Origin
Colleen was born in the United States to parents of mixed Asian descent, her father being a professor of Asian studies in New York. She spent most of her youth in northern Japan however, being raised by her grandfather. It was her grandfather, Kanji, who would teach her the ways of the samurai.
Upon returning to the New York, Colleen would meet and befriend Danny Rand, also known as the hero Iron Fist. It was during this time that Colleen’s father asked in the help of the Iron Fist. The two already soon became good partners and fought together on the mission that her father had set them out to do. After a succesfull mission Colleen stayed in touch with Iron Fist.
He would call upon her and her skills numerous times, particularly when confronting the Kara-Kai Death Cult. While in New York, Colleen would be saved by an NYPD officer named Misty Knight during a shoot-out. The two became best friends afterwards.
After a devastating injury in which Misty lost an arm after a bomb blast, Colleen stood by her new friend and helped her through her recovery even though Misty’s days as an officer seemed over. Eventually, Misty’s arm was replaced by a bionic one, and the two women teamed up to form a partnership as heroes for hire. They are sometimes referred to as the “Daughters of the Dragon” because of Colleen’s background.
Creation
Colleen Wing was created by Doug Moench and Larry Hama.
Major Story Arcs
Joining the Superhero community
Together with Misty, Colleen would help out Iron Fist on numerous occasions, and also became part of the Heroes for Hire business with Iron Fist’s new partner Luke Cage, Power Man. Soon a romance blossemed between Colleen and Luke as well as between Misty and Danny Rand (Iron Fist). Colleen’s new role as a hero for hire would however put her into conflict against her old friend Iron Fist when both Colleen and Misty were enslaved by Angar the Screamer and Master Khan, forcing them to fight against their will although they would later recover. After a similar altercation in which Colleen was captured by another foe she developed a heroin addiction. Misty Knight was able to help her friend once more, as the two had done for each other many times before, and Wing not only kicked the habit but got revenge on her captor as well.
With other Heroes
Colleen’s relation with Luke did not last, and she soon started an on-again-off-again relationship with Bob Diamond, whom was a martial artist as well. The Heroes for Hire, who went by the name Knightwing Restorations Ltd, would go on to aid many other heroes during their careers together – including the X-Men – during adventures that took them from Japan to Canada and back. Soon afterwards however, the company that was made by Luke and Iron Fist seized to exist after the apparent death of Iron Fist. Colleen and Misty went their different ways for some time too.
Oracle Inc. and Namor
Colleen later affiliated herself with Namor and his company Oracle Inc. It was here that she found out that Iron Fist had not truly died, but was captured by Skrulls. With the return of Iron Fist, Oracle Inc. soon started up a new Heroes for Hire team of witch Colleen, along with Misty Knight, Iron Fist and Luke Cage where part of. They fought against numerous threads. The team continued to operate after the chaos caused by Onslaught and the apparent deaths of many of the Marvel heroes. When the lost heroes of Marvel returned, the business stopped.
Daughters of the Dragon – Heroes for Hire
After the last team had been disbanded, not much was heard from Colleen or Misty until Colleen once again started up the Daughters of the Dragon organization with Misty to make a name for themselves. The two of them fought against such super-villains as the Rhino and amazingly won. Succeeding in that, the two girlfriends thought they where back on the right track. It was however during this time that the Super Human Civil War started witch was a conflict over whether or not super-humans should be forced to register with the U.S. government. Colleen and Misty started and became part of a new Heroes for Hire team, authorized by Tony Stark after the Superhero Registration act was passed. Colleen was identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who registered as part of the Initiative. The team’s main purpose started out to apprehend heroes that had not registered. This brought her into conflict with their former friends and partners Iron Fist and Luke Cage, whom where both on the opposite side of the law. Luckily, the team did not interact with them personally during this time. The team soon grew and had new team-members such as a new Tarantula, Humbug, Paladin, and Orka. The Orka later had a huge crush on Misty Knight until he was killed. In her group’s more recent mission, Colleen Wing and her team where send to the Savage Land to apprehend Moon-Boy and take him over to the authorities. While the team found Moon-Boy and managed to capture him, Colleen was very much doubting whether or not the should give the creature to the authorities. Moon-Boy started to like Colleen too and they bonded. Upon their return to New York, the city was besieged by Hulk during World War Hulk. Colleen and Tarantula were offered to the Brood Queen by their possessed teammate Humbug. When Shang-Chi and the other heroes came save them, Colleen was in traumatic shock; she is further agitated when Moon-Boy, whom the group had been hired to apprehend for S.H.I.E.L.D. is taken into custody by Paladin. Misty had made a deal with him in order to find both her and Tarantula after their capture. Colleen, deeply upset by this, left the group as a result. Heroes For Hire itself apparently disbanded permanently in the aftermath of this event.
Some months later during the Secret Invasion, Colleen confronted Iron Fist, when he appeared on television acting out of character, only to find out that he was in fact a Skrull impostor.
Shadowland
When Daredevil took charge of the Hand and seized control of Hell’s Kitchen, Colleen and several other heroes pleaded him to stop without violence, but their plans are spoiled. Later, Daredevil contacts Colleen, saying he has information about her mother. When she meets Matt, he reveals that her mother was the leader of a resurrected Hand group of all-female swordsmen: “the Nail” but her mother and the rest of the Nail were eventually killed off by one of the enemies of The Hand. Daredevil asks Colleen to lead a new incarnation of the group.
Fearless Defenders
Colleen joined her old friend Misty Knight’s incarnation of the Defenders for a brief period of time.
Powers
Colleen is skilled in the ways of the samurai. She is an accomplished martial artist and detective. She is able to focus her chi to perform exceptional feats of strength, and to enter a Zen trance which allows her to speed up her healing, burn out any foreign poisons in her system and resist temperature extremes she might encounter.
Character Profile
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 140 lbs
- Eye Color: Blue
- Hair Color: Auburn
- Citizenship: American
- Place of Birth: New York
- Marital Status: Single
- Occupation: Private investigator, vigilante
- Known Relatives: Kenji Ozawa (grandfather, deceased); Azumi Ozawa (mother, deceased); Professor Lee Wing (father)
Other versions
Earth 295 – Age of Apocalypse
In the Age of Apocalypse Colleen Wing was one of a handful of humans to be infected by the Brood carrying Corsair. She became a brood and tried to kill her friend Misty Knight promptly so she shot Colleen in her head.
Other Media
Television
Iron Fist
The MCU version of Colleen appears as one of the main characters in the Iron Fist Netflix series, portrayed by English-Chinese actress Jessica Henwick.
The character is first alluded to in the Luke Cage episode “You Know My Steez,” where Claire Temple can be seen taking a phone number off of a poster for self-defense lessons from Colleen.
Defenders
Colleen is a major character in the Defenders series, with Jessica Henwick reprising her role.
Games
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
Colleen appears in the ending of Iron Fist as one of his new Heroes For Hire.
Marvel Heroes
Colleen apperas as one of the Heroes for Hire that Iron Fist can summon.
Marvel Avengers Alliance
Colleen is a playable character in the game, she can be recruited by reaching the Adamantium League in the PVP Tournament: Season 26 for free. Some time after that she can be purchased by regular command points.
Her bio in the game says: After her mother was killed by an unknown assailant, Colleen Wing grew up with her grandfather in the northern mountains of Honshu. As the only grandchild, Colleen learned the arts of the samurai from her grandfather as per family tradition. Eventually Colleen made her home in New York City where she became involved in a gunfight. Saved by the policewoman, Misty Knight, Colleen quickly became fast friends with her savior. When Misty was injured in a terrorist attack, Colleen supported her friend and encouraged her to forge ahead. She joined Misty in creating Nightwing Restorations, and the two became known for their martial prowess as “the Daughters of the Dragon.” Together, Misty and Colleen clean the streets of New York, commonly teaming up with the Heroes for Hire, Luke Cage and Iron Fist.
Marvel Avengers Academy
Colleen is a playable character in the game. She was released during the Defenders Event. She is voiced by Maya Tuttle.
Merchandise
- Colleen Wing was featured in Diamond Select’s Minimates line.
- Colleen Wing was featured in the HeroClix figure game.
- Colleen Wing was included in Hasbro’s Marvel Legends line as part of the Defenders box set, which was a San Diego Comic-Con 2018 exclusive.