From an abused child to a sonic-powered supervillain of Marvel Comics
In short: Born Frances Louise Barrison, the character known as Shriek possesses a terrifying ability to manipulate sound and emotion. Her descent into madness was fueled by childhood trauma and a violent encounter with law enforcement, eventually leading her to become the partner of the notorious Carnage.
Shriek first appeared in Spider-Man Unlimited #1 in May 1993, created by writer Tom DeFalco and artist Ron Lim. While she was initially known by the alias Sandra Deel, it was later clarified that her true birth name is Frances Louise Barrison. Her origins are rooted in severe childhood abuse by her mother due to her weight, a trauma that drove her toward drug use and a fixation on motherhood.
Her mutant powers emerged when a police officer's gunshot to her head combined with exposure to Cloak's Darkforce. These events awakened her latent abilities, allowing her to manipulate sound in various ways. She can harness sonic energy for destructive concussive force, disorient enemies, and even induce intense emotions like fear, hate, or despair through hypersonic frequencies. She also possesses moderate levitation and low-level psionic abilities.
In the comics, Shriek is most famously associated with Cletus Kasady, the first incarnation of Carnage. During the 'Maximum Carnage' crossover, the two formed a murderous 'family' alongside villains like Demogoblin, Doppelganger, and Carrion. Her history is marked by extreme instability, including being used as a power source by Hall Industries and surviving various life-threatening encounters with heroes like Spider-Man and Deadpool.
The character has also been adapted for the screen. In the 2021 film Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Naomie Harris portrays the character. In this version, Barrison's history includes a childhood romance with Kasady at the St. Estes Home for Unwanted Children, followed by a violent encounter with officer Patrick Mulligan that left her scarred and blind in one eye.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Shriek (character)
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