The Hand is a group of fictional supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The Hand first appeared in Daredevil volume 1 #168 (January, 1981) and were created by writer/artist Frank Miller. They are marked by their red costumes. Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to the date or issue of a characters first appearance. ... This article is about the Marvel Comics superhero. ... Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American writer, artist, and film director best known for his film noir-style comic book stories. ... Elektra Natchios, usually known only by her first name Elektra, is a fictional supervillain and anti-hero from Marvel Comics. ... For other uses, see Wolverine (disambiguation). ... Psylocke (Elisabeth Betsy Braddock, sometimes Elizabeth) is a Marvel Comics superhero, sister to Captain Britain, and often associated with the X-men. ... Revanche (Real Name: Kwannon) was originally an assassin for the Japanese crime syndicate, The Hand, and the lover of crime boss, Matsuo Tsurayaba, who was transformed into a telepathic mutant. ... Doctor Doom, one of the most archetypal supervillains and his arch-enemies The Fantastic Four (in background). ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... It has been suggested that Earth-616 be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the Marvel Comics superhero. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American writer, artist, and film director best known for his film noir-style comic book stories. ...

The Hand is a cult of evil mystical ninja who are heavily involved in organized crime and mercenary activities such as assassination plots. The Hand covets power above all other objectives. They are primarily based in Japan, but operate internationally. They were founded in the 16th century and soon became servants of the primordial demon known only as the Beast. In religion and ethics, Evil refers to the morally objectionable aspects of the behaviour and reasoning of human beings — those which are deliberately void of conscience, and show a wanton penchant for destruction. ... Mysticism from the Greek μυστικός (mystikos) an initiate (of the Eleusinian Mysteries, μυστήρια (mysteria) meaning initiation[1]) is the pursuit of achieving communion or identity with, or conscious awareness of, ultimate reality, the divine, spiritual truth, or God through direct experience, intuition, or insight; and the belief that such experience is an... This article refers to Japanese spies and assassins known as Ninja. For other uses, see Ninja (disambiguation) This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that Criminal organization be merged into this article or section. ... A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict and is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a Party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that... Assassin and Targeted killing redirect here. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... St. ...

Members of the Hand are practitioners of powerful occult magic and can murder a person and bring that person back to life as a servant of the Hand. Only Elektra, Psylocke, and Wolverine are known to have reversed this programming. Wolverine was brainwashed in a combined operation by the Hand and Hydra. The word occult comes from the Latin occultus (clandestine, hidden, secret), referring to knowledge of the hidden and often popularly meaning knowledge of the supernatural, as opposed to knowledge of the measurable, usually referred to as science. ... The Sorceress by John William Waterhouse Magic and sorcery are the influencing of events, objects, people and physical phenomena by mystical, paranormal or supernatural means. ... Elektra Natchios, usually known only by her first name Elektra, is a fictional supervillain and anti-hero from Marvel Comics. ... Psylocke (Elisabeth Betsy Braddock, sometimes Elizabeth) is a Marvel Comics superhero, sister to Captain Britain, and often associated with the X-men. ... For other uses, see Wolverine (disambiguation). ... Brainwashing, also known as thought reform or re-education, is defined by Dorlands Medical Dictionary as any systematic effort aimed at instilling certain attitudes and beliefs in a person against his will, usually beliefs in conflict with his prior beliefs and knowledge. ... HYDRA is a terrorist organization in the fictional Marvel Universe. ...

Fictional history

The story begins 800 years ago, in feudal Japan. Seeking autonomy from the oppressive class system of the time, a few citizens fled into the mountainous regions of Iga and Kōga. There they developed ninjitsu, a stealthy martial art perhaps inspired by Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Over a period of centuries, they refined their art in secluded camps. Students trained and practiced the art from birth, playing children's games designed to impart expertise in unarmed combat, swordplay, weaponry, camouflage, escape and evasion. Ninjitsu was also designed to encourage spiritual growth by pushing oneself physically and mentally beyond normal human limits. The ninja were expert in espionage and assassination, and offered their specialised services to samurai warlords and others who could afford them. History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei Pre-History/The Origin of History Jomon Period Main... Ueno Castle Iga Province (伊賀国; -no kuni) was an old province of Japan in the area that is today western Mie prefecture. ... This article is about the Japanese espionage martial arts and techniques known as ninjutsu. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Sun Tzu (孫子 also commonly written in pinyin: Sūn Zǐ) was the author of The Art of War, an influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy (for the most part not dealing directly with tactics). ... For other uses, see The Art of War (disambiguation) A modern edition of The Art of War translated into English by Samuel B. Griffith. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Russian Ivan Tourchine and American Weston Kelsey fence in the second round of the Olympic Mens Individual Épée event at the Helliniko Fencing Hall on Aug. ... A weapon is a tool used to kill or incapacitate a person or animal, or destroy a military target. ... An infant Cuttlefish blends into the surrounding sand substrate. ... Espionage (spying) is a practice of obtaining information about an organization or a society that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. ... Assassin and Targeted killing redirect here. ... Japanese samurai in armour, 1860s. ...

Masters of every form of subterfuge, the ninja were the most efficient and deadly warriors on the face of the Earth and became feared throughout Japan. Hearsay gave rise to the myth that ninja were the spawn of the Tengu, and that their divinity gave them extraordinary abilities. These myths were likely spread by the ninja themselves. Subterfuge can be any deceptive strategem or maneuver designed to take advantage of an opponent. ... Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Elephant catching a flying tengu Tengu ) are minor kami or yokai found in Japanese folklore. ...

The most evil and devious of all these ninja was a faction called the Hand. Unlike the other factions, the Hand did not work as mercenaries, but sought power themselves. The Hand sought dominance over all others, worked for no one but themselves, and sought to eliminate their enemies. From the very beginning, the Hand employed Dark magic, imparted unto them by their demonic master, The Beast. One of these black spells causes a Hand ninja's lifeless body to return to dust and prevent another from directly gazing at the Beast itself. Mercenary (disambiguation). ... This article describes magic in the fictional Harry Potter universe. ... The demon Satan In folklore, mythology, and religion, a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as an evil spirit, but is also depicted to be good in some instances. ... The spell is a magical act intended to cause an effect on reality using supernatural means of liturgical or ritual nature. ...

The Hand ninja survive to this day, still seeking power in various forms, and using their lethal skills and brutal methods. The Hand's most dangerous adversary is the Chaste, a band of warriors once led by Stick, the late, blind martial arts master and former mentor of Matt Murdock, who grew to become the costumed crime-fighter Daredevil and Elektra Natchios. Elektra infiltrated the Hand, determined to prove herself to Stick. Instead, the ninja tricked her into killing one of her former sensei. Elektra served the Hand for a time. When their ways corrupted her soul, she fled Japan back to America. The mysterious Stick is a sensei who trained the young Matt Murdock (Daredevil) to control his senses and taught him the acrobatic martial arts that would make him so formidable. ... This article is about the Marvel Comics superhero. ... Elektra Natchios is a fictional character from Marvel Comics. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The soul, acording to many religious and philosophical traditions, is a self-aware ethereal substance particular to a unique living being. ...

Eventually, the Hand sought to wipe out Stick and the good warriors of the Chaste altogether. Stick thwarted an assassination attempt by four Hand operatives; he then summoned the other members of his order to New York City. With the assistance of his clan, Stick defeated Kirigi, the Hand's most lethal ninja at the time. The Hand regrouped and attacked Stick and his band of warriors that now included Daredevil and his current lover, Black Widow. The Hand had almost overpowered the small band of warriors, when Stick and Shaft resorted to an ancient technique that drained the life force from all ninja present. Unfortunately, the technique resulted in the explosion of Stick and his comrade as a result of the excess energy they had absorbed. The Hand considered the destruction of their arch-nemesis and leader of their enemy a victory and turned their attention to other schemes. Kirigi is a fictional ninja assassin in the Marvel Comics universe. ... This entry is for the Marvel Comics characters called Black Widow. ... Look up nemesis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Years later, the Hand again turned its attention to the leaderless Chaste, once again attempting to destroy them, this time to prevent the Chaste's members from locating the new-born child that would bear Stick's reincarnated soul. The Hand severely crippled Stick's soldiers, reducing their number to a handful of warriors. The few remaining traveled to New York, seeking the assistance of Daredevil. Reluctantly, the Man Without Fear aided his former mentor's disciples, returning with them to Japan. Once there, The Hand attacked the Chaste and Daredevil relentlessly. Fighting alongside Daredevil, the Chaste barely managed to escape and safeguard their master's reincarnated spirit. Reincarnation, literally to be made flesh again, as a doctrine or mystical belief, holds the notion that some essential part of a living being (or in some variations, only human beings) can survive death in some form, with its integrity partly or wholly retained, to be reborn in a new...

The Hand has also frequently fought with Wolverine and come into conflict with superheroes such as Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the X-Men. The Hand played a particularly large role in the history of Psylocke. For other uses, see Wolverine (disambiguation). ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... The Avengers are an elite superhero team that appear in the Marvel Universe. ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... Psylocke (Elisabeth Betsy Braddock, sometimes Elizabeth) is a Marvel Comics superhero, sister to Captain Britain, and often associated with the X-men. ...

The Hand is currently under the leadership of Elektra.

Appearances in other media

In the film Elektra (2005), the Hand is featured as the villain group. It is led by Master Roshi and features some of its deadly members including Tattoo, Typhoid Mary, Stone, and Roshi's own son, Kirigi. Elektra is a 2005 movie directed by Rob Bowman. ...

In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics, cartoons, and films, there is a secret Ninja clan called The Foot, an obvious parody of The Hand. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. ... The Foot Clan is a fictional Ninjutsu clan in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe, and the turtles main antagonists. ...

In X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Cammy is propositioned by The Hand, only to be rescued by Psylocke. X-Men vs. ... Cammy White (キャミィ or キャミー・ホワイト) is a video game character in the Street Fighter series. ...