Steel Wind

Steel Wind
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Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Ghost Rider (Vol. 2) #75, (1982)
Created by	J. M. DeMatteis Bob Budiansky
In-story information
Alter ego	Ruriko Tsumura
Species	Human
Team affiliations	Femizons
Abilities	A cyborg, Steel Wind has been rebuilt many times and much of her body is currently cybernetic, granting her superhuman strength and durability. Her ultra-light metal components are bulletproof.

Steel Wind (original name Ruriko Tsumura) is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe, she is a cyborg and mercenary who is normally employed by the Freakmaster and Centurious. She has a sister who has also become a cyborg and goes by the alias Steel Vengeance. Originally Steel Wind was an enemy of the Ghost Rider and Blaze but has since became their ally after Centurious killed her sister.

Publication history

She first appeared in Ghost Rider (Vol. 2) #75 (1982).

Fictional character biography

Originally Ruriko Tsumura was a gentle painter in Japan, dedicated to capturing beauty's essence on canvas. That life came to an abrupt end during a freak explosion on a pleasure cruise. She washed ashore on a Caribbean island, barely alive, much of her body damaged beyond repair. The mysterious Freakmaster's advanced surgeons rebuilt her as a cyborg warrior; bound by honor, she vowed to serve him though he eventually tainted her immortal soul. Freakmaster sent her to a number of carnivals which then suffered disaster and economic ruin. At the Quentin Carnival, she replaced stunt cyclist Johnny Blaze, even defeating him in a contest when he was distracted by Zarathos (the demon bound to him as the Ghost Rider). Carnival magician Vincenzo confronted Steel Wind and inadvertently discovered her cyborg nature. She captured him and sent him to the Freakmaster, who mutated him into a much more docile form. Steel Wind continued to push the Carnival, working its members to the ground, and filling them with fear. Eventually the carnival gathered to express their disapproval to Quentin. Steel Wind arrives to disperse them, but Blaze returned to challenge her again. This time she sought to kill Blaze, who was forced to turn into the Ghost Rider to survive. The Ghost Rider reversed the chase and, despite her injuring him with missiles and her cyclone-weapon, he ultimately subjected her to his hellfire, leaving her virtually catatonic.

Steel Wind's sister, Sadae Tsumura, enlisted the soulless Centurious, an enemy of Ghost Rider, and his agent Reverend Styge to rehabilitate her. In exchange, they transform the sister into the cyborg Steel Vengeance, and Centurious claimed at least Steel Vengeance's soul. Steel Wind was briefly brought to Femizonia Isle to serve in Superia's Femizons where she battled Captain America (Steve Rogers) and Paladin. After Superia's defeat, Steel Wind survived an assassination attempt by the Scourge of the Underworld, then joined by Battleaxe (Anita Ehren) and Golddigger ("Angela Golden") in unsuccessfully seeking Superia's bounty on the Asp (Cleo Nefertiti) and Black Mamba at one of the bars with No Name.

Steel Vengeance had unsuccessfully attacked Blaze and the new Ghost Rider (Daniel Ketch) in her sister's absence. Centurious had Steel Wind bonded to her cycle and sent both sisters plus the demons of Styge against the Quentin Carnival, but the demonlord Mephisto interrupted the fight by teleporting away Blaze and Ghost Rider. Separated from her cycle, Steel Wind watched Centurious slay her sister for their failure, and then joined the demons of Styge against the Carnival again.

After Vengeance (Michael Badilino) joined the fight, Steel Wind lost both arms before being incapacitated by a blast from carnival paranormal Miranda Woods, though not before slaying Carnival techno-wizard Eli McIntyre. Restored yet again by Centurious, Steel Wind briefly joined the demon queen Lilith's children, the Lilin, against Ghost Rider, Blaze, and the Carnival but was forced to flee through a spatial rift.

A limbless Steel Wind was found by Blaze and repaired by Quinn McIntyre, whose father she had previously killed. She eventually joined Blaze in seeking vengeance against Centurious. Blaze stopped her from slaying the defeated Centurious to prevent her from sinking to her former master's level, though Blaze terminated Centurious after she drove off.

Powers and abilities

A cyborg, Steel Wind has been rebuilt many times and much of her body is currently cybernetic, granting her superhuman strength and durability. Her ultra-light metal components are bulletproof.

Her motorcycles can reach over 250 mph and have fired lasers and heat-seeking missiles and generated whirlwinds; she was cybernetically linked to and has sometimes even been built directly into her cycle as a massive engine of destruction. She sometimes wields energy swords and guns, and can extend three metal claws from the back of her wrist. She is a highly talented motorcyclist and marksman (aided by computer-sighting).

External links

• Steel Wind at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe