Calypso debuted in Amazing Spider-Man #209 (October 1980), created by Denny O'Neil and Alan Weiss.[6] She initially appeared as a minor character The Amazing Spider-Man #209 and Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #65, where she was an ally of Spider-Man's enemy Kraven the Hunter. After Kraven's death, Calypso bewitched the Lizard into helping her attack Spider-Man in Spider-Man Vol. 1, #1–5,[7] then made guest appearances in Daredevil Vol. 1, #310–311 and Daredevil Annual Vol. 1, #9. Calypso next appeared in Web of Spider-Man Vol. 1, #109–110 and Spider-Man Annual 1997, and was killed off in a storyline that spanned The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1, #249–253.
When artist Todd McFarlane started writing the new Spider-Man comic in 1990, his opening five-issue story arc "Torment" featured Calypso as the main antagonist, whom McFarlane transformed into a dangerous threat for Spider-Man.[11] The explanation for her supernatural powers was the sacrifice of her younger sister. She used her abilities to hold Lizard in her grasp and the two nearly succeeded in murdering Spider-Man. However, the webslinger defeats them both and Calypso is apparently killed.[12]
She resurfaces abducting Haitian refugees, turning some into zombie slaves and selling the rest back to her homeland's government. Her actions bring her into conflict with Daredevil and his Infinity War doppelganger Hellspawn.[13] Calypso briefly enthralls Daredevil, but he breaks free of her control, and she seemingly dies yet again when the spirits of those she turned into zombies overwhelm her.[14] Cheating death once more, she flees to New Orleans, where her obsession with necromancy leads her to the resting place of Simon Garth, a self-aware zombie. Reviving Garth, Calypso tests his abilities and pits him against Hellspawn, though he eventually breaks free of her control and wanders off, leaving one of his Amulets of Damballah with Calypso.[15]
Calypso subsequently breaks into the Vault and attempts to make the incarcerated Lizard her servant again, but he resists and mauls her.[16][17] However, she transfers her spirit into the Amulet of Damballah and later possesses Glory Grant. Despite interference from Spider-Man, Garth, and Shotgun, she exhumes her own corpse and revives herself using the Amulet.[18]
Commanding a squad of savages, Calypso later attacks Spider-Man and Alyosha Kravinoff, the son of the original Kraven the Hunter. Desiring revenge for losing Sergei, she uses her powers to drive Spider-Man and Alyosha into fighting each other. Spider-Man and Alyosha fight off her spell and shared a handshake. Alyosha says that he will hold Calypso at his mansion so she can tell him about his long-lost father. However, Alyosha kills Calypso instead.[19][20][21][22]
Powers and abilities
Calypso gained supernatural abilities by sacrificing her sister in a ritual.[23] She is a trained practitioner of voodoo,[24] being skilled with voodoo drums, potions, and charms.[25] She created a magical potion that enhanced Kraven the Hunter’s abilities and made him the best hunter in the world.[26] He was notably granted superhuman strength, speed, and heightened senses.[27] Calypso also possesses the power of mind control and resurrection.[28][29] She used her powers to take control of the Lizard and increase his aggression.[30]
Other versions
An alternate version of Calypso appears in the What If Spider-Man Killed the Lizard? storyline. After Spider-Man is forced to kill the Lizard during an alternate retelling of the "Torment" story-arc, Calypso approaches the Lizard's grieving son, Billy Connors. She offers him a potion that will make him "just like daddy," giving him the opportunity to seek revenge on Spider-Man.[31]
In other media
Television
A character inspired by and nicknamed Calypso named Dr. Mariah Crawford appears in Spider-Man,[32] voiced by Susan Beaubian.[33] This version is a research scientist who was engaged to Sergei Kravinoff before a serum made by a colleague transformed him into Kraven the Hunter. Throughout the series, she assists Spider-Man and Kraven in their adventures, such as creating a cure for the former's Man-Spider mutation, until she contracts an African plague she was helping to fight. To save her, Kraven injects her with the same serum that she used on him, which eventually mutates her into a feral feline monster. Subsequently, Kraven joins forces with Spider-Man and Black Cat to cure Crawford before the two leave to live in Africa.
Calypso Ezili appears in Kraven the Hunter, portrayed by Ariana DeBose as an adult[36] and Diaana Babnicova as a child. This version received a potion from her grandmother that she would later use to save Sergei Kravinoff's life and grant him the abilities of nature's greatest predators. Sixteen years later, she has become a successful lawyer and a master of archery, as she reunites with Sergei (now known as Kraven) and assists him in his hunt for the criminals on his list.
Calypso appears in Spider-Man 3, voiced again by Angela V. Shelton. She assists Kraven the Hunter by providing him with various potions and mutating the Lizard into an even larger, more monstrous form.
^Denny O'Neil (w), Alan Weiss (p), Janson, McLeod, Rubinstein, Wiacek and Milgrom (i), Bob Sharen (col), Mark Rogan (let), Allen Milgrom (ed). "To Salvage My Honor!" The Amazing Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 209 (October 1980). United States: Marvel Comics.
^Bill Mantlo (w), Bob Hall (p), Jim Mooney (i), Sharen (col), Novak (let), Tom DeFalco (ed). "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 65 (April 1982). United States: Marvel Comics.
^Cowsill, Alan; Manning, Matthew K. (2012). Spider-Man Chronicle: Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. DK Publishing. p. 115. ISBN978-0756692360.
^Todd McFarlane (w), Todd McFarlane (p), Todd McFarlane (i), Bob Sharen, Todd McFarlane and Gregory Wright (col), Rick Parker (let), Jim Salicrup (ed). "Torment" Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 1–5 (August 1990 – December 1990). United States: Marvel Comics.
^Glenn Alan Herdling (w), Scott McDaniel (p), Bud Larosa (i), Max Scheele (col), Bill Oakley (let), Ralph Macchio (ed). "Devil Ge Rouge" Daredevil, vol. 1, no. 310 (November 1992). United States: Marvel Comics.
^Glenn Alan Herdling (w), Scott McDaniel (p), Bud La Rosa (i), Max Scheele (col), Bill Oakley (let), Ralph Macchio (ed). "Soul Search" Daredevil, vol. 1, no. 311 (December 1992). United States: Marvel Comics.
^Glenn Herdling (w), Scott McDaniel (p), Bud LaRosa (i), Max Scheele (col), Steve Dutro (let), Ralph Macchio (ed). "Resurrections" Daredevil Annual, vol. 1, no. 9 (July 1993). United States: Marvel Comics.
^Terry Kavanagh (w), Alex Saviuk (p), Stephen Baskerville (i), Bob Sharen (col), Steve Dutro (let), Eric Fein (ed). "The Savaging Prelude – Death Becomes Her!" Web of Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 109 (February 1994). United States: Marvel Comics.
^Terry Kavanagh (w), Alex Saviuk (p), Stephen Baskerville (i), Bob Sharen (col), Steve Dutro (let), Eric Fein (ed). "The Savaging Part 1 – Final Sanction" Web of Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 110 (March 1994). United States: Marvel Comics.
^Glenn Herdling (w), Shawn McMannus (p), Shawn McMannus (i), John Kalisz (col), RS/Comicraft/KS (let), Ralph Macchio (ed). "Dead Men Walking" Spider-Man '97, vol. 1, no. 1 (March 1997). United States: Marvel Comics.
^J.M. DeMatteis and Mark Bernard (w), Luke Ross (p), Dan Green (i), John Kalisz (col), Richard Starkings and Comicraft/KS (let), Ralph Macchio (ed). "Into the Light" The Spectacular Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 249 (September 1997). United States: Marvel Comics.
^J.M. DeMatteis (w), Luke Ross (p), Dan Green and Al Milgrom (i), John Kalisz (col), Richard Starkings and Comicraft/KS (let), Ralph Macchio (ed). "Citizen Osborn!" The Spectacular Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 250 (October 1997). United States: Marvel Comics.
^J.M. DeMatteis (w), Mike Deodato (p), Al Milgrom (i), John Kalisz (col), Richard Starkings and Comicraft's Kiff Scholl (let), Ralph Macchio (ed). "Son of the Hunter! Part 2" The Spectacular Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 252 (December 1997). United States: Marvel Comics.
^John Marc DeMatteis (w), Luke Ross (p), Dan Green (i), John Kalisz (col), Richard Starkings and Comicraft's Kiff Scholl (let), Ralph Macchio (ed). "Son of the Hunter! Part 3" The Spectacular Spider-Man, vol. 1, no. 253 (January 1998). United States: Marvel Comics.
^Simon Furman (w), Dane McCart (p), Dane McCart (i), Mark Bernardo (col), Janice Chiang (let), Rob Tokar (ed). "What If Spider-Man Killed the Lizard?" What If?, vol. 2, no. 53 (10 September 1993). United States: Marvel Comics.
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