Ms. Marvel
(Sharon Ventura) (Profile #1 - Early)
Context
Sharon Ventura was Marvel’s second character to use the Ms. Marvel moniker, but she is by far the least famous one. She appeared in 1985 and is primarily associated with the Thing (Benjamin Jacob Grimm) and the Fantastic Four. However, as a description of her career the word “omnishambles” comes to mind. 🙁
These are *very* old notes. I think that our material for Sharon was primarily a conversion of her game stats from another RPG systems (MSH ?), plus some basic explanations thrown in. But it’s so old I can’t remember.
Her profile continues with a second writeup about her time as the mutated “She-Thing”.
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Background
- Real Name: Sharon Ventura.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: General Ventura (father, deceased), unnamed mother (deceased).
- Base Of Operations: Mobile.
- Group Affiliation: Grapplers, Thunderiders, Fantastic Four.
- Height: 5’8” Weight: 135lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Red
Powers and Abilities
Sharon is an expert stuntwoman, scuba diver, skydiver, stunt motorcyclist, mountain climber, skier and lion tamer (!). Her combat skills are likewise very developed and include wrestling, tae kwon do and American boxing.
All of that athletic prowess was made even more efficient when she became one of the notable successes of the Power Broker program. Her strength, durability and especially speed were increased to superhuman levels.
History
Sharon Ventura is a woman driven to be the best in whatever she attempts. The only daughter of a U.S. Army officer, she was continually driven to live up to his high expectations and was cruelly rejected when she failed. Father and daughter finally split when Sharon, enrolled in military academy, was expelled for refusing to testify against a fellow classmate.
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Sharon and her father never reconciled, and General Ventura died a year later of a heart attack.
Following the death of her father, Sharon began to seek out dangerous sports and occupations. She sought to master them and in doing so prove to herself her own worth. She soon developed a reputation as a lion-tamer, scuba diver, motorcycle performer, mountain climber, and stuntwoman. Eventually, she found work as a member of the Thunderiders, a group of mutant motorcycle stuntmen.
I am from Beyond
Sharon was with the Thunderiders when many heroes of Earth were kidnapped by the Beyonder and forced to participate in the first Secret Wars. Ben Grimm of the Fantastic Four remained behind on the Battleplanet created by the Beyonder, where he met his “dream woman” – a lady who greatly resembled Sharon.
Upon his return to Earth, Ben encountered Sharon. He fell for her immediately, an affection that Sharon did not return to the same degree. Sharon and Ben both drifted into the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, a sports group which featured matches between super-powered and augmented individuals.
Sharon was approached by agents of the Power Broker, who — through his scientist, Karl Malus — was augmenting a number of individuals for both private and personal gain. Sharon Ventura underwent part of the process. Howbeit, feeling that artificial enhancement was cheating, escaped before the full treatment was applied.
What was not known to Ventura at the time was that the initial stages of the treatment were already completed, and the final stages of the “treatment” involved the administration of an addictive drug, which the Power Broker used to keep his agents in line.
Now enhanced by Malus’s system, and without the need for the drug, she took the stage-name of Ms. Marvel and joined the UCWF’s female contingent, The Grapplers.
Harder better stronger
The Power Broker sent his own agents to retrieve her, and Sharon was finally captured after several failed attempts and returned to Malus’s lab. Both she and another “traitor” to the Power Broker, Demolition Dunphy (also known as D-Man, Captain America’s partner) were placed in the enhancement device as involuntary experimental subjects.
D-Man and Ms. Marvel were rescued by Captain America. Insane with pain, D-Man gained strength over and above his enhanced level for a short time before collapsing of a heart attack. But the effects the experiment had on Ms. Marvel (if any) have not yet been revealed.
Following her release from the hospital, Ms. Marvel was offered a position in the Fantastic Four, to fill one of the two slots left vacant by the retirement of Reed and Sue Richards. The new team consists of Team Leader Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm (the Human Torch), Crystal the Inhuman and Ms. Marvel.
Description
See illustration.
Personality
At first glance, Sharon looks like an hyperactive, happy and multi-talented person who enjoys life to the fullest. In reality, however, she is rather lonely, confused and somewhat pathetic.
Her actual goal is to run away from life and any responsibilities. Although she wishes for respect, her low self-opinion prevent her from gaining any. She greatly respects Ben Grimm, though.
Near the end of that period, Sharon is brutally molested by a bunch of goons, and her inner fragility lead to her developing an almost crippling fear of men and loathing her own attractiveness.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Ms. Marvel II
| Dex: 07 | Str: 09 | Bod: 08 | Motivation: Thrill |
| Int: 05 | Wil: 04 | Min: 03 | Occupation: Adventurer |
| Inf: 05 | Aur: 05 | Spi: 04 | Resources {or Wealth}: 005 |
| Init: 021 (026) |
HP: 030 |
Powers:
Superspeed: 05
Bonuses and Limitations:
Superspeed does not allow task time reduction (-1).
Skills:
Acrobatics*: 07, Animal handling: 04, Martial artist: 07, Vehicles (land)*: 07, Weaponry (firearms): 05
Advantages:
Familiarity (pretty much all spectacular sports), Lightning reflexes, Rich Friends (Fantastic Four).
Connections:
Stuntmen (Low), Fantastic Four (High), UCWF (Low).
Drawbacks:
MIA to Thrill of Adventure, Public ID – later a Serious Irrational Dislike of men.
Source of Character: Fantastic Four comics (Marvel universe).
Helper(s): Women of the Marvel Universe site, old Dragon magazine issue.