Friday February 8, 2013
More slithery characters
By MICHAEL CHEANG
In Usagi Yojimbo, Lord Hebi is a scheming snake in more ways than one, and a ruthless daimyo loyal to the main villain, Lord Hikiji. Hecate (Hellboy)
ONE of the main villains of the Hellboy comics, Hecate is the Goddess of Witches who was cursed by Hyperborean king Thoth into a form that reflects her true, slithery nature, which ended up with her lower body being transformed into that of a snake, and rendering her vulnerable to sunlight.
In the Wake The Devil story, she crosses paths with Hellboy, which ends with the big red guy punching her lights out (or rather, punching her out into the sunlight). Unfortunately, as a result of that fight, Hecate was reborn into an even more powerful form – that of a mighty Iron Maiden (no, not the band).
Lord Hebi (Usagi Yojimbo)
In Stan Sakai’s anthromorphic Usagi Yojimbo world where bunnies wield samurai swords and bats are ninjas, the monstrous Lord Hebi is a scheming and ruthless daimyo (territorial lord) loyal to the main villain, Lord Hikiji.
Not only is he one of the most powerful fighters in the series, he is also the one who usually helps carry out Lord Hikiji’s dastardly schemes and plays for power. Just don’t ask how a snake with no arms and legs can be a powerful samurai warrior.
The Lamia (Fairest)
A fairly recent addition to Bill Willingham’s Fables mythos via the Fairest spin-off series, the Lamia is a murderous fable who has the body of a snake from the waist down. In Fairest #7, Beast (the sheriff of Fabletown and husband of Beauty) goes on a hunt for the Lamia, which ends in a surprising twist that could lead to even greater repercussions in the main Fables continuity.
Orochimaru (Naruto)
Japanese manga has so many snake-themed characters that it would be impossible to list them all. However, one recent snakey character stands out for being one of the scariest evil ninjas ever – Naruto’s Orochimaru.
One of the most powerful ninjas ever, and one of the “Three Legendary Shinobi”, Orochimaru’s dark evil was a great counterbalance to Naruto’s lighter nature, and he constantly sought to become even more powerful, to the extent of modifying his body into a monstrous “true form” – that of a giant white serpent made up of thousands of smaller snakes. Eat your heart out, Medusa.
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Comics’ more prominent scaly citizens
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