View source for Mirage (Marvel Comics)

{{Short description|Marvel Comics fictional character}}
{{other uses of|Mirage|topic=comics|Mirage (comics)}}

{{Multiple issues|
{{Notability|date=April 2023}}
{{Primary sources|date=April 2023}}
}}
'''Mirage''' is the name of two fictional villains appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]].

==Publication history==
{{expand section|date=April 2016}}
Mirage first appeared in ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #156 and was created by [[Len Wein]] and [[Ross Andru]].

==Fictional character biography==
===Desmond Charne===
{{Infobox comics character <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
|character_name=Mirage
|image= 
|imagesize= <!-- default 250 -->
|caption=
|real_name=Desmond Charne
|species=[[Human]]
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|debut=''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #156 (May 1976)
|creators=[[Len Wein]]<br>[[Ross Andru]]
|alliances=[[Grapplers (comics)|Grapplers]]<br>[[Sinister Six]]teen
|aliases=Master of Illusion
|powers=Genius electrician, physicist and laser technologist<br>Carries a handgun and tranquilizer gun<br>Costume grants:<br>Three dimensional holographic image projection
|cat=super
|subcat=Marvel Comics
|villain=y
}}
'''Desmond Charne''' was a former [[holography]] [[technician]] who wanted to be a supervillain. To that end, he used holograph technology which could make him invisible or create 3-D illusions. He also became the leader of his own criminal gang at some point.<ref>''The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition'' vol. 2 #18. Marvel Comics.</ref>

He made his criminal debut at [[Betty Brant]] and [[Ned Leeds]]' wedding, intending to rob them and their guests, but Spider-Man interfered. After a lengthy battle, Spider-Man defeated Mirage by dropping a chandelier on him.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #156. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Manning |first2=Matthew K. |title=Spider-Man Chronicle: Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging |date=2012 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-0756692360 |page=88}}</ref>

Mirage then planned to kidnap the [[Thing (comics)|Thing]] from a hospital, to sell him to the highest bidder. [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics character)|Daredevil]] prevented Mirage's plans, and defeated him.<ref>''Marvel Two-in-One'' #96. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Mirage attended the "Bar With No Name" in Medinah County, Ohio and was massacred along with all the other villains present at the incident by the [[Scourge of the Underworld]], sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.<ref>{{cite comic|writer = [[Mark Gruenwald]]|penciller = [[Paul Neary]]|inker = [[Dennis Janke]]|story = Overkill|title = [[Captain America]]|volume = |issue = #319|date = July 1986|publisher = Marvel Comics}}</ref> He was reported to have survived, as part of a ploy to lure the Scourge into a trap. Dressed as Mirage, [[Captain America]] captured Scourge, who was then shot to death by another mysterious assailant.<ref>''Captain America'' #320. Marvel Comics</ref> [[Arnim Zola]] later created a "proto-husk" replica of him only for it to be killed by [[Deadpool]].<ref>''Deadpool'' vol. 3 #0. Marvel Comics</ref>

During the "[[Dark Reign (comics)|Dark Reign]]" storyline, Mirage was later among the 18 criminals that were murdered by Scourge of the Underworld to be resurrected by [[Hood (comics)|Hood]] using the power of [[Dormammu]] as part of a squad assembled to eliminate the [[Punisher]].<ref>''The Punisher'' vol. 7 #5. Marvel Comics.</ref> Mirage's powers of illusion have been augmented.<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/preview2.php?image=previews/marvelcomics/punisher/villains/PunisherVillains-11.jpg "Mirage"]. [[Comic Book Resources]]. Retrieved October 2, 2015</ref> [[Lascivious (comics)|Lascivious]] demonstrates her new emotion-based powers on him, making him lick her boots.<ref>''The Punisher'' vol. 7 #7. Marvel Comics.</ref> Mirage disguises himself and a number of the criminals as the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]] out to kill the Punisher. The Punisher uncovers the ruse when he knocks out Mirage (disguised as [[Captain America]]) and captures him. He interrogates Mirage about the villain's plans, and leaves him with a grenade in his mouth. Mirage escapes and Letha removes the grenade. Letha orders [[Bird-Man]] to take him to safety.<ref>''The Punisher'' vol. 7 #8. Marvel Comics.</ref> Later, Mirage was in a nightclub when the Punisher attacks him and threatens Mirage to get him to tell him everything he knows about the Microchip's whereabouts, but Mirage was shot by the female assassin before giving the Punisher any information.<ref>''Punisher: In the Blood'' #2. Marvel Comics</ref>

Mirage resurfaces at a Super Villains Anonymous meeting, where he elaborates on his origin, and reveals that he had fallen into a coma for three months after being shot.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = Nick Spencer|penciller = Steve Lieber|inker = Steve Lieber|colorist = Rachelle Rosenberg|letterer = VC's Joe Caramagna|editor = Tom Brennan|title = The Superior Foes of Spider-Man|volume = |issue = #3|date = 4 Sept. 2013|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref> Mirage is then hired on as a member of [[Boomerang (comics)|Boomerang]] and [[Owl (Marvel Comics)|Owl]]'s [[Sinister Six]] teen, a team assembled to distract the [[Chameleon (comics)|Chameleon]]'s forces while Boomerang steals from him. During the battle between the group and the Chameleon's men, Mirage is knocked out and impersonated by the Chameleon, who is in turn knocked out by Boomerang when he sees through the ruse.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = Nick Spencer|penciller = Steve Lieber|inker = Steve Lieber|colorist = Rachelle Rosenberg|letterer = Clayton Cowles|editor = Lauren Sankovitch|story = Department of Revenge-Ucation|title = The Superior Foes of Spider-Man|volume = |issue = #12|date = 4 June 2014|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref> Afterward, Mirage is shoved off of a building by Boomerang, who had assumed he was a hologram. When Mirage splatters on the ground, the surprised Boomerang reassures himself that Mirage has come back from worse.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = Nick Spencer|penciller = Steve Lieber|inker = Steve Lieber|colorist = Rachelle Rosenberg|letterer = Clayton Cowles|editor = Lauren Sankovitch|story = Goodbye, Farewell and Good Riddance|title = The Superior Foes of Spider-Man|volume = |issue = #17|date = 26 Nov. 2014|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref>

During the "[[Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy]]" storyline, Mirage was cloned by [[Ben Reilly|Jackal]] and his company New U Technologies.<ref>''Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> He was involved in a fight with the other supervillain clones until it was broken up by a clone of [[Prowler (Marvel Comics)|Prowler]].<ref>''Prowler'' vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> Mirage later died from clone degeneration.<ref>''Prowler'' vol. 2 #5. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "[[Damnation (comics)|Damnation]]" storyline, Mirage is revived when Doctor Strange uses his magic to restore Las Vegas.<ref>''Doctor Strange: Damnation'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "[[Hunted (comics)|Hunted]]" storyline, Mirage was seen as a patron at the Pop-Up with No Name.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' vol. 5 #19.HU. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Unnamed===
A new character named Mirage has appeared as a [[Registration acts (comics)#2006 Superhuman Registration Act|Superhuman Registration Act]] violator. This Mirage is a female. When [[Mind-Wave#Caged Angels|Mindwave]] was imprisoned by the [[Thunderbolts (comics)|Thunderbolts]] at Thunderbolts Mountain, he began a telepathic conversation with fellow prisoners Caprice, [[Blue Streak (comics)#Caged Angels|Bluestreak]], and Mirage. Mirage informed Mindwave that [[Robbie Baldwin|Penance]] had a violent dissociative episode and that most of the Thunderbolts were under stress. She also noted that [[Doc Samson]], who was present in Thunderbolts Mountain, had some fascinating thoughts.<ref>''Thunderbolts'' #117. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Mirage was ordered not to focus on Samson, but she ignored her fellow prisoners to pry into his mind anyway, and this time he noticed her psychic probing. He used his pent-up rage to send some psychic feedback to her that stunned her painfully and broke the connection.<ref>''Thunderbolts'' #119. Marvel Comics.</ref> Bullseye killed Mirage and her allies in their cells by throwing scalpels into their heads.<ref>''Thunderbolts'' #121. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==Powers and abilities==
Desmond Charne was an electronics and laser technology genius, and held a master's degree in physics. He designed a costume of synthetic stretch fabric lined with micro-circuitry and miniature devices with which Mirage could project three-dimensional laser-induced images called holograms. These tiny holographic projectors, located in the costume's cowl, enabled him to disguise himself as others, or to project multiple images, or to project three-dimensional images of himself several yards from his actual location while rendering himself "invisible" by bending light rays appropriately. He also often carried a handgun with a silencer, and a tranquilizer gun.

The second Mirage has telepathic abilities.

==Other versions==
The Desmond Charne version of Mirage appears as one of the guardians of [[Krona (comics)|Krona]]'s stronghold in ''[[JLA/Avengers]]'', and as a criminal apprehended by Spider-Man in ''[[Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane]]''.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = Kurt Busiek|penciller = George Perez|inker = George Perez|colorist = Tom Smith|letterer = Comicraft|editor = Tom Brevoort, Mike Carlin, Dan Raspler, Stephen Wacker, Andy Schmidt, and Marc Sumerak|story = The Brave and the Bold|title = JLA/Avengers|volume = |issue = #4|date = Dec. 2003|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref><ref>{{Cite comic|writer = Sean McKeever|penciller = Takeshi Miyazawa|inker = Takeshi Miyazawa|colorist = Christina Strain|letterer = Dave Sharpe|editor = Nathan Cosby and MacKenzie Cadenhead|story = The Boyfriend Thing|title = Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane|volume = |issue = #1|date = Feb. 2006|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://marvel.wikia.com/Desmond_Charne_(Earth-616) Mirage I] at Marvel Wiki
* {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/miragecharne.htm|Mirage I}}
* {{comicbookdb|type=character|id=8524|title=Mirage I}}
* [http://marvel.wikia.com/Mirage_%28Telepath%29_%28Earth-616%29 Mirage II] at Marvel Wiki
* {{comicbookdb|type=character|id=16207|title=Mirage II}}

{{Spider-Man characters}}

[[Category:Characters created by Len Wein]]
[[Category:Characters created by Mike Deodato]]
[[Category:Characters created by Ross Andru]]
[[Category:Characters created by Warren Ellis]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1976]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 2007]]
[[Category:Fictional physicists]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics scientists]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics supervillains]]
[[Category:Spider-Man characters]]