Skein (character)

{{short description|Marvel Comics character}} {{Infobox comics character  |image=Skein.png |caption=Skein |character_name=Skein |real_name=Sybil Dvorak |species=Human Mutant |publisher=Marvel Comics |debut=''Spider-Woman'' #10 (January 1979) |creators=Mark Gruenwald Carmine Infantino |alliances=Night Shift Masters of Evil Thunderbolts Women Warriors Menagerie |aliases=Gypsy Moth, Sybarite |powers=Telekinesis Levitation }} '''Skein''' (real name '''Sybil Dvorak''', also known as '''Gypsy Moth''' and '''Sybarite''') is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

==Publication history== The character first appeared in ''Spider-Woman'' #10 as '''Gypsy Moth''', and was created by Mark Gruenwald and Carmine Infantino.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rovin |first=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains |date=1987 |publisher=Facts on File |isbn=0-8160-1356-X |location=New York |page=152 |authorlink=Jeff Rovin}}[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofsu0000rovi_h5r9/page/152/mode/2up]</ref>

==Fictional character biography== Sybil Dvorak was born in Focșani, Romania, in the shadow of the Carpathians. She was raised by Romani and spent much of her time alone nurturing her gardens and focusing on her mutant powers of telekinesis. She loved how the sensation of fiber, such as soft weaves and flowers, felt to her mental touch; hard objects felt abrasive to her.<ref name="origin">''Spider-Woman'' #48 (February 1983)</ref>

Wandering onto the set of a remake of ''Dracula'', which is being filmed on location in Romania, Dvorak meets the film's star, Jason Reed.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}} He romances her and convinces her to come with him back to his home in Los Angeles. Dvorak is essentially a prisoner in the house, as she was an illegal immigrant and Reed will not marry her. Reed is constantly away on "trips", and Dvorak fears that he is having affairs. Dvorak creates a costume using her powers, begins calling herself Gypsy Moth, and directs her feelings of anger and betrayal by attacking Hollywood social gatherings.<ref name="origin"/> Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) confronts Gypsy Moth and offers her friendship, but she tries to kill her in response, insisting she has no use for friends. Drew's boyfriend, S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Jerry Hunt, shoots Gypsy Moth, knocking her unconscious. However, Spider-Woman flies Gypsy Moth away from the party so that the authorities will not take her.<ref>''Spider-Woman'' #10 (January 1979)</ref>

Soon after, Dvorak manages to obtain American citizenship and an inclusion in Jason Reed's will. When he dies of an apparent obstructed blood vessel in his heart, she inherits his home and his wealth.<ref>''Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition'' #5 (April 1986)</ref>

left|thumb|Gypsy Moth Dvorak takes on the name of Sybarite and uses her assets to start a hedonistic cult, giving her followers illegal drugs in return for soft garments and animal bodies. Her followers capture Spider-Woman, who manages to stop Gypsy Moth. However, the two are kidnapped by Locksmith and Tick-Tock.<ref name="origin"/> Gypsy Moth is forced to work with her nemesis in order to escape.<ref>''Spider-Woman'' #50 (June 1983)</ref>

The Shroud, another fellow prisoner of Locksmith, tracks Gypsy Moth down and recruits her into the Night Shift, a band of Los Angeles–based villains. The Night Shift uses the Los Angeles sewer system to move about the city; when the sewers are overrun with the mutated test subjects of the Power Broker, Shroud employs the Night Shift in ending Power Broker's operations.<ref>''Captain America'' #330-331 (June - July 1987)</ref> Gypsy Moth later serves as a member of Superia's Femizons.<ref>''Captain America'' #389-391 (August - September 1991)</ref>

Gypsy Moth later leaves the Night Shift and joins the Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil. Gypsy Moth aids the Masters of Evil in their search for Justin Hammer's legacy, a bio-toxin which could kill thousands of superhumans. Hawkeye attempts to convince Gypsy Moth and most of her teammates to switch sides, and to aide him in preventing the Crimson Cowl from obtaining the toxin. Gypsy Moth sided with Hawkeye "for kicks", designs a new costume for herself, and changes her codename to Skein.<ref>''Thunderbolts'' #65 (August 2002)</ref> As a part of Hawkeye's team of Thunderbolts, Skein helps thwart the Crimson Cowl by effectively unraveling the Crimson Cowl's costume, rendering her powerless.

During the ''Dark Reign'' storyline, Skein is revealed to have joined the Women Warriors, the Initiative's team for the state of Delaware.<ref>''Avengers: The Initiative'' #26 (September 2009)</ref>

During the ''Spider-Island'' storyline, Sybil Dvorak returns to the Gypsy Moth identity as well as her life of crime upon creating a new costume. After being hired by the Spider Queen to kidnap Alicia Masters, she uses her powers to seal Spider-Woman's mouth shut and change her costume into another Gypsy Moth suit, which leads to the Thing mistakenly attacking Spider-Woman. After removing her gag and mask, Spider-Woman manages to defeat Spider-Queen and rescue Alicia.<ref>''Spider-Island: Spider-Woman'' #1 (November 2011)</ref>

Skein later appears as a member of the Menagerie alongside Hippo, White Rabbit, and Panda-Mania. When White Rabbit refers to her as "Gypsy Moth", she insists on being called Skein. White Rabbit protests this, stating that she called the group the Menagerie because of the villains being themed after animals.<ref>''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 3) #1 (June 2014)</ref>

During the "Spider-Geddon" storyline, Skein is seen with Night Shift members Digger, Dansen Macabre, the Brothers Grimm, and new member Waxman when they rob a bus. The group is thwarted by Superior Octopus, who makes them agree to become his agents.<ref>''Superior Octopus'' #1 (December 2018)</ref>

==Powers and abilities== Sybil Dvorak is a mutant who possesses the ability to telekinetically manipulate materials and objects with her mind. Because all matter has a powerful and specific "texture" to her mind, she prefers to only manipulate "soft" substances like fibers and other malleable, yielding substances (this preference extends to the point of her having a strong aversion to mentally manipulating anything hard or solid). Thus she confines her manipulation to such substances as fabrics (both organic and synthetic) and organic tissue such as that of plants or animals. The maximum amount of material she can manipulate at once is equivalent to the amount of weight she can lift physically. By concentrating, she can levitate herself and move through the air as if she were swimming, at up to a top speed of 20 miles per hour for periods of up to a half-hour before tiring from the mental exertion. She can carry loads weighing no more than her own body weight while airborne.<ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=skein|url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/skein/4005-32258/|website=Comic Vine}}</ref>

Dvorak's wings were initially depicted as part of her body.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/10936/spider-woman_1978_10|title=Spider-Woman (1978) #10|website=Marvel.com|publisher=Marvel Entertainment|date=1 January 1979|access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comics.org/issue/2210191/|title=Spider-Woman #10|website=Grand Comics Database|access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Spider_Woman_Masterworks_2015?hl=en_GB&id=pdP3EAAAQBAJ|title=Spider-Woman Masterworks (collection)|website=Google Play|publisher=Marvel Comics|access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref> In later appearances, her wings are instead depicted as made from fiber and manipulated by her powers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/10977/spider-woman_1978_48|title=Spider-Woman (1978) #48|website=Marvel.com|publisher=Marvel Entertainment|date=1 February 1983|access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comics.org/series/2461/|title=Spider-Woman (1978 series) — issue list|website=Grand Comics Database|access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marvel.com/characters/skein|title=Skein|website=Marvel.com|publisher=Marvel Entertainment|access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/5215/all-new_official_handbook_of_the_marvel_universe_a_to_z_2006_10|title=All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z (2006) #10|website=Marvel.com|publisher=Marvel Entertainment|date=25 October 2006|access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://leagueofcomicgeeks.com/comic/8486275/the-official-handbook-of-the-marvel-universe-deluxe-edition-5|title=The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition #5|website=League of Comic Geeks|access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060509234408/http://www.marvel.com/universe/Skein Gypsy Moth/Skein] at Marvel.com * [http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Sybil_Dvorak_%28Earth-616%29 Gypsy Moth/Skein] at Marvel Wiki * [http://comicvine.gamespot.com/skein/4005-32258/ Gypsy Moth/Skein] at Comic Vine * {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/gypsymoth.htm|Gypsy Moth/Skein}} * [http://www.gayleague.com/wordpress/2009/11/12/skein/ Gypsy Moth/Skein] at Gay League

Category:Characters created by Carmine Infantino Category:Characters created by Mark Gruenwald Category:Comics characters introduced in 1979 Category:Fictional bisexual women Category:Fictional cult leaders Category:Fictional people with acquired American citizenship Category:Fictional Romanian people Category:Fictional socialites Category:Marvel Comics female supervillains Category:Marvel Comics LGBTQ supervillains Category:Marvel Comics mutants Category:Marvel Comics telekinetics Category:Romani comics characters

Skein (character)

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