| Character Name: | White Rabbit |
| Real Name: | Dr. Lorina Dodson |
| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Debut: | Marvel Team-Up #131 (July 1983) |
| Creators: | J.M. DeMatteis Kerry Gammill Mike Esposito |
| Species: | Human |
| Alliances: | Sinister Syndicate Hateful Hexad Menagerie |
| Partners: | Walrus |
| Aliases: | White Rabbit Rabbit |
| Powers: |
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White Rabbit (Dr. Lorina Dodson) is a supervillainess appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by J.M. DeMatteis, Kerry Gammill, and Mike Esposito, the character first appeared in Marvel Team-Up #131 (July 1983).[1] White Rabbit is a wealthy criminal who based her supervillain persona on Alice in Wonderland.[2] [3] She is a recurring antagonist of the superhero Spider-Man.[4] [5] [6]
White Rabbit debuted in Marvel Team-Up #131 (July 1983), created by J.M. DeMatteis, Kerry Gammill, and Mike Esposito.[7] She appeared in the 2022 The Amazing Spider-Man series.[8] [9] [10] She appeared in the 2022 Spider-Verse Unlimited Infinity Comic series.[11]
Born to a wealthy family, Lorina Dodson, who would become White Rabbit, grew up in a safe, secure environment and was showered with all the material possessions she ever wanted. However, she was bored, and only found entertainment from classic literature, such as Alice in Wonderland.[12] As she grew older, her family married her off to an older gentleman named Lewis Dodson (a name derived from the author of the Alice in Wonderland books, Lewis Carroll, whose real name was Charles Dodgson). At the time of the marriage, she was twenty-five and he was eighty-two. She resented being treated as a trophy wife, so she killed her husband, and the police thought it was an accident.[13]
After that, she would only mention that he "died happy", and subsequently used her inheritance to buy various gadgets so that she could experience a life full of danger and excitement. She became the White Rabbit, an eccentric criminal, whose costume resembled a cross between the literary character from Alice in Wonderland and a Playboy Bunny. While the White Rabbit is clearly insane to the point of being completely ridiculous, she is quite articulate and has a great knowledge of literature. At some point early in her career she was trying to establish her reputation and confronted Deadpool, who was bonded with the Venom symbiote. She used an array of carrot bombs and mutant rabbits, as well as stealing only watches.[14] She spent her first days as a criminal robbing various fast food joints, most notably "Kwikkee Burger". She and her gang were eventually confronted by Frog-Man (a frequent customer at Kwikkee Burger), who was able to defeat her hired help only with Spider-Man's aid.[13] [15] [16] White Rabbit escaped, but struck later at a book fair, where she found the two superheroes once again. The White Rabbit, witnessing her men getting defeated, fled using her jet-boots, but they began to malfunction, allowing Frog-Man to knock her into a building.[17]
Much later, she resurfaced, plotting to get her revenge on Frog-Man. She allied herself with the Walrus, but they were defeated by Spider-Man, Frog-Man, and Frog-Man's father, Leap-Frog.[18] Ditching the Walrus, she popped up again later with two new villains, Mad Hatter and Dormouse, though they were both actually hired actors, as no other supervillains would work with the White Rabbit. She formed a new plan by capturing Grizzly and Gibbon and ransoming them for one billion dollars in gold. She also created several genetically-altered rabbits, who were ready to eat Grizzly and Gibbon. The Mayor, however, only offered the White Rabbit $2.50, which caused her to fly into a rage and raise the ransom to five billion dollars (this time the Rabbit demanded that the ransom be paid entirely in quarters), but Spider-Man, under the alias of the Bombastic Bag-Man - as he was currently wanted for murder as Spider-Man thanks to the machinations of Norman Osborn, he was forced to use an alternative costume and lacked the time to get any of his other new costumes infiltrated the White Rabbit's hideout and battled her giant rabbit robot.[19] She was then knocked out by Grizzly (who claimed he did it so he would not be accused of being sexist).[20] He and his partner had escaped, remembering Gibbon's natural affinity with the Animal Kingdom and thus taming the GM Rabbits.[21] [22]
White Rabbit was later seen at an auction in which the Venom Symbiote and Scorpion suit was sold.[23] [24] She tried to rob another bank, but was interrupted by Grizzly. However, she escaped and the police arrested Grizzly by mistake.[25]
In the limited series Claws, the White Rabbit, her outfit modified (now more than ever resembling a Playboy Bunny), became romantically involved with Arcade, a man with a dedication for drama and who controls 'Murderworlds', where people are killed off in carnivalesque ways. They go after Wolverine and the Black Cat. The two heroes manage to defeat Arcade and the White Rabbit. They are dropped off in the Savage Land, a prehistoric land hidden deep in the Antarctic. The White Rabbit became queen of a group of tribal warriors.[26]
During the Dark Reign storyline, White Rabbit appears as a member of the Hood's gang. She is part of a sub-group of said gang that attacks Mister Negative. The motive is because he will not hand over his control of the criminal underworld in New York's Chinatown.[27]
White Rabbit is next seen in Los Angeles, where she is working as a drug dealer to the rich and famous. One of her clients is Bobby Carr, Mary Jane's boyfriend. Carr is also an actor and is using Mutant Growth Hormone to bulk up for a movie role. The Rabbit turned on her client when the U.S. Department of Justice wanted him to inform them who his dealer is. White Rabbit and her gang attacked Carr and MJ at a trendy Los Angeles club, gassing the party goers. Mary Jane rescued Carr and took out White Rabbit at the club, when the police arrived and took the White Rabbit into custody.[28]
During the Spider-Island storyline, White Rabbit (alongside Chance and Scorcher) attacks Peter Parker and Carlie Cooper at an abandoned lab that the Jackal is in at Empire State University. She ends up knocked down by Peter using the moves learned from Shang-Chi.[29]
During the Dying Wish arc, White Rabbit later makes a cameo at the Raft at the time when Hydro-Man, Scorpion, and Trapster spring Doctor Octopus (whose mind has been swapped with Peter's mind) out of the Raft.[30]
White Rabbit was then seen trying to rob a truck with two goons but when the Superior Spider-Man (Otto Octavius's mind in Spider-Man's body) arrived they quickly surrendered, as they did not wanted to be beaten in the same way he previously did to both Boomerang and Vulture.[31]
White Rabbit later appeared as a member of the Menagerie (which also consisted of Hippo, Skein, and a new villain called Panda-Mania). They were on a rampage stealing expensive eggs from an auction. White Rabbit named the group the Menagerie because of the villains' animal themes, even though Skein did not use the Gypsy Moth name. She and the Menagerie are defeated by Spider-Man despite the fact that Skein used her powers to destroy Spider-Man's outfit.[32] White Rabbit and the rest of the Menagerie later reunite to commit a diamond heist, which led to another defeat at Spider-Man's hands.[33]
White Rabbit next hires Howard the Duck to procure Pym Particles for her, but the plan is foiled by Ant-Man.[34] She later participates in a gang war, battling the Spot in the Third Precinct.[35]
As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, White Rabbit allies with Walrus and the new Goldbug for a plan that involves tampering with New York City's drinking water. The three villains are located and defeated by Spider-Woman, and are taken to the refurbished Ryker's Island, now called the Cellar.[36]
White Rabbit later appeared as a member of the Hateful Hexad alongside Bearboarguy, Gibbon II, Ox, Squid II, and Swarm. During the Hateful Hexad's disastrous fight against Spider-Man and Deadpool, the battle is crashed by Itsy Bitsy, who brutally murders or incapacitates most of the villains, traumatizing White Rabbit who was saved by Deadpool.[37]
In a prelude to the Hunted storyline, White Rabbit is among the animal-themed characters captured by Taskmaster and Black Ant for Kraven the Hunter's upcoming Great Hunt.[38] She watched the fight between Spider-Man and Scorpion until the Hunter-Bots arrive.[39] White Rabbit then fled from the Hunter-Bots.[40] When Vulture gathers the animal-themed characters together, White Rabbit was present when Spider-Man informs them about the loss of Gibbon and Mandrill while Toad mentions the loss of Man-Bull.[41] Serving as bait, White Rabbit lured the Hunter-Bots towards the Savage Six and the other animal-themed characters where the Hunter-Bots were attacked by them.[42] White Rabbit even fought against the Hunter-Bots.[43] When Kraven the Hunter has Arcade lower the forcefield around Central Park, White Rabbit is among the animal-themed characters that are freed.[44] White Rabbit then joined Human Fly, Razorback, Toad, and Yellowjack in a plan to deliver payback to the captive Black Ant only for Taskmaster to rescue Black Ant.[45]
White Rabbit later got Hippo, Skein, and Panda-Mania back together as the Menagerie while adding Ox, Squid, and Swarm as its latest members. When the Menagerie tried to rob a club where Nadia Van Dyne's birthday was, they were defeated by the Champions and the Young Avengers.[46]
White Rabbit appears as a member of the female incarnation of the Sinister Syndicate.[47] She quotes to Francine Frye "greetings and salutations." The Sinister Syndicate begins their mission where they attack the F.E.A.S.T. building that Boomerang is volunteering at.[48] Beetle leads the Sinister Syndicate in attacking Boomerang. After getting Aunt May to safety, Peter Parker changes into Spider-Man and helps Boomerang fight the Syndicate. The Syndicate starts doing their formation attack until Spider-Man accidentally sets off Boomerang's gaserang which knocks out Spider-Man enough for the Syndicate to make off with Boomerang.[49] When Beetle returns to the headquarters, White Rabbit is present when Mayor Wilson Fisk brings the full force of New York City to their headquarters demanding that they surrender Boomerang to him. The Syndicate then assists Spider-Man against Mayor Fisk's forces. After Spider-Man evacuates Boomerang, the Syndicate fights Mayor Fisk's forces while not killing them. The Syndicate is defeated and arrested by the police. Their transport is then attacked by an unknown assailant who frees them.[50]
During the "Sinister War" storyline, White Rabbit was with the Sinister Syndicate when they are among the villains that were offered by Kindred to punish Spider-Man for his sins.[51]
White Rabbit was with the Sinister Syndicate when they took Janice Lincoln out for a bachelorette party.[52]
During the "Gang War" storyline, White Rabbit and his henchman Kareem were pinned in a warehouse by the attacks of Black Mariah's gang. In the nick of time, Beetle, Lady Octopus, Scorpia, and Trapstr arrive to rescue them and defeat Black Mariah's gang. When Tombstone shows up at Janice's meeting after recuperating in the hospital and is told by Janice that she would like to inherit his territory, he later tells White Rabbit to take care of her as the Sinister Syndicate goes out to fight in the gang wars.[53] White Rabbit accompanies the Sinister Syndicate to Sugar Hill to fight Diamondback's gang there. They defeat some of Diamondback's men only to find that the rest of them have been defeated by Rose and Digger.[54] White Rabbit and the Sinister Syndicate fight Rose and Digger until some armored soldiers come in with one of them quoting "Light 'em up"![55] The armored soldiers are revealed to be working for Wilson Fisk who take Rose away while leaving Digger behind. White Rabbit and Beetle offer Digger a job when he regains consciousness. When it comes to Madame Masque's challenge in Central park, White Rabbit was with the Sinister Syndicate and some gangs when facing off against Madame Masque and the Maggia. White Rabbit was told by Digger that Rose is "getting a spanking" from his father.[56] White Rabbit and the Sinister Syndicate then proceed to fight against the Maggia even when Spider-Man and his allies arrive.[57] White Rabbit is later ordered by Tombstone to have the Sinister Syndicate and those on their side pull out of Central Park as she asked if Janice is alright with that plan. Following Madame Masque's defeat, White Rabbit and Tombstone talks about how Tombstone is now in charge of the New York underworld, the Sinister Syndicate has been promoted, and Beetle has left town after a disagreement with Tombstone. Tombstone states to White Rabbit that they got a criminal underworld to run and that he will beat up Spider-Man in broad daylight.[58]
During the "Blood Hunt" storyline, White Rabbit is bitten by a vampire during the Vampire Invasion causing Kareem to call in Spider-Man for help. Upon helping Kareem subdue White Rabbit, Spider-Man finds the vampire who bit her handcuffed to the radiator heater as Spider-Man reasons with it. Once the vampire was staked by Kareem who got tired of waiting, White Rabbit returned to normal.[59]
White Rabbit possesses no superhuman abilities but is obsessed with the works of Lewis Carroll, and her equipment reflects her obsession. She uses a range of weapons, such as an umbrella that shoots razor-sharp or explosive carrots, a large, rideable, heavily armed robot rabbit, genetically-engineered killer bunnies and jet-boots.[60] White Rabbit also owns two custom-modified vehicles, a zeppelin called the Flying Hare,[61] and a van called the Bunnymobile. She is a skilled martial artist.
Additionally, White Rabbit is well-educated, having at least a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature or its equivalent.
Jonathan K. Kantor of Looper called White Rabbit an "absolute peach."[62] Michael Cheang of The Star included White Rabbit in their "8 of the coolest (and weirdest) rabbit characters in comic books" list.[63]
Screen Rant included White Rabbit in their "Spider-Man: 10 Best Female Villains" list, and in their "10 Spider-Man Villains That Are Smarter Than They Seem" list.[64] Comic Book Resources ranked White Rabbit 6th in their "Marvel: Dark Spider-Man Villains, Ranked From Lamest To Coolest" list,[65] 8th in their "Spider-Man: 10 Weirdest Animal Villains From The Comics That We'd Like To See In The MCU" list,[66] 9th in their "Spider-Man's 10 Funniest Villains" list,[67] and 10th in their "10 Best Animal-Themed Spider-Man Villains" list.[68]
An alternate version of White Rabbit appears in the Marvel Adventures Spider-Man series. She is romantically interested in Venom and even writes to him when he is in the Vault. White Rabbit plans a series of Lewis Carroll-inspired robberies alongside Venom, while he pretends to be Spider-Man's new unwanted sidekick. However, Spider-Man figures out the plan and defeats Venom and White Rabbit.[69]