Contributed by Mike McDermott
The person who would become known as Fantasma decided that the man he saw in the mirror didn’t match how he felt inside — and created a high-tech suit with either holographic or shape shifting capabilities that allowed Fantasma to assume whatever appearance they felt like. Since typically Fantasma assumed a female appearance, presumably that is how Fantasma self-identifies. Although Fantasma’s choice of pronouns is never specified in the story, Nadia continues to describe Fantasma with she/her pronouns after hearing Fantasma’s origin story and seeing the face beneath the mask.
Fantasma can duplicate the appearance of any existing person, or just use a variety of emoji-like faces. The suit is mainly used for Fantasma’s own private entertainment and self-expression, but it also got used for work as an agent of A.I.M. The suit has valves that spray out a fast acting knockout gas to disable opponents.
Fantasma participated in Monica Rappaccini’s attacks against Nadia Van Dyne (aka the second Wasp, daughter of Hank Pym) and Pym Laboratories to destroy the legacy of Hank Pym. Fantasma posed as young scientist Priya Aggarwal to infiltrate her lab and steal the Vision Glove technology that was later used to add phasing powers to Fantasma’s suit.
Sometime later Fantasma posed as Nadia’s deceased mother, Maria Pym, and reached out to Nadia via video-chat. The fake Maria claimed that she was being held against her will at some unknown black site and had managed to make to make contact with Nadia. Nadia trusted her and Fantasma exploited that trust to get as much intel as possible before the A.I.M. team made their next attack at the inaugural G.I.R.L. science expo.
Fantasma used the Maria Pym disguise to lure Nadia into a trap while the rest of the A.I.M. team launched their attack. Fantasma’s phasing abilities provided a significant tactical advantage over Nadia until she was able to use her science knowledge to short out the phasing tech. During their battle Nadia kicked Fantasma over a railing–and by the time she looked down, Fantasma had disappeared and apparently fled while the two Wasps (Nadia and Janet Van Dyne) fought off the other A.I.M. agents.
Please note that in the three issues in which Fantasma appears that Jeremy Whitley doesn’t clearly state the character’s pronouns. Fantasma may consider themself trans or non binary.
Fantasma first appeared disguised as Priya Aggarwal in Unstoppable Wasp vol.2 #3 and first appeared in true form in Unstoppable Wasp vol.2 #8. Both issues are by Jeremy Whitley and Gurihuru.
Fantasma created by Jeremy Whitley and Gurihuru. Art by Gurihuru from Unstoppable Wasp #9.
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