Raptor (Marvel Comics)

Raptor is the name of three fictional characters in the Marvel Comics' universe. The first Raptor appeared Avengers West Coast as a minor villain, and is a mutant. The second Raptor appeared in the Spider-Girl series in the alternative future MC2 universe. She is the daughter of the criminal Blackie Drago (the second person to use the identity of Vulture). The third Raptor (chronologically speaking, the second) appears in the The Amazing Spider-Man. He is a former college professor named Damon Ryder, who joined dinosaur genes with his own DNA, transforming him into a human/lizard hybrid.

Gary Wilton, Jr.

Gary Wilton, Jr.
200px First transformation of Gary Wilton Jr. into Raptor. From Avengers West Coast Annual #8 (1993)
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Avengers West Coast Annual #8
In-story information
Alter ego	Gary Wilton, Jr.
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	Avengers
Abilities	Shapeshifter that can transform himself into bird-like form Superhuman strength, and durability Flight

Raptor (Gary Wilton Jr.) is a mutant who first appeared in Avengers West Coast Annual #8. Raptor once assisted the West Coast Avengers in battling Ultron and Alkhema.

Raptor kept his powers after M-Day and was seen trying to flee into France but was confronted by French superhero Le Peregrine.

Brenda Drago

Brenda Drago
160px The Raptor gets invited to join the New Warriors.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Spider-Girl #18, March 2000
Created by	Tom DeFalco Ron Frenz
In-story information
Alter ego	Brenda Drago
Team affiliations	New Warriors
Abilities	High speed flight via artificial wings Wings also used as bladed weapons

Fictional character biography

Brenda Drago was forced by her father into what was supposed to be a life of crime, as he gave her a suit equipped with functional wings (created from technology used in the costume he had worn as the second Vulture). Brenda became a flying thief known as the Raptor. But her crime spree was stopped by the combined efforts of Spider-Girl and The Buzz. In a surprising twist of fate, Raptor actually became friends with Spider-Girl. She even began to use her flight-suit as a hero, joining with Spider-Girl and Buzz in the formation of a new New Warriors. She even fell in love with Spider-Girl's friend Normie Osborn, and the two became engaged.

However, Raptor's luck went bad when she was held accountable for her previous crimes by a man named Agent Wheadon, who made Raptor join his crime-fighting team of "reformed" criminals, in exchange for a pardon. However, Normie bonded with the Venom symbiote, and made a bargain with Wheadon, offering his new powers in helping Wheadon's team in exchange for Raptor's release.

In an attempt to remove Spider-Girl from her friends, the new Hobgoblin, (later revealed to be the original Hobgoblin, Roderick Kingsley) savagely attacked Raptor and chained her body to a fence. In the following issue, she was taken to the hospital where she seemed to be recovering. She later marries Normie Osborn.

Powers and abilities

Raptor's costume has functional artificial wings that enable her to fly at high speeds. She is incredibly maneuverable in the air, and combined with the fact that the tips of her wings are razor-sharp, she is incredibly formidable when airborne.

Damon Ryder

Damon Ryder
250px Cover for The Amazing Spider-Man #609. Art by Adi Granov
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Amazing Spider-Man Annual #36 (July 2009)
Created by	Marc Guggenheim Patrick Olliffe
In-story information
Alter ego	Damon Ryder
Species	Human Mutate
Abilities	Enhanced strength, speed, senses, and endurance Ability to sprout large claws and fangs Carries a pair of submachine guns High-level intellect Skilled geneticist

Fictional character biography

In his first appearance, Damon Ryder infiltrated May Parker's engagement party in Boston. He had stalked her relatives, the Reilly's, for some time in an attempt to find Ben Reilly, whom he claimed burned down his house and killed his family. He found Peter Parker, whom Ben was cloned from, and attacked him, believing him to be Ben. Peter was able to fend off Raptor's attack long enough to sneak off and change into his Spider-Man costume. The two battled, and Raptor was eventually defeated. However, he managed to escape while Peter was distracted at the shock of learning about Ryder's interest in Ben Reilly.

Ryder later tracked Peter down to New York, first attacking him at the Front Line office, then going to his apartment with the intent of leaving a message for Peter with his roommate, Michelle Gonzalez. He then went to May's house, where Peter's cousins and Harry Osborn were staying, and took all the occupants hostage. When Peter arrived, Raptor threatened to kill them all unless Peter revealed his "true" identity.

Through flashbacks, it was shown that Ben Reilly once worked as lab assistant to Ryder. The two became close friends during their work searching for proof of dinosaurs being human ancestors, with Ben meeting Ryder's wife and children. However, Ben soon discovered that Ryder had experimented on himself with velociraptor genes in an attempt to further their research. When he confronted him, Ryder grew angry and the two argued. Damon attacked Ben, but Ben managed to restrain him, hoping to bring in a geneticist to purge his system of the mutation. Damon managed to escape in the interim, and Ben followed him to his home, where Damon revealed that he was starting to mutate, thus become more susceptible to Ben's assistance. As they talked, both were unaware that Ben's fellow clone, Kaine, was hiding just outside the house. Kaine jumped in through a window and attacked Ben, with a fire starting during the ensuing battle. It was then shown that Damon had murdered his own family, though he did not realize it, having been driven insane by his mutation, his warped mind causing him to conclude that Ben had killed his family in 'protest' against his experiments. Furious, Ben beat him unconscious, with Kaine commenting that the events that unfolded would have drastic consequences.

In the present, Kaine broke into the Parker house, revealing that he was working with Raptor, under the promise of being cured of his cellular degeneration. During the fight, he exposed Peter's identity as Spider-Man, and Ben's identity as a clone. He encouraged Raptor to kill Peter, since anything Ben would do, so would Peter. Refusing to accept this, Peter affirmed both his and Reilly's innocence, proclaiming that neither of them would ever kill anyone, and beat Raptor unconscious, just as Ben had. However, Kaine managed to take Raptor and escape before the police arrived. Raptor later told Kaine that he lied about curing him in order to gain an ally. Enraged, Kaine then breaks Raptor's neck, seemingly killing him.

Powers and abilities

Through combining his DNA with that of a velociraptor, Ryder gained enhanced senses, strength, speed, and endurance. He also gained the ability to sprout large claws from his arms, and large fangs from his mouth. He also carries a pair of Submachine guns, displaying moderate marksmanship. He is also highly intelligent, having been a skilled geneticist in past times.

External links

• Raptor (Gary Wilton) at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Raptor (Damon Ryder) at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Profile at Spider-girl Fansite