Origin
Veronica Dultry’s past is relatively unknown up until her appearance as Dragonfly. She first came upon the scene among the second group of Ani-Men who were a group of volunteers who were subjected to genetic engineering by Maggia scientists for the use as a personal guard of Count Nefaria. Dragonfly was the only female on the group and had gained insect like attributes due to her mutation.
Nafaria would devise a plan which at it’s heart was to take over the facilities at the NORAD base located at Valhalla Mountain Colorado in the Cheyanne Mountains of the United States. Nefaria in taking over NORAD’s threatened to use the nuclear missiles housed there to extort a ransom from the United States. Dragonfly and her teammates were meant to do battle with the X-Men by Nafaria’s plans, keeping them occupied if not defeating them. The X-Men and the Ani-Men entered battle and were head to head for some time until the X-Men stated turning the tide and defeated all the Ani-Men save Dragonfly. Dragonfly had hypnotized a group of military soldiers and commanded them to attack the X-Men. However her mind controlled army were held back by Storm‘s powerful winds. Then Dragonfly quickly attempted to hypnotize Cyclops that ruby quartz visor opened unleashing a powerful blast at Dragonfly effectively knocking her unconscious.
Dragonfly along with the Ani-Men were taking into custody at Muir Island in Scotland. Here Dr.Moira MacTaggart hoped to unravel the mutations of the individuals of the Ani-Men possibly removing their mutations. Magneto is another mutant who was being held on Muir Island but is freed from his cell and upon escaping he releases several other inmates. It is later revealed that Wolverine notices that the cell holding Dragonfly alarm is sounding on a teleprompter that she has also escaped, although her activities after the escape unrevealed.
Creation
Dragonfly was created by Chris Claremont, Len Wein and Dave Cockrum in August of 1975 and first appeared in X-Men # 94. At the time she was the only female member of the Ani-Men.
Major Story arcs
Enter the Stranger
At an undeclared time Dragonfly was discovered and abducted by the cosmic entity calling himself the Stranger, transferred from Earth to his planet Labworld and kept her under in a self-contained environment for further study. During her the Stranger had performed various experiments on her, and Veronica found herself mutating into a monstrous and savage dragonfly-like creature.
She was freed when the quantum hero Quasar stormed the Stranger’s planet looking for his friend Makkari who was taken by the Stranger. Battling the Stranger and fearing that he was a bigger a threat to the universe, Quasar struggles to win. but she fell victim to the Overmind, who’s powerful psychic powers overwhelmed the already weakened captives. Overmind used her and the other freed prisoners to than battle Quasar and their former captor the Stranger.
However when the Overmind was ultimately defeated he than released his hold and left Dragonfly and the others who were under his control to their own devices. Frantic to return to Earth as she was already feeling the effects of being off Earth for so long. She attacks Skylark a member of the Squadron Supreme in a fit to try to get home. The group than banded together to returned to Earth within small caravan of individual space shuttles and with the help of Jack of Hearts and the Presence. Quasar than used his quantum constructs and landed them in an isolated spot in Siberia and Dragonfly and the others are gently released back on Earth.
Family Reunion
Dragonfly soon learned that her stay in space had also inadvertently made her absorb ambient radiation and thereby causing a metamorphosis to start happening to her body. Dragonfly in shock and fear sought refuge at her older sister home in Beverly Hills California. Margaret Dultry was a formerly famous actress who owned a big estate but was horrified by the mutating Dragonfly and sequestered her in the basement of her estate.
Now a captive of her sister Margaret who was planning a way to take full advantage of her sisters mutation. Margaret arranged to hire a electronics specialist and hired Electrolang Co, which was owned by Scott Lang who had at the time taken the title of Ant-Man. Lang was hired by Margaret to work on the electronics of several animal pens she had said were for housing exotic animals. While setting up his equipment he swore he heard a faint cry for help.
Returning after dark in his Ant-Man persona and discovered the mutated Dragonfly was being held in one of the pens he had not worked on. After Margaret discovered Ant-Man and attempted to drown them both in a sealed up pen Ant-Man used his helmet’s automatic mask to give him a supply of oxygen to rescue them both. Dragonfly had already begun to reverse to her more human like form due to being submerged in water. Ant-Man returned and helped the Police in arresting Margaret and liberated Dragonfly. Once Dragonfly was fully immersed in water the excess radiation was removed from her body and she returned to her more human appearance.
Femizons
Dragonfly would later appear on an international cruise ship as a invited guest of the all female team of super-powered villains organized by Superia known as the Femizons. Superia gained a huge amount of recruits with Dragonfly being one of her top lieutenants. Captain America and Paladin infiltrated the cruise ship and attempted to find Diamondback whom they knew had been captured and in trouble. They managed to stop Superia’s plans and battled Dragonfly along with a multitude of Femizons. As members overheard Superia’s true plans, to sterilize the world’s population in order to gain control of the world, but presumably Dragonfly was among those who abandoned Superia after disagreeing with this plan.
Masters of Evil
Dragonfly would later appear working with the Crimson Cowl‘s team the newest incarnation of the Masters of Evil. Dragonfly along with her teammates confront the Thunderbolts and she is taken down by Moonstone and remanded into custody.
Fear Itself
Dragonfly and other super powered felons would escape from the Raft after a mystic hammer crashes into the prison facility. Steve Rogers informs Giant-Man of the situation and he teleports to Long island with Justice and Quicksilver to help recapture some of the hostiles at large. Dragonfly and Flying Tiger are swatted into a wall by Giant-Man during a brief fight and eventually detained once more.
Powers & Abilities
Dragonfly gained her powers through genetic manipulation by the scientists of the Maggia. Her physical appearance and body were, too, altered giving her some insect like traits. Once done, Dragonfly had a number of enhanced super abilities at her command. She later had her body manipulated by the Beyonder which gave her even more power
Hypnotic Gaze
With but a simple gaze, Dragonfly can hypnotize her opponent placing them under her control. She has been able to put several people at her command at a single time.
Flight
Dragonfly is able to fly through use of the gossamer wing that have grown on her back. Her top speed is about 45-50 mph in her more human form. The speed of her other mutated dragonfly form has not been documented.
Insect Communication & Control
Limited Metamorphosis
Dragonfly, upon mental command, can transform to and from her dragonfly form. While in her more mutated insect state Dragonfly can mentally control all insects within a 30 mile radius.
Statistics
Known Relatives: Margaret Dultry (sister)
Citizenship: Citizen of the United States, with a considerable sized criminal record.
Place of Birth: Unrevealed
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Professional Criminal, former Terrorist, former lab specimen for
Education: Unrevealed
Base of operations: Mobile, formerly Beverly Hills California
Weight: 163 lbs (74 kg)
Height: 5’10”
Eyes: White eyes with no apparent pupil.
Hair: Black
Skin: Red
Unusual Traits: Dragonfly has two forms in which her physical traits are quite different in appearance due to varying stages of mutation. In her usual mostly human form she has red skin, white eyes, antennae on her temples, and four gossamer wings which extend from her back. In her second and further mutated state she appears to be a giant 12′ long dragonfly. This second form is due to her unstable genetic makeup, as her body absorbs radiation and uses it to further mutate her form. She can be made to revert to her more human form immersing in a body of water for an extended amount of time.
Alternate Realities
What If? Earth-105709
Dragonfly appears in Marvel’s What If…? #9 – What If…The New X-Men Had Died On Their Very First Mission? In this reality Dragonfly is introduced as a member of the Ani-Men and also under the command of Count Nefaria. Here the second generation of X-Men whom Professor Xavier had organized all perished battling the mutant Island of Krakoa. Overcoming grief Xavier organized a new team including the Beast, Namorita, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, Syrin, Warpath, and a young Wolfsbane. Together they battle Count Nararia and the Ani-Men, Wolfsbane takes down Dragonfly in wolf form.
Other Media
Television
Dragonfly appeared in the Avengers: United They Stand episode Command Decision. She is voiced by actress Susan Roman. She is seen as a member of Baron Helmut Zemo’s Masters of Evil. The Avengers are fighting the Masters of Evil who are lead by Baron Zemo and its ranks are joined by Absorbing Man, Tiger Shark, Moonstone, Dragon Fly, Boomerang, Cardinal, Whirlwind.
The plot has Zemo attempting to use an EMP (Electronic Magnetic Pulse) generator to disable all the technology of different nations across the planet. Effectively becoming the only being on the entire planet to have technology at his disposal. Captain America returns from a sabbatical and tracks Baron Zemo down. Dragonfly and the rest of the Masters of Evil are on the same military train the Avengers were also tracking down. After a skirmish the Masters of Evil are defeated and Dragonfly is taken into custody.
Super Hero Squad: Hero Up! Vol 1 1
Dragonfly also appears in the cartoon series created by Marvel Animation and aired from in September 2009 thru October 2011.