Real name: Maria De Guadalupe Santiago
First appearance: The Avengers #8,
1998
Occupation: student
Place of birth: Costa Verde, South America
Base of operations: New York, USA
Powers:
Shape-shifting. She can either partially or fully take the form and
abilities of any jungle creature native to Costa Verde and/or South
America, adopting a silver color in action. She has become animals
such as a jaguar, a puma, and an anaconda which are native to South
America, but has also transformed into a cockatoo and crocodile
(Australia and Florida, USA) a cheetah (Africa), and even a giant
sloth (which has been extinct for centuries).
History:
Silverclaw is a descendant of the Kamekeri, a small South American
tribe located in Costa Verde. Originally part of the Tahuantinsuyu,
they worshipped both the Incan and their own local gods until
missionaries convinced them to reject their old beliefs for modern
ways. However, Peliali, the Volcano Goddess, swore never to leave
her home or her people. Though the Kamekeri kept in touch with the
outside world the Costa Verde government officially learned of their
existence only recently.
Years ago Jamie Santiago returned from one of many journeys into the
Andes with an infant girl he claimed was his by Peliali. Revealed as
a shape-shifter at her christening, Lupe grew up teased by other
children. When her father died, Lupe was taken in by the Church
orphanage, despite their misgivings about her “ungodly” powers. When
a TV ad brought the orphanage a letter from Edwin Jarvis they
decided to make Lupe his sponsor, believing that his connections to
Iron Man might be able to help her someday. Lupe began a
correspondence with Jarvis that lasted several years, though not
revealing her birthright. Agents of Moses Magnum learned of her
powers while traveling to America and forced her to fight the
Avengers while they stole a seismic cannon being shipped through JFK
Airport. Lupe cooperated on the condition that no hostages or
bystanders were killed. Once Magnum Force escaped, Lupe, now called
Silverclaw, helped the Avengers retrieve the cannon.
Lupe attended college classes until a telegram warned her of an old
Costa Verde prophecy coming true. Once Silverclaw and the Avengers
arrived they discovered that sorcerer Kulan Gath had transformed the
Kamekeri into Hyborian Era (circa 10, 000 B.C.) versions of
themselves and was intending to sacrifice Peliali in order to attain
godhood and destroy the Earth. The Avengers were able to distract
Gath long enough for Silverclaw to channel the belief of the
Kamekeri into Peliali allowing her to escape and leaving Gath to the
mercy of his demonic masters.
Guadalupe has since continued her studies in addition to being a
reserve Avenger.
