Crimson Wasp

Real Name: Mishi Kato

Identity/Class: Skilled human

Occupation: Computer and electronics expert, vigilante

Affiliations: (former) partner to the third Green Hornet

Enemies: Johnny Dollar (William Robert Parker, a.k.a. Jonathan Dunhill)

Known Relatives: Ikano Kato (grandfather, Kato I); Hayashi Kato (elder brother, Kato II); Hatami Kato (elder brother); Kumara Kato

Aliases: Kato

Base of Operations: New York

First Appearance: (as Kato) Green Hornet #2 (Now Comics, December 1989); (as Crimson Wasp) Green Hornet vol. 2 #2 (Now Comics, October 1991)

Powers/Abilities: Highly skilled martial artists, and deadly swordswoman.

History: In the 1930's and '40s, industrialist Britt Reid fought crime and the mob as the Green Hornet, with his partner and friend Ikano Kato at his side. Eventually both of them retired, but in the 1960's their sons, Britt Reid Jr and Hayashi Kato, became the new Green Hornet and Kato. Keeping up the family tradition, two and a half decades later Britt Jr.'s nephew, Paul, and Hayashi's younger sister (he was the eldest of four children, she the youngest) Mishi became the third Green Hornet and Kato. They adventured together for several months, but eventually Ikano's company Nippon Tomorrow, asked for her expertise in computers and electrical systems in their Zurich plant, and Mishi hung up her mask. Hayashi resumed his old role, becoming Paul's new protector and partner.

While in Zurich Mishi witnessed a group of bank robbers attempting to escape from the police. Mishi intervened, stopping their flight, and doing so encountered Inspector Eric Dietrickson, who had been leading the police pursuit. It was, as they say, the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Mishi became involved with the inspector and a close friend of his daughter Katya. Back at the plant things began to take a sinister turn, as Mishi came across evidence of embezzlement. She reported this to the plant's Vice-President of Production, Jonathan Dunhill, who proclaimed after some investigation that the thief was Vincent Andrew, head of purchasing. Dietrickson went to arrest him, only to find him dead by hanging, an apparent suicide.

The next day the police officer proposed to Mishi, and she accepted. But as they started to celebrate, the house was invaded by armed men, led by a masked individual calling himself Johnny Dollar. Eric was killed instantly, shot down in a hail of bullets. Katya tried to defend Mishi, and ripped Dollar's mask off, revealing him to be Dunhill, who had of course been the real embezzler. In front of Mishi's eyes, Dunhill gunned the young girl down. Mishi herself was put in a coma for two weeks, finally waking up during a visit from her brother Hatami. She was delivered a final blow when it was revealed by the doctor attending her that she had been pregnant with Eric's child, but had lost the baby due to the wounds she had received. Leaving the hospital, Mishi said her fairwells at the Dietricksons' graves, and then began a pursuit of Dunhill, Johnny Dollar. She and Hitami established a base in a family home in the Swiss Alps, and Mishi assumed a new code-name: the Crimson Wasp, a title given centuries past to Yukari Oshira, the fabled swordswoman and only female samurai of the Muromachi period of feudal Japan. Her new, ruthless attitude soon brought her into conflict with her former partner and eldest brother.

Comments: None

CLARIFICATIONS: None

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