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Madame Masque (birth name Giulietta Nefaria but legally renamed Whitney Frost) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, the character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #97 (October 1967). An occasional love interest and enemy of Iron Man and the daughter of Count Nefaria, she originally wore a golden mask to cover up her disfigured face and continues to do so after her face was healed.
Over the years, Madame Masque has appeared in various forms of media, including animated television series and video games. A version of Whitney Frost appears in the second season of the Agent Carter television series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portrayed by Wynn Everett.
Frost called the child Whitney and raised her as his own. As a young adult, Whitney was a debutante and socialite, and became engaged to politician Roger Vane. Following the Frosts' deaths, Count Nefaria approached Whitney and revealed her true parentage, as he wishes for her to inherit his position as head of the Maggia, a American Mafia-like organization based on the East Coast of the United States. Whitney at first refused, but when she tells Roger about her father, Roger ends their relationship out of fear that her connections to a known criminal would hamper his political prospects. Heartbroken, Whitney accepted her father's offer to join the Maggia and was trained by the Count in strategy, criminal activities, and combat. She turned out to be a brilliant student and when her father is imprisoned, she becomes the new "Big M", the leader of the Nefaria family of the Maggia. Her role as Big M brought her into conflict with Iron Man, an old enemy of Count Nefaria. Tales of Suspense #98. Marvel Comics.
Whitney was forced to flee after a raid on Stark Industries. The plane she escaped in crashed and Whitney's face was badly scarred, but she was saved by the criminal Mordecai Midas and started to work for him. Midas is obsessed with gold and gave Whitney a golden mask to conceal her disfigured face. She also starts using the alias of "Madame Masque." Iron Man #17. Marvel Comics.
Madame Masque meets Tony Stark (Iron Man's alter ego) and the latter shows concern for her despite her scarred face. She turns on Midas to save Stark, but leaves him because of her criminal past. Unable to forget her feelings, she assumes the identity of Krissy Longfellow, Stark's personal secretary. Both come to know each other's true identity and start a romantic relationship. Their happiness is short-lived as Count Nefaria is dying due to a failed attempt to gain superhuman powers. Whitney hires the Ani-Men to bring her father to her and then asks Stark to find a cure for her father. Count Nefaria threatens Stark, and he is forced to fight the Ani-Men as Iron Man. Whitney is unable to choose between her father and her lover, and when Nefaria's life-support system is damaged in the fight, she goes insane with guilt and grief. Iron Man #116-117. Marvel Comics. Whitney returns to the Nefaria family and regains her former position as leader. She resumes her vendetta against Iron Man and his friends. Iron Man #137-139. Marvel Comics.
At one point, Frost becomes Paranoia and starts to create physical copies of herself, known as bio-duplicates. One of her bio-duplicates, who is simply referred to as "Masque", turns on her creator and becomes an ally of the Avengers. The Avengers #397. Marvel Comics. She also creates robotic servants known as the Inner Guard and names them individually after notable historical traitors: Benedict, Brutus, Fawkes, Quisling, Monmouth (based on Benedict Arnold, Marcus Junius Brutus, Guy Fawkes, Vidkun Quisling, and the Duke of Monmouth) and two other, unnamed members. The Avengers vol. 3 #32. Marvel Comics. Retrieved 19.July 2013
Benedict successfully recaptures Masque for Whitney. Masque tries to convince her the Avengers are benevolent and that she should reach out to Stark again, but Whitney is still too fearful to do so. She continues to be a criminal figure of importance, until her father returns from the dead, now with superhuman abilities, and destroys her base. She reluctantly assists the Avengers and the Thunderbolts against the Count, but she secretly plans to betray and destroy both sides, her increased paranoia causing her to believe that she can trust no one but herself, despite moments of doubt such as when Stark unmasks in her presence but lowers his face-plate back when preparing to talk to the rest of the Avengers. Masque again tries unsuccessfully to convince her to side with the heroes, then joins the battle in Whitney's place. Masque obtains a weapon designed to disrupt Nefaria's powers that Whitney had prepared for her father, but is slain by Nefaria before she can use it. Madame Masque is shocked by her duplicate's nobility and sacrifice, with Iron Man's dismayed reaction at what appears to be her death compared to Nefaria's glee forcing her to recognize that Masque was right about the Avengers. Whitney joins the battle and plays a key role in her father's defeat, her weapon causing him to begin leaking ionic energy until he finally collapses. She renounces her criminal past, and Abner Jenkins of the Thunderbolts offers her membership, but she declines, departing to parts unknown to consider her future. Before leaving, she asked MACH-II to thank everyone for her, especially Iron Man. The Avengers vol. 3 #34. Marvel Comics.
Madame Masque is hired by the Hood to take advantage of the split in the superhero community caused by the Superhuman Registration Act. The New Avengers #35. Marvel Comics. She becomes the Hood's second in command (and his lover) and helps him and his forces fight the New Avengers. She is taken down by Doctor Strange and taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. The New Avengers Annual #2. Marvel Comics. A group of disguised as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents try to learn her true face so they can replace her with one of their own. The Hood frees her and kills all the Skrulls except one. In an unknown location attended by most of the Hood's army, they learn from the Skrull agent that Secret Invasion, believing it to be rightfully theirs. New Avengers #46. Marvel Comics. Masque rejoins the Hood's crime syndicate and takes part in an attack on the invading Skrull forces. Secret Invasion #6. Marvel Comics. She is among the Hood's army as they assist the heroes in their final battle against the Skrulls. Secret Invasion #7. Marvel Comics.
During the "Dark Reign" storyline, Norman Osborn puts a bounty on Tony Stark's head, and personally calls Madame Masque over to Stark Tower, offering the locations of Iron Man's multiple armories to help her find Stark. She tracks Stark to Russia, which Pepper Potts had also done. The Invincible Iron Man #12-14. Marvel Comics. Masque captures and tortures Pepper before demanding that Stark tell her his true feelings to her real face. Stark admits that even after years of fighting, he still loves her, to which Masque reciprocates. The Invincible Iron Man #15 (July 2009). Marvel Comics. However, when faced with a direct choice between Pepper or Masque, Stark chooses to save Pepper first. As Stark escapes to Afghanistan, Masque and Pepper fight hand-to-hand. The Invincible Iron Man #16 (Aug. 2009). Marvel Comics. Masque is defeated and imprisoned in a discarded Crimson Dynamo suit The Invincible Iron Man #18 (Sept. 2009). Marvel Comics. while Pepper disguises herself in her mask and costume to falsely report her own death to Osborn and turn over the Rescue armor, which is added to his personal collection of Iron Man suits. The Invincible Iron Man #17 (Sept. 2009). Marvel Comics.
Madame Masque escapes, and later participates in a surprise attack on the New Avengers, a trap set up by Osborn. The New Avengers #50. Marvel Comics. Later, when The Hood attacks Doctor Strange in order to become the Sorcerer Supreme, she tries to help him deal with his possession by Dormammu, taking off her mask and confessing her feelings for him. The New Avengers #52. Marvel Comics. When Osborn calls off the hunt for Stark after learning that he is in a persistent vegetative state, Masque decides to take matters into her own hands, and hires the Ghost to eliminate her old lover, a task at which Ghost fails. The Invincible Iron Man #20-24. Marvel Comics.
Masque, along with the rest of the Hood's gang, joins in helping Osborn, in his Iron Patriot armor, with the Siege of Asgard. Siege #3. Marvel Comics. However, Loki retakes the Norn Stones from the Hood to help the Avengers and Asgardians battle the Void. Masque helps the Hood slip away. The Hood is pessimistic, knowing that his gang would simply sell him out. The New Avengers #64. Marvel Comics. Therefore, Masque seeks out Count Nefaria for help. The New Avengers track her and the Hood using their contact John King. After a battle with Nefaria, the New Avengers capture all four villains and bring them to Maria Hill. The New Avengers: Finale one-shot. Marvel Comics.
During the "Heroic Age" storyline, Hood escapes from prison and makes a play to assemble the Infinity Gems, for which he recruits Masque. Hood uses the Reality Gem to heal Masque's disfigurement, but she continues to wear her golden mask. The Avengers vol. 4 #9 (Feb. 2011). Marvel Comics.
She appears in Madripoor for the auction of a videotape showing Hawkeye assassinating the dictator of an unnamed Asian nation. However, the real Madame Masque is shown to be tied up and gagged in her hotel room; the "Masque" attending the auction is actually Hawkeye's partner Kate Bishop disguised in her costume. Hawkeye vol. 4 #4 (Nov. 2012). Marvel Comics. After the tape is destroyed, Masque vows vengeance on Hawkeye and Bishop. Hawkeye vol. 4 #5 (Dec. 2012). Marvel Comics. She attempts to capture Bishop by luring the girl to her home in California, where she drugs her. The teen manages to escape, and Masque swears to take revenge once again. Hawkeye vol. 4 Annual #1. Marvel Comics.
In the series "Avengers Undercover" Madame Masque appears as a member of the Shadow Council's Masters of Evil in Bagalia. She works as Helmut Zemo's right-hand woman. Avengers Undercover #. Marvel Comics.
In "All-New, All-Different Marvel", Madame Masque sets out to retrieve several magical objects to empower herself. During her journey, she is pursued by a mysterious group of ninjas. Invincible Iron Man vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics. Iron Man catches onto her motives when she tries to steal a duplicate Wand of Watoomb from Castle Doom. Upon discovering the artifact she had stolen is fake, she kills her informant in a hotel in Montreal. Iron Man later confronts Masque in the hotel room and tries to reason with her. Startled by his presence, Masque unleashes a surprising display of enormous magical power. Invincible Iron Man vol. 2 #2. Marvel Comics. After traveling to Mary Jane Watson's nightclub, Jackpot, in Chicago, Masque confronts her former business partner Belhilio and kills him. She then faces off against Iron Man and Doctor Doom, Invincible Iron Man vol. 2 #4. Marvel Comics. which results in the nightclub being completely trashed. A furious Watson hits her in the face with a microphone, knocking her mask off, and Doom discovers that Masque has been demonically possessed. Iron Man is able to hold her down while Doom successfully performs an exorcism. By the time Iron Man regains consciousness, Doctor Strange arrives and informs him that he will take Masque away to heal her. Invincible Iron Man vol. 2 #5. Marvel Comics.
To combat the West Coast Avengers, Madame Masque formed a West Coast version of the Masters of Evil consisting of Eel, Graviton, Lady Bullseye, MODOK Superior, Satana, and Kate Bishop's parents Derek Bishop and Eleanor Bishop. West Coast Avengers Vol. 3 #5-7. Marvel Comics.
During the "Gang War" storyline, Madame Masque poses as Hammerhead's girlfriend before knocking him out with a combination of magic and an adamantium bar. The Amazing Spider-Man - Gang War First Strike one-shot Hammerhead's men are forced to swear an oath of Madame Masque as the new leader of the Maggia. The Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 6) #40
As leader of the Maggia family, Madame Masque commands unspecified numbers of Dreadnought robots modified from the original designs stolen from Hydra.
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