Silhouette (comics)

Silhouette
Silhouette, artist Mark Bagley
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The New Warriors (vol. 1) #2 (August 1990)
Created by	Fabian Nicieza (writer) Mark Bagley (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Silhouette Chord (Silhouette is the English translation of her Cambodian name Roubpheap Sramol)
Species	Human mutate
Team affiliations	Secret Avengers (Civil War) Folding Circle New Warriors Concrete Dragons The Concrete Carrion Gang
Abilities	Superb hand to hand combatant Expert martial artist Enhanced strength, speed and agility Shadow teleportation Darkforce energy manipulation Ability to become a living shadow

Silhouette (Silhouette Chord) is a fictional character, a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in The New Warriors #2 (August 1990), and was created by Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley.^[1]

Silhouette and her brother Aaron Chord (Midnight's Fire) are mutants with magical powers gained from the bloodline of their mother, a member of a temple cult in Southeast Asia who married an African-American soldier from the Vietnam War. She manipulates the Darkforce, having the power to teleport, hide in shadows, and more. She is also a paraplegic, having been paralyzed from the waist down by a bullet injury sustained tracking drug gangs early in her career.

Silhouette is the daughter of American soldier Andrew Chord and Miyami, a member of the Cambodian cult Dragon's Breath, who met in 1966 during the Vietnam War. Due to Miyami's exposure to the Wellspring of Power, which her cult worshiped, Silhouette gained the ability to manipulate the Darkforce.^[2]

As an adult, Silhouette and her brother Aaron (Midnight's Fire) become independent vigilantes in New York, where they meet and begin working with Night Thrasher. After she is shot and paralyzed by police gunfire in an operation gone wrong, Midnight's Fire separates from Silhouette and becomes a crime lord.^[3][4]

Despite this, Silhouette joins the New Warriors, using advanced crutches that aid her mobility. During this time, she enters relationships with Night Thrasher and his brother Bandit before eventually ending both.^{[2][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]}

In The Infinity Crusade, Silhouette is brainwashed into serving the Goddess before being freed.^[15]

In Civil War, Silhouette appears as a member of Captain America's "Secret Avengers", who oppose the Superhuman Registration Act.^[16][17]

Silhouette has been identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who have registered after the Civil War.^[18][19] She later confronts the 'new' Night Thrasher and learns that he is actually Bandit.^[20]

In Blood Hunt, Silhouette is among the Darkforce users who lose control of their powers, blocking out the sun and enabling a vampire invasion.^[21]

Silhouette possesses the ability to manipulate Darkforce, enabling her to transform into living shadow, become invisible and intangible, fly, and teleport herself and others. She additionally possesses enhanced physical abilities and is skilled in martial arts.^[4]

After she became disabled due to injuries inflicted by gunfire, Night Thrasher designed and built a special pair of combat-capable crutches and leg braces for her. Night Thrasher designed the crutches to include both a hidden electric taser that can emit electrical charges to stun an adversary, and a slim anesthetic needle injector that delivered paralytic chemicals. The crutches are also equipped with "smoke gas" and metal firing pellets.

A later design had retractable braces in specially designed open metal gauntlets.^{[volume & issue needed]}

She wears a costume made from unstable molecules, which prevents it from falling off when she becomes intangible.

• World of Black Heroes: Silhouette Chord BiographySilhouette at Marvel.com
• The New Warriors