius]

I've been spending this lovely Sunday morning reading some Golden Age Wonder Woman, and it brought me to Comic Cavalcade #21, which features the villainess Queen Sharkeeta. I had actually read this issue a few years ago, but I had forgotten what a fun, crazy villain Sharkeeta is. She fits right up there with Wonder Woman's kookiest villains like the Blue Snowman, Mouse Man, or Egg Fu.

For those who haven't read it (the issue can be pretty hard to find), here's a quick summary:

Gerta von Gunther (Paula's daughter) experiments on a bunch of "ugly baby sharks," transforming them into "lovely mermaids" with her supervitalitee solution. Paula disapproves, so Diana takes the mermaids to Reform Island in order to be taught human love and affection. Diana's afraid that the mermaids will revert to their shark nature when they mature. Mala suggests they put the mermaids in a pond so she can observe them. The supervitalitee solution, which Gerta is still giving the mermaids, enlarges the mermaids to normal size (they were tiny) and gives them wings. Sharkeeta is angry that the mermaids are treated like normal fish, and decide to crash the Water Festival of Jewels.



During the festival, Sharkeeta and the mermaids use "chlorofleur vines" to capture the amazons who were swimming to grab the jewels. Sharkeeta overhears Hippolyta telling Diana and Mala that as long as she has the magic girdle, she's unconquerable. When Mala and Diana leave, Sharkeeta attacks Hippolyta and takes the magic girdle. Hippolyta leaves a trail of pearls while Sharkeeta takes her prisoner. Gerta meets up with Diana and Mala, who ignore her to follow Hippolyta's trail. Sharkeeta returns to the amazons who are all trapped in fishbowls, and tells them she's going to drown them all and turn Paradise Island into the mermaids' playland.



Suddenly, a swarm of giant swordfish (lol) attack the mermaids just as Diana and Mala make it to the hideout. Wonder Woman deflects the swordfish's "swords," and uses them to cut free the amazons. Sharkeeta and the others attack, and with the magic girdle, Wonder Woman can't beat her. Gerta, following behind, uses her "humanizing fluid" on Sharkeeta, which ends the battle. Sharkeeta states that she doesn't want to fight and begs to return to Reform Island. Later, the mermaids exclaim, "We mermaids are happy now!" Hippolyta replies, "People who love are always happier than those who hate!" Diana ends the story with, "Too bad Gerta's humanizing fluid doesn't work on the man's world -- we might rid it forever of its fightful nature!"

Pretty great story... I would love to see a modern take on Sharkeeta. Maybe a Queen Clea/Sharkeeta team-up.

Recommended Reading:

• Comic Cavalcade #21
• The Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia

Other Villain Threads:
Cheetah
Angle Man
Villainy Inc.
Queen Clea
First Born

Sharkeeta is a very typical GA villain IMO ... She's a nice allegory, but ultimately not a super villain. Not sure a modern take would be compelling to me ... WW v. "Sharktapuss" seems a bit silly to me

[SiegePerilous02]

She has a very striking design that could be modernized into something cool. Personality wise, she's kind of generic and a blank slate, but that would allow more creative freedom for a revamp.

I wouldn't mind seeing her connected to Clea in some way.

[Lord of Narrative]

Sharkeeta is updated into Sharkeisha.

[Nyssane]

Sharkeeta is a very typical GA villain IMO

How many other flying shark-mermaids are there in the Golden Age?

[Charmed]

Sharkeeta is updated into Sharkeisha.

Genius post xD

She reminds me of an Ariel who takes beauty tips from Ursula.