Black Talon (comics)

Black Talon is a name used by multiple fictional characters in the Marvel Comics Universe, primarily associated with voodoo magic and villainy.

Samson Beech: The original Black Talon debuted in Tales of Suspense #68 (August 1965). He was a voodoo master who used his powers to control zombies. He was a foe of Captain America, then featured in Tales of Suspense. Beech was later retconned to have gained his powers from an extradimensional being named Papa Jambo. He was generally depicted as a rather stereotypical and sometimes cartoonish villain. He has appeared infrequently over the years, mostly as a minor threat.

Samuel Barone: A more prominent Black Talon, Samuel Barone, debuted in Avengers #152 (October 1976). This character adopted the mantle after the death of Samson Beech. Barone was a talented bioengineer who, after failing to cure his mother's paralysis, turned to darker methods. He used his scientific knowledge combined with Haitian voodoo practices to create zombies using a bio-engineered virus. He became a frequent foe of the Avengers, particularly the Scarlet Witch and Vision, often using his zombie hordes in his schemes. This version of Black Talon is a more significant villain, often involved in plots involving powerful magical artifacts or large-scale zombie outbreaks. He has been a member of villainous groups like the Masters of Evil.

Other Talons: There have been other, less significant characters who have briefly held the name or a derivative thereof, but these are primarily footnotes in the overall history of the Black Talon. These versions rarely receive in-depth development.

The Black Talon characters are typically depicted as antagonists with a focus on zombie creation, voodoo magic, and bio-engineering. They are often used as a means to explore themes of death, resurrection, and the corrupting influence of power.