Publication history
Frenzy first appeared in X-Factor #4 (May 1986) as a member of the Alliance of Evil, and was created by Bob Layton and Keith Pollard.
Though Joanna Cargill's first and last name have been spelled with variations such as Johanna or Cargil, her name was first mentioned in The Uncanny X-Men #298 as Joanna Cargill. Frenzy should not be confused with another Joanna Cargill, a columnist introduced in Marvel Comics Presents #27.
During a March 2, 2011 Marvel Comics Liveblog, it was revealed that Frenzy was joining X-Men: Legacy in 2011 as a member of Rogue's team of X-Men, alongside Professor X, Magneto, Legion, and Gambit.
Frenzy was a featured character in the 2024 4-issue limited series Dead X-Men.
In the From the Ashes reboot, Frenzy appeared as a member of the new X-Factor in X-Factor (Vol. 5).
Fictional character biography
Early life
Joanna Cargill was born prematurely, and was a sickly, frail child. Her home was abusive, with her military father favoring his son, and her mother not intervening on the abuse. After Joanna's brother was killed in action, Joanna's father attacked her in his rage. When defending herself, Joanna's mutation activated and she killed her father accidentally.
Alliance of Evil
Originally a freelance mercenary, Frenzy joins with three other mutants — Tower, Stinger, and Timeshadow — under the employ of Apocalypse, calling themselves the Alliance of Evil. The Alliance of Evil would have a number of conflicts with X-Factor, eventually ending up in custody. The group escape and oppose the Mutant Registration Act, but are defeated by Beast.
Frenzy briefly joins Superia's Femizons against Captain America and Paladin. Under unknown circumstances, she was once again imprisoned, but was able to break free from the Vault and created problems for the Avengers.
Acolytes
Frenzy eventually found acceptance under Magneto's teachings, joining the ranks of the second incarnation of the Acolytes as Cargill. Their first mission was to capture a child with latent mutant powers from a school. During the mission, Cargill killed Sharon Friedlander. Later, Cargill attempted to murder Senator Robert Kelly, but was defeated by Wolfsbane.
After Magneto was revealed to be alive, Cargill was among the Acolytes who quickly turned on Fabian Cortez and joined Magneto in his mutant sanctuary, Avalon. During the Fall of Avalon, Cargill allied with long-time enemy Cyclops in order to survive, and she and her fellow Acolytes were able to escape the destroyed space station in time. They crash landed in Australia but were given to the authorities.
The Acolytes escaped prison and found the remains of Avalon, worshiping it and the return of Magneto. Exodus eventually took over leadership of the Acolytes.
Mind-controlled
After the Acolytes disbanded, Cargill became the ambassador of Genosha to the United Nations and served as Magneto's right-hand woman. After issuing threats to other nations on television, Cargill was captured by the government. Jean Grey freed Cargill and mind-controlled her to help a new team of X-Men defeat Magneto. After she was freed from her mind-control, she left the X-Mansion.
After M-Day
Frenzy is one of the few mutants left after M-Day. She resurfaces as part of a new team of Acolytes under Exodus. The team allied themselves with Mister Sinister in attacking the X-Mansion in search of Destiny's diaries, but failed.
During Messiah Complex, Frenzy joined in the battle against the X-Teams, most often battling Colossus. In X-Men: Divided We Stand, the Acolytes steal Professor X's body, but are defeated and Frenzy was put into a coma by Magneto. Xavier later woke her, but the Acolytes soon disbanded.
Joining the X-Men
Frenzy later joins other mutants to the island of Utopia. Alongside other mutants, she battles the Dark Avengers and Nimrods.
Following the end of Age of X, an alternate timeline in which she was married to Cyclops, Joanna had trouble adjusting back to normal life, as her experiences as a hero had a profound effect on her. She confronted Cyclops about the time they shared together in the other timeline, but he rejected her. Frenzy then starts dressing as her Age of X counterpart and decides that she wants to become an X-Man.
She joins Rogue's X-Men team, assisting in tracking down Legion's escaped personalities and rescuing Havok, Polaris and Marvel Girl from space.
Jean Grey School For Higher Learning
Following the X-Men's Schism, Frenzy leaves Utopia alongside Wolverine and other former X-Men to re-open the Jean Grey School For Higher Learning. Before departing Utopia, she assists Rogue and a few other X-Men in saving Ariel.
Following the release of the Terrigen Mist clouds on Earth and their threat to mutants, Frenzy chose to ally herself with Crystal and her team of Inhumans.
Dawn and Fall of X
In House of X and Powers of X, Frenzy joins the mutant nation of Krakoa. She later joins the newly reinstated S.W.O.R.D. satellite (post X of Swords) as Intergalactic Ambassador.
Frenzy was included in the third annual vote to join the X-Men. In a twist, all options were added into a new incarnation of the X-Men, only to be killed by Nimrod at the Hellfire Gala. The team are resurrected and guided in a hunt for a version of Moira X in the Moira Engine.
