Francisco Rico Torres -:|:- “Iron Downey and Scarlett Widow”
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Female Serial Kilers
Although males make up the majority of serial killers, there are female serial killers as well and they differ from men in many ways. Research shows that the majority of males (50%) kill for sexual pleasure while females kill for profit (75%), control (13%), or revenge (12%). Men tend to be more actively violent in their killing, raping, torturing, beating or stangling their victims while females are usually passive and tend to favour poison. The victimologies differ as well; men tend to chose strangers while women target relatives, friends, and romantic partners. One of the most suprising differences is the length of time over which each gender continues killing. Men usually kill for a short period, a few months to about 4 years. Women, on the other hand, kill for an average of 6-8 years, sometimes even decades.
There are six typologies that female serial killers fall into:
- Black Widow: Most of their victims are relatives, romantic relationships, or close friends. Black widows kill for monetary gain, most often life insurance. These women often kill 6-8 people over a period of ten to fifteen years and their preferred method is poison.
Example: Lydia Trueblood killed five husbands, her brother in-law, and her baby daughter.
- Angel of Death: These women are workers in hospitals or senior homes where death is not uncommon. They are exhilirated by their power over life and death and often bring their patients to the brink of death before miraculously curing them, though most victims are eventually killed. These women often suffer from Munchausen’s by proxy syndrome or a God complex. This type of killer usually claims 8-12 victims over a 1-2 year period. They kill slowly with drugs or poison that mirror the effects of disease and sickness.
Example: Genene Jones killed between 11 and 46 terminlly ill infants by injecting them with digoxin and pretending to try to save them. Jones continued to kill even while under investigation.
- Sexual Predator: The rarest of female serial killers; only one known North American case. These women are usually in their 30’s and and geographically mobile. They are driven by sexual fantasies of killing and kill on average 6 people in a 3 year period.
Example: Aileen Carol Wuornos worked as a prostitute and killed 7 male clients. She would claim that they tried to rape her and would shoot or stab them during sex.
- Revenge Killer: Also rare, and generally only found among repeat offenders. These women kill family members or friends that they beleive offended them. Revenge killers usually kill 3-4 victims over a two year period and tend to show remorse after the act.
Example: Martha Wise killed family members and a pastor and also burnt down a church because she viewed them as barriers that kept her from marrying the man she loved. She later claimed that the devil made her do it.
- Team Killers: These women often do not kill on their own but are coerced into doing so by a partner. Teams are most often male-female, however the partner may also be a sister or close female friend. 35% of female serial killers fall into this category. Killings are often sexual in nature and there are usually 9-15 victims in a two-year period.
Example: Charlene and Gerald Gallego raped, tortured and buried alive over 20 girls. Charlene helped Gerald because he claimed that taking virgins would cure his impotency.
- Profit Killers: Essentially hit women, these women tend to be the most intelligent of the female serial killers are very dispassionate.
Example: Madame Popova was a Russian hit woman that hired herself out to women who had cruel and abusive husbands. She killed more than 300 men.
Weary SHIELD Recruit: How is this training us?
Natasha: If you have to ask, you’re not done training yet.
Tony: Come on, Natasha. It’s not these kids fault you’re not in the field.
Natasha: Whose fault is it? I’ll hit them.
Tony: Just the ghost of Nick Fury coming back to bite you in the ass. Politics, you know. Grab your Black Widow gear and meet us on the flight deck.
Natasha: New assignment?
Tony: You’re an Avenger again.
Natasha: Spasibo, baby.Natasha’s rank under Stark was higher than her rank under Fury— which I actually find kind of fitting. She and Maria Hill did not get along, as one of Hill’s first acts as Director was rounding up Daredevil and then implying that Natasha sleeps around too much.
Anyway, Natasha in workout gear!!
From Mighty Avengers #2, by Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho.


