Mantis Appreciation

[Agent Z]

As I'm not very familiar with Mantis can someone explain to me how she's a green skinned humanoid even though according to her wikipedia page she's a half German, half Vietnamese human?

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/12/...using-helpful/

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

The Avengers #112 "The Lion God Lives! First appearance of MANTIS!

Story by Steve Englehart Art by Don Heck and Frank Bolle

In Defenders #4, Steve Englehart permanently altered the Marvel landscape by introducing (at least in her current incarnation) a major female character, Valkyrie, and here he does so again by creating Mantis, the object of the exercise in his legendary Celestial Madonna saga.

How much of that he had in mind right out of the gate, I don’t know, but it’s fascinating to contrast their success with the failure of the three overtly feminist books that were folding simultaneously. Of course, she inhabits only three panels of an issue whose story, and especially its Heck/Bolle artwork, are otherwise unmemorable,although it is historically noteworthy in one other, minor respect: establishing the Black Widow’s membership among the shortest on record.
The Avengers #123 page 1

by Bob Brown and Don Heck http://donheck.com/

[Phoenixx9]

Wow, Mantis has never been more beautifully shown than in the above 2 pics! I love that look.

Her hair has Wanda-like 2 top curls, lots of body (not the completely straight later look with bangs) and her dress is very elegant while maintaining the Mantis colors we all know. Very nice indeed!

Thank you for sharing the pics, 616!

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Defenders # 9, October 1973
During a crossover where Avengers battle the Defenders a man fires a gun which results in Mantis spending five panels running across the field, outrunning the bullet, and knocks her colleague out of the bullet’s path!
Here’s the five-panel running sequence:

Five-panel polyptych from Defenders # 9, October 1973, written by Steve Englehart, drawn by Sal Buscema
http://talesfromthekryptonian.blogsp...l-buscema.html
http://boards.collectors-society.com...Number=9775146

[Phoenixx9]

I remember those Mantis panels! It was meant to show her speed and agility.

I believe Mantis was running to confront Doctor Strange.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Thor & Mantis vs Nuklo!



From Giant-Size Avengers #1 (1974). Art by Rich Buckler http://www.comicsreporter.com/index...._rich_buckler/

[ed2962]

Thor & Mantis vs Nuklo!



From Giant-Size Avengers #1 (1974). Art by Rich Buckler http://www.comicsreporter.com/index...._rich_buckler/

I like how she's drawn as barefoot at first, but a page later she seems to be wearing sandals.

[juan678]

[juan678]

[ed2962]

We haven't brought up the Mantis proxies by Steve Englehart that showed up at other comic book companies...

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

http://comicbook.com/2017/02/06/what...s-of-the-gala/

[ed2962]

We haven't brought up the Mantis proxies by Steve Englehart that showed up at other comic book companies...

Willow in the Justice League America from DC Comics



Lorelei from Scorpio Rose from Eclipse Comics

[Phoenixx9]

Very interesting to see other company's take on Mantis. They are both missing her antenna.

When was she in those other books?

[ed2962]

Very interesting to see other company's take on Mantis. They are both missing her antenna.

When was she in those other books?

Willow happened when Steve Englehart left Marvel for DC so maybe 1977-ish.

He did Scorpio Rose I believe in the early 80's?