Real name: Unrevealed
Occupation: Professional criminal
Group affiliation: None
Base of operations: Unrevealed
First appearance: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #1 (1963)
History: The mercenary spy called the Chameleon
has found a challenging adversary in the wisecracking,
web-slinging super hero known as Spider-Man. An unparalleled
master of mimicry, the Chameleon has yet to reveal his
true face. The genesis of his shapeshifting skills also
remains a mystery, as little has been revealed of his
past -- save that he is Russian, and that he grew up a
ward of the abusive Kraven family. Because he has been
deported following his capture on several occasions, it
can be assumed that the U.S. intelligence community is
aware of his true identity -- or at least his country
of origin.
Soon after Spider-Man's public debut, the Chameleon
stole a portion of the plans for a classified missile-defense
system. He then learned through the news media that Spider-Man
had paid a visit to the world's foremost team of superhuman
adventurers, the Fantastic Four. Rumor had it Mr. Fantastic,
Invisible Girl, the Thing and the Human Torch were considering
the neophyte hero for membership. The Chameleon correctly
theorized that the wall-crawler, then wanted by authorities,
had sought to join the Fantastic Four as a means of securing
a steady income. To cover his tracks, the Chameleon planned
to frame Spider-Man for the theft of the remaining schematics.
However, the web-slinger captured the Chameleon and exposed
him as the real culprit, clearing his name.
Deported following his apprehension, the Chameleon
returned to America after an absence of many months. Viewing
the wall-crawler as a clear and present danger to his
illicit objectives, he enlisted a partner in crime: Kraven
the Hunter, master tracker and expert marksman. However,
prey managed to turn the tables on predator. Since then,
the Chameleon has engaged in numerous unlawful endeavors.
Sometimes, he has worked in the employ of others -- including
Hydra, a technologically advanced, neo-fascist subversive
organization; and the Leader, gamma-irradiated super-genius.
Often, he has committed robberies solely for his own benefit.
In addition to Spider-Man, the Chameleon has run afoul
of crimefighters such as the Avengers, Earth's Mightiest
Heroes; Daredevil, fearless blind adventurer; and the
Incredible Hulk, green-skinned engine of mass destruction.
To broaden the scope of his impersonation skills,
the Chameleon adopted a holographic belt and ingested
an experimental formula that rendered his body completely
malleable. Capitalizing on his augmented abilities, he
attempted to discover Spider-Man's secret identity. The
Chameleon created an army of androids in the form of the
only man ever to capture the wall-crawler on film: photojournalist
Peter Parker. Little did he know that Parker and Spider-Man
were one and the same. Captured by a relentless web-slinger,
the Chameleon suffered a mental breakdown. Though the
authorities were fully ready to prosecute the villain,
his psychologist aided and abetted his escape. When last
seen, he apparently leapt to his death off the Brooklyn
Bridge after attempting to assume control of Parker's
life.
Height: Unrevealed
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hairs: Unrevealed
Known Superhuman Powers: The Chameleon's
malleable flesh can assume the features of virtually any
human being. His abilities are limited only by the extent
of his imagination.
Weapons: To imitate individuals of a different
sizes and weights, the Chameleon relies on a belt buckle
containing a miniature holographic projector and microprocessor.
This computer can capture and store an infinite number
of profiles to augment the Chameleon's mastery of illusion.