Dr. Karla Sofen was a renowned psychiatrist, with a nasty craving for power and control. When asked to cure Byron Becton, the original Moonstone, she instead used hallucinogens to persuade him to give her his moonstone.

Universe

Earth-616

Place of Birth

Van Nuys, California

Created by

Marv Wolfman, Frank Robbins

First appearance

Captain America #192
(December, 1975)

1 HistoryEdit
2 Powers and AbilitiesEdit
- 2.1 Powers
- 2.2 Abilities
3 NotesEdit
4 TriviaEdit
5 LinksEdit
- 5.1 Discover and Discuss
- 5.2 Footnotes

HistoryEdit

Lady, you are crazy! And I have an M.D. in psychiatry... So when, I say you're crazy... ...You're crazy.

-- Moonstone ^src

Karla Sofen was once a respected psychiatrist who trained under the tutelage of the criminal Doctor Faustus. She even assisted Doctor Faustus in his grandiose attempt to take control of Manhattan Island. Faustus' plans never came to fruition however, due to the efforts of Captain America.^[1] As Cap rounded up Faustus' men, Sofen hid herself inside the baggage compartment of the doctor’s private 747, thus evading capture.

She later used her psychiatric credentials to gain access to the prison cell of Byron Becton – the original Moonstone. Using hypnosis, she convinced Becton that he was in fact a hideous, loathsome monster. The psychological trauma was so severe that it caused his body to reject the moonstone within him. Energized by the emotional rush, Karla was able to absorb the essence of the moonstone through a sheer act of will. The intensity of the transfer was so great that it even granted Karla the ability to absorb Becton's Moonstone armor into her own bodily tissue. With Becton now powerless, Karla Sofen became the new Moonstone.^[2]

A short time later, Moonstone decided to hire herself out to the subversive organization known as the Corporation. The Corporation sent Moonstone on a mission to Gamma Base in New Mexico to purloin a top-secret piece of military hardware known as a Gammavator. This incident brought her into conflict with the gamma-spawned monster, the Incredible Hulk. At first, Moonstone was able to provoke the Hulk into a savage frenzy thereby earning her the sympathy of psychiatric colleague Doc Samson, but before long, the Hulk overpowered Moonstone, exposing her identity of Dr. Karla Sofen.^[3]

Sometime later she was held at Project: Pegasus for study and once during a diversion elsewhere in Pegasus, another prisoner Blackout managed to escape his containment cell and free several of his fellow superhuman criminals, including Moonstone, who were also there to be studied. Blackout and his new ally Moonstone escaped the confines of Pegasus, but were later tracked down by the Avengers. Attempting to escape from them, Blackout opened up another aperture into the "dark dimension," and he and Moonstone were sucked into that dimension. (Note: the so-called "dark dimension" from which Blackout drew Darkforce is not to be confused with the Dark Dimension previously ruled by Dormammu and now ruled by Clea.

Moonstone used her energy powers to ascertain where they were and helped Blackout navigate them out of the Darkforce dimension to the Earth's moon. Moonstone hoped to augment her superhuman powers on the moon's surface, but before she could do so, members of the moon's resident race, the Inhumans, aided by the mutant Dazzler, overpowered the two escaped criminals. Blackout and Moonstone were taken back to Earth and were returned to captivity at Project: Pegasus.^[4] Years later, Dr. Sofen was a member of the Masters of Evil during their siege on Avengers Mansion.

Thunderbolts

When most of the worlds heroes disappeared after the Onslaught crisis, Sofen again teamed with Baron Zemo. Under the guise of Meteorite she was a founding member of the Thunderbolts, a team of super-villains masquerading as heroes to gain the trust of the people long enough for Zemo to steal sensitive SHIELD files. Eventually their cover was broken, but Karla joined most of her teammates in sustaining the Thunderbolts as a true superhero team.

With the aid of Hawkeye, the Thunderbolts came to be viewed as true heroes. Karla was pardoned for her past crimes, but was soon drawn back into the heroic life. On Counter-Earth, she obtained another Moonstone through deception. She also became romantically involved with Hawkeye.

Her increased powers and instability began to worry the other members. Graviton also began confronting her. While the two demonstrated their power, Graviton secretly levitated a pebble and used it to murder one of Karla's childhood friends. Karla's discovery of this seemed to drive her mad. During a battle between the Avengers and Thunderbolts, Hawkeye was forced to use a special arrow to inhibit her intangibility long enough for Vision to remove her moonstones.

Sofen was left comatose after these events and Baron Zemo gained control of the moonstones. From that point on, he manipulated her to do his bidding for him; her mind however, was still not functional. This changed after Songbird sent Zemo into a whirlwind of cosmic time/space releasing Sofen from his control. Her body was retrieved by the Commission on Superhuman Activities and remained in one of their facilities. Songbird was mentally linked through the moonstones' power when betraying Zemo. Karla and her teammate came out of their individual comas, with Karla mentally stable and her powers under control with one of the moonstones in her possession again.

Sofen became the field leader of Norman Osborn's Thunderbolts sponsored the U.S. Government in conclusion of the Superhuman Civil War. Although she was initially uninterested, a blackmail from Norman Osborn threatening to surgically remove her moonstone from her body left her with little choice because the action would leave her comatose. Although she served her function on the team, she proved less-than effective as the team leader (she tried to rush through the Thunderbolts first mission to have sexual intercourse with one of the dock workers at Thunderbolts Mountain).

Moonstone was among four Thunderbolts members present during an attack on Thunderbolts Mountain by a renegade Skrull sleeper agent Khn'nr who had taken the form of Captain Marvel but had refused to follow his programming and had pledged to defend the human race.^[5] During the battle, Khn'nr revealed that her stone was of Kree origin, and used his energy-controlling abilities to shut it down.^[6] Later, Bullseye tried to kill Songbird under Osborn's orders. Songbird managed to get into the Zeus aircraft, and blew up part of the Thunderbolts' mountain headquarters. Moonstone survived because Bullseye had warned her to go intangible, and walked away from the team."^[7]

Dark Avengers

Norman Osborn gave her a spot on the Dark Avengers. She was given the codename and original costume (reclaimed from Ultra Girl) of Ms. Marvel after Carol Danvers had refused to follow Osborn.^[8] On the Dark Avenger's first mission, the new Ms. Marvel attacked Morgan le Fay by blasting her off her dragon causing her to die in the present.^[9]

Osborn forced all of the Dark Avengers to undergo Psych Evaluations. After going through some of Karla's memories psychically, Dr. Gerald Wright discovered the memories of her mother's death were locked behind a "Hulk shaped door". He had come to kill the Dark Avengers because they were all made up of criminals and he made Karla begin choke herself to death. As Karla was choking herself, she tricked him by getting him to go back into her head where she revealed she had killed her mother and hated being seen as a criminal and a failure. After Karla broke free, she asked him if he was prepared to do what she did and shot his right arm off and possibly choked him to death.^[10]

After being told by Norman Osborn to find A.I.M., Karla sorted through the original Ms Marvel's A.I.M. leads and took out an A.I.M. cell in Atlanta, Georgia. There she found baby M.O.D.O.C.'s, enhanced to warp reality. They communicated with her telepathically, telling her that they need Ms. Marvel to save them. It was unclear if they are controlling her, or if she genuinely cared about them, but Karla took them back to her room in the Avengers Tower for safe keeping. Almost immediately her room was blown apart by a strange yellow being.^[11] With the aid of Venom, Noh-Varr and Iron Patriot, Karla managed to defeat the mysterious being and after a meeting with the Dark Avengers, the babies were moved to Thunderbolt's Mountain where they were stolen by Deadpool on behalf of A.I.M.^[12]

Later while flying through the city, Karla came across a green version of Ms. Marvel's lightning bolt on the side of a building. Karla went back to the Avengers Tower where Osborn informed her Deadpool stole the baby M.O.D.O.C.'s. Karla confronted him in Los Angeles. After defeating him, Karla came across the New Avengers and four of the mysterious beings, each one a different color in an underground A.I.M. base. Trying to save the babies, Karla was too late to reach them as Spider-Man hooked them up to a machine. The four mysterious beings then merged and reform Carol Danvers, the original Ms Marvel.^[13] Refusing to let her title be taken away, Karla attempted to pound Danvers, but strangely, no matter what she hit her with, Danvers survived each and every blow.^[14] Eventually, it was discovered that Danvers had a counterpart named Catherine Donovan, who, in close proximity, allowed Danvers to be invulnerable.

Karla was sent out by Osborn to help quell the riots in San Francisco along with the other Dark Avengers and H.A.M.M.E.R. Outside the Castro Theatre, she took out Nekra and Frenzy much to the surprise of Karma, Armor, and Bling.^[15] Later she came into conflict with Rogue, accusing her of attacking an unconscious H.A.M.M.E.R. agent and viciously attacked her, though Rogue managed to trick her and escape.^[16]

Siege

Prior to the Siege of Asgard; Moonstone was flirting with Bullseye stating that she is finding him attractive as Hawkeye.^[17] Karla is caught having sex with Bullseye in the Avengers Tower meeting room in front of H.A.M.M.E.R agents as Victoria Hand and Norman Osborn watch on a security camera. This act was perceived as an act of rebellion from Karla against Norman Osborn's rule over the Dark Avengers. Norman sends Victoria Hand to deal with the situation. Hand confronted Moonstone and Bullseye with a group of H.A.M.M.E.R agents. Moonstone disobeyed Hand's orders, which prompts Hand to take out an alien weapon to shoot Moonstone, knocking her unconscious.^[18] Moonstone was later approached by Venom who tells Karla that he had been waking up 'sticky' after dreams and was wondering if she could help him. At first she looks disgusted at Mac Gargan's attempts to approach her. While this is happening, Daken walked up to her and called her 'sweetheart.' Karla wraps her arm around Venom's arm and spurns Daken in the process.^[19]

During the Siege of Asgard, Moonstone was seen helping Osborn defeat Thor.^[20] She was seen being chased away by Maria Hill. Moonstone turned intangible to avoid the bullets. Moonstone was one of the on-lookers when Sentry tore Ares in half.^[21] Moonstone is standing besides Norman Osborn when the New Avengers, Young Avengers, and Nick Fury led by Steve Rogers arrive to assist the Asgardians. Captain America hit Osborn with his shield as Karla retreated back, prompting her to say "Well, I sure as @#$% saw this coming!" Karla engaged in personal combat with Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers). Karla won the exchange when Osborn interferes into the fight by blasting Ms. Marvel with an energy beam in the back. When Osborn reverts back to his Green Goblin persona after being defeated by Iron Man (Tony Stark) and Captain America, Karla and Bullseye are seen in the distance. Both of them come to the realization that it would be a good time to leave the battle.^[22]

Moonstone, along with the other members of the Dark Avengers, were arrested by the Avengers. After Captain America does away with Norman Osborn, Moonstone and Bullseye take the opportunity to attempt an escape. Carol Danvers gives chase to Moonstone, only to have Karla fire on her with an energy blast. When it seems she has escaped, Iron Man appeared and punched her, knocking her out. At the same time, Bullseye was struck down by Luke Cage, sending the two villains falling unconscious to the ground, thus ending Moonstone's career as an "Avenger".

Heroic Age

Imprisoned on the superhuman prison known as the Raft, Moonstone was one of the initial recruits selected for a new Thunderbolts program led by Luke Cage.^[23] Man-Thing took a liking to her.

Powers and AbilitiesEdit

Powers

The Moonstones Karla uses are gravity-based. Acquiring the second moonstone increased her powers significantly. While not as powerful as Graviton, she is very formidable in battle. She currently only possesses one Moonstone, but she absorbed enough power from a second to maintain a of number of new abilities before its destruction.

Superhuman Strength: She is superhumanly strong. Karla was originally capable of lifting up to 10 tons. Since acquiring the second moonstone, her strength has been dramatically increased to an unknown degree.

Superhuman Speed: Karla is capable of running and moving at speeds that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.

Superhuman Stamina: Karla's musculature produces considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of an ordinary human. She can physically exert herself at peak capacity for about 24 hours before fatigue begins to impair her.

Superhuman Durability: Karla's bodily tissues are tougher and more resistant to certain forms of physical injury than those of a normal human. She is able to withstand great impact forces, such as being repeatedly struck with superhuman force, powerful energy blasts or falls from great heights, that would severely injure or kill an ordinary human though she would suffer little to no injury herself. However, she is as vulnerable to conventional ballistic and bladed weaponry as any ordinary human.

Superhuman Agility: Karla's agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of even the finest human athlete.

Superhuman Reflexes: Her reflexes are heightened in a similar manner and are superior to those of the finest human athlete.

Flight: Karla could also allow the Earth's gravitational pull to propel her. To the casual viewer this would make her appear to disappear or teleport.

Minor Molecular Control: She can instantaneously change into/alter her costume.

Gravitikinesis: Karla can reduce or increase gravity's pull on an object or person.

Intangibility: She can make herself and other persons intangible by reducing her or the person's body's specific gravity.

Light Generation: Karla can generate a blinding luminescence.

Photon Blasts: She can fire powerful blast of concentrated photons from her hands.

Power Grid ^[24]

* Higher ratings when in possession of two Moongems

Abilities

Expert Psychologist: Sofen is a trained psychiatrist.

Expert Hypnotist: She is particularly skilled in using hypnosis. Like her predecessor, Doctor Faustus, Moonstone has perfect pitch and modulation in her voice, and was even able to use these talents to cause General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross to suffer a complete nervous breakdown.

NotesEdit

The exact nature of how Karla Sofen acquired the moonstone gem was explained in greater detail in the letters column from Incredible Hulk #235.

TriviaEdit

Karla has an allergy to peanuts

LinksEdit

Discover and Discuss

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Footnotes

Retrieved from "http://marvel.wikia.com/Karla_Sofen_(Earth-616)"

Wikia

Karla Sofen (Earth-616)

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