Akasha (comics)

Akasha
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The Sensational Spider-Man #19 (September 1997)
Created by	Richard Case Todd Dezago
In-story information
Alter ego	Akasha Martinez
Notable aliases	The Living Pharaoh
Abilities	can tap into vast cosmic energies granting her much power and abilities

Akasha (Akasha Martinez), also sometimes called The Living Pharaoh, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a former enemy of Spider-Man who has been associated with Ahmet Abdol. She is currently a potential Initiative recruit courtesy of Tony Stark. Akasha has only appeared in two comic book issues, but she has yet to appear in more.

Fictional character biography

Akasha Martinez lives in Utah, where she is the daughter of two divorced parents living in separate cities. Trying to escape a rough childhood, Akasha grew the hobby of riding dirt bikes in the rough terrain of the state with her friends. Growing up to do this usually all the time, she was mostly seen as an outsider by her parents. One day, while racing in the canyons, Akasha crashed into a large pit where she witness what she believed to be a UFO. Stumbling into the object, she lost control of her senses and lost consciousness.

Cosmic contact

After the discovery of Akasha's body, her friends rushed her to a hospital. Meanwhile, in her state of mind, she had frequent contacts with Ahmet Abdol (Living Pharaoh), who shared with her all of his memories, history, and life. After this short phase, Akasha gave up her dangerous habits and instead took to other hobbies she would have otherwise not have tried. Soon, she went on a trip to New York City with her father. While visiting the Museum of Natural History, she began to feel an uncanny relationship with the Egyptian artifacts. As she secretly sneaked away from her father, she stole all of the artifacts and was bestowed with enormous cosmic energies, and called herself the Living Pharaoh. At the time, Spider-Man was also visiting the museum, and when he saw the stolen artifacts being used villainously, he fought Akasha. Eventually, Spider-Man managed to take away her possessions, hoping to strip her of her cosmic powers. Even without the artifacts, though, Akasha could now call upon the energy and she broke out of her prison cell Spider-Man had put her in. Angry and vengeful, Akasha blasted the hero with enough power to kill him, but she knew she could not bring herself to murder a hero. After this all ended, Akasha switched her life to crime, all the time influenced and persuaded by Abdol. Once again, she later clashed with Spider-Man, and this time the web-slinger destroyed her staff and the girl lost contact with the former Living Pharaoh. This helped her regain her former personality, and though she had lost her original cosmic abilities, she now grew wings, apologized to the hero, and went off in search of her destiny.

The Initiative

Akasha was considered as a "potential recruit" for the Initiative program, according to Civil War: Battle Damage Report.

Powers and abilities

• (formerly) Akasha can reach and tap into enormous amounts of cosmic energy. This includes the ability to hurl mystical beams of energy that can easily demolish a building. She also has a powerful, mystical sixth sense which allows her to sense the presence of any life form, helping her to ambush or escape that person. Akasha also has Class 10 superhuman strength and the ability to teleport large distances. Her staff has unknown magical abilities that give Akasha catastrophic mystical powers that have not been yet identified.
• (currently) Wings granting flight and the ability to withstand the pressure of high altitudes. This also has granted her with a minor healing factor. Akasha is also naturally skilled at reading Egyptian hieroglyphics and is a very talented dirt bike rider.

External links

• Akasha at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe