Shard (comics)

Shard Bishop
Shard as depicted in X-Factor #147 (July 1998). Art by Mike S. Miller.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	(Illusion) Uncanny X-Men Annual #17 (December 1993) (First full appearance) Uncanny X-Men #314 (July 1994)
Created by	Scott Lobdell (writer) John Romita Jr. (artist)
In-story information
Species	Human mutant, later holographic
Team affiliations	Xavier Security Enforcers X-Factor
Partnerships	Chronomancer
Notable aliases	Askante
Abilities	Energy blasts, intangibility (holographic Shard only)

Shard Bishop is a mutant fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

Created by Scott Lobdell and John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in The Uncanny X-Men #314 (July 1994).

Fictional character biography

Shard was a Lieutenant in Xavier's Security Enforcers (X.S.E.) with her older brother Lucas Bishop in their native timeline in the 2080s. Shard was born and raised in a mutant concentration camp, in which mutants were branded over their right eyes with the letter "M" for recognition. In Uncanny X-Men Annual #17, Shard is stated as having the mutant ability of "transubbing ambient light into concussive force".

Shard became the youngest X.S.E. graduate a year after Bishop attained that position. She served under Bishop as a member of the Omega Squad (which included Bishop and his officers, Randall and Malcolm), until her promotion.

Together, in the X.S.E. Shard and Bishop were responsible for apprehending criminal mutants. Shard was partially infected on a mission with her brother fighting a group infected with a vampire-like affliction originating from the present day mutant, Emplate.

Although Emplates are considered the "living dead", Bishop took her to the New York Stark/Fujikawa building inhabited by the Witness in order to attempt to save her life by transmitting her essence into a holographic matrix (a technology of Shi'ar origin, akin to that used in the X-Men's Danger Room). Here he was said to have made a deal in order for the experiment to even happen in the first place, the price being that he would work for him for a specified period of time. The experiment was a success, but Shard, already partially infected with the Emplate affliction, died. Due to the process involved, Bishop considered himself her murderer. The extent of, as well as the type of work he did in this deal is still yet to be known, if it ever will be.

Bishop eventually travelled back in time, to the present, in an effort to track down Trevor Fitzroy, one of his time's most-wanted criminals and Shard's ex-lover, where he became stuck in the present day and became a member of the X-Men, his idols. Shard has also since been recreated in the present, as a computer construct, and became a clandestine member of the government-sponsored X-Factor team. There, she began a romantic relationship with her teammate Wildchild.

After X-Factor disbanded in X-Factor #149, Shard was transported into an alternate future. There she died for the second and apparently final time, saving her brother Bishop from Trevor Fitzroy. Her former paramour had attempted to seduce her by restoring her body to its original solid form.

Powers and abilities

Shard is able to absorb ambient light particles and use it to perform various light-based attacks. While she was a photon-based life form, she could also become intangible.

Reception

• In 2014, Entertainment Weekly ranked Shard 75th in their "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list.

In other media

• Shard appears in X-Men: The Animated Series, voiced by Kay Tremblay.
• Shard appears as an unlockable playable character in X-Men: Mojo World.
• Shard appears in X-Men '97, voiced by Kimberly Woods.

External links

• World of Black Heroes: Shard Biography
• Uncannyxmen.net character bio on Shard