Hello and welcome to another edition of Marvel Snapshot! In this week’s column, I’ll be spotlighting one of my favorite female characters in – Domino! Yes, that beautiful siren that also resembles Petey from the Little Rascals will be front and center today, so get ready! Domino was created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld in New Mutants #98 (1991, by a shapeshifter named Copycat).
Back in 1991, the character Cable was introduced. With his recent return from the depths of death, I thought it quite appropriate to spotlight the one woman that he’s had by his side from early on in his comic book life. Neena Thurman, or “Beatrice” as she’s sometimes referred to as, has been through a life that would make Snoop Dog quiver. She was a test subject for a secret government organization that was trying to develop the perfect weapon. Little did they know, that her “luck” powers made what they were trying nearly impossible, so they cast her out. She was then turned over to a church in Chicago for the priest to look after. She later left the church and became a mercenary.
One of her first jobs was to protect a brilliant scientist named Dr. Milo Thurman. The two eventually fell in love and were married. He gave her the nickname Beatrice (for his love of Dante’s Inferno), and after a while, they were under siege from A.I.M. This led him to believe Domino had been killed. She then helped to found the group known as the Six Pack (Wild Pack), and along with her new friend Cable, they took any job that would pay the biggest fees. They even weren’t above killing civilians that got in their way. During this time, Domino and the others had their first encounter with Stryfe. When the New Mutants left Xavier’s school, Cable became their leader and named them X-Force. Domino joined the group and became their field commander, but secretly, it wasn’t Domino, but a shapeshifter named Copycat. Domino had been kidnapped by Tolliver, and was being held hostage. She eventually freed herself, and then joined Cable and his team.
Later, Domino had to do something that made her feel absolutely terrible. She had to hunt down and kill one of her best friends from her days with the Six Pack, named Grizzly. He had become so mentally unstable that he went on a killing spree, and Domino had to put him down. She later learned that Project: Armageddon had a young man held captive. It turned out that it was her half-brother, and he had powerful emotional controlling powers. She wanted to liberate him, and she eventually did, but then when she turned him over to the church where she was raised, a fanatical religious group snatched him, and it was led by her mother. Later, Domino and Wolverine had an adventure in the mini-series X-Force: Sex and Violence. It read just like it sounds, with Domino and Wolverine tearing up ninja and everybody else in their way. They also had a few rounds of “whoopie” in the book, as well. Domino will always be tied to Cable, so don’t be surprised if she shows up in the X-books to help him in his next adventure!
As usual, check out my recommended reading list and some of Dom’s best cover shots from through the years. Enjoy!
Recommended Reading
X-Force (1991) vol. 1, 2 – HC
X-Force (2004) vol. 1 – Tpb
Domino (1997) #1-3 (limited series)
Domino (2003) #1-4 (limited series)
X-Force (2008) Deluxe HC vol. 1 & 2
Cable vol. 1 – various issues (#4-84)
Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net