21-6-2018
Publicado originalmente en Uncanny Nerd.
WHO IS ELSA BLOODSTONE?
Elsa Bloodstone, one of the coolest, least known Marvel characters, is a deadly and prodigious monster hunter. She could be considered kind of Marvel’s Buffy Summers. She’s one of the–or maybe just THE-toughest, most dangerous women from the Marvelite Cosmos–sorry, Gamora. Daughter of legendary monster hunter Ulysses Bloodstone, Elsa is unfriendly and egotistical, but the best warrior you could possibly have as an ally.
THE BLOODSTONES: ORIGINS
In a universe previous to ours, ruled by the force of Chaos, a race of ancient gods created a series of mystical Gems that could open a portal allowing magic energies to cross between realities, with the goal of controlling other universes. Said Gems survived the Big Bang which gave birth to Universe 616–the main Marvel Universe. Billions of years later, these Gems gave powers to such varied characters as Star-God (John Jameson), Moonstone (Karla Sofen) or the Man-Wolf (Jack Russell). In the year 8.250 BC, one of the Gems–the Blood Stone-fell into a small Viking village in Vanaheim and exterminated its whole population, except for one of them. This warrior became immortal when he merged with the Gem and, swearing revenge against any monster or alien life form, he took the name Ulysses Bloodstone and became the most legendary monster hunter in history. For several millennia he dedicated his life to the hunt, changing names from time to time–it is said that he was the very Beowulf from Celtic mythology or even Captain Ahab from Moby Dick. His first comic appearance, under the alias Frank, was inStrange Tales #73 (1960). In the 20th century, after facing Dracula, the Mummy or the Skrulls, he had a daughter, Elsa, who he abandoned at the tender age of two.
Elsa-first comic appearance in Bloodstone #1 (2001)-was raised by her mother in England. Though she never met her father or knew her story, Elsa always had premonitory dreams about vampires and demons (hey look, just like Buffy!). Ulysses was murdered by agents of the Old Gods who tore the Gem apart from him, the Gem being accidentally destroyed by Baron Zemo. When Elsa turned 18, she inherited her father’s mansion and there she found out what he used to do for a life, so she decided to follow his steps. Trained to fight by Frankenstein’s Monster himself, she was given the Bloodstone Choker, a necklace that contained a fragment of the Gem, which enhances her physical abilities. Elsa faced–and killed-Nosferatu, then she joined the superhero team Nextwave, alongside with the Machine Man and Monica Rambeau–the original and coolest female Captain Marvel-among others. After Marvel’s Civil War, she became part of Tony Stark’s 50 States Initiative.
SKILLS
Elsa has been trained in gymnastics and fight, mastering both disciplines. The Bloodstone Choker enhances her strength and agility, placing her at the approximate level of Captain America or Spider-Man. Said necklace also happens to repel vampires and makes Elsa’s blood toxic for them, so any vampire who bites her automatically dies. Elsa inherited from her father a great variety of magical artifacts which she uses to hunt, including a teleporting amulet–Mordred’s Causeway-or a lamp which detects paranormal phenomena.
COOL STUFF ABOUT ELSA BLOODSTONE
Elsa can be a really mean and unfriendly character, but that doesn’t make her lack heroism. Besides, she’s the classic kind of character whose bravery exceeds her strength: she has no problem in jumping head first against gods or dragons who far surpass her, knowing that her skills, her gigantic ego and her absolute lack of fear will lead her somehow to victory. Even when you’re only reading it, you can almost hear her extremely sexy British accent. And she even has her own cool catchphrase–such as The Thing’s “clobberin’ time” or Namor’s “Imperius Rex.” Elsa’s catchphrase: “NOT BLOODY LIKELY!”
BEST PLOTS
She’s always been relegated to a secondary role in Marvel Universe, but during the new Secret Wars (2015) she shone with her own light while starring the miniseries Marvel Zombies, where she commanded the human forces to fight the Dead. Afterwards, she became the central axis of the amazing crossover Monsters Unleashed (2017).
PRESENT
Elsa is currently starring, alongside with Kid Kaiju, the regular series emerged from the event Monsters Unleashed, where she has to take care and protect a super-powered kid while still facing the forces of evil. A highly recommendable comic and a great story where you can learn more about such an interesting character as Elsa Bloodstone, Marvel’s Buffy Summers, toughest girl in 616 Universe. Will you miss it? Not bloody likely!
