Rivcah Patterson was a teacher. But not just any ol’ teacher – she was a crusader; a true hero! She worked in the Baltimore public school system at one of the most underfunded schools in the country. It had poor ratings, poor test scores, poor facilities and of course, poor students. Rivcah, however, was determined to make a difference. She organized meetings, wrote letters to district officials, stayed at school late into the night tutoring students, and pretty much did everything in her power to move the school in a new direction. But at the end of the day, it was all for naught. She was ignored by most of the decision-makers and actually scolded by others who believed her attitude was detrimental.
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Shanga has the ability to emit thunderclaps and electricity from her hands. She has enhanced strength and carries a massive sledgehammer that has been modified in a variety of ways and infused with mystical energy.
She couldn’t believe it. She had spent several years in college at Emory University, earning degrees in Education and being taught that as a teacher, she could truly make an impact on the world. And before she graduated she had decided that she would not take a cushy job at a private school in a suburb – though she was clearly qualified and definitely sought after. She would instead go after the teaching jobs that no one else really wanted: in the inner city ghetto with minority students. She decided to be a pioneer. She decided to dig her heels in like no other teacher had ever done before. She decided to continue to push for change, regardless of the obstacles and struggles that came her way.
And after five years of an impossible uphill battle, she began to regret that decision. Not only had her efforts to improve the conditions of her school been shut down in every possible way, but she hadn’t received a pay raise since the day she signed on. She wanted to believe it was worth it for the kids. But she had grown too weary, too frustrated and too jaded. She no longer had the desire to be a hero.
She settled into a routine and became just an average everyday worker, going through the motions, leaving pretty much as soon as the dismissal bell rang, and heading back to her apartment to partake in a glass of Bourbon… or eight. She was defeated.
She finally had a reason to smile, however, when she received an invitation to a bachelorette party for her old college sorority sister, Alexis Deville, in Las Vegas. She scraped some money together, bought herself a nice party dress and a plane ticket, and met her five best friends at the the hottest spot on the Vegas Strip: the Carnival de’ Carnel Casino and Hotel. Because their soror, Kharma Lucky was working there (and dating the owner, Ray Carnel), they were able to reserve a magnificent suite and partake in all the VIP activities.
It was an absolute blast! They spent that first night partying to the wee hours of the morning, before toasting one more bottle of champagne and falling asleep in their luxurious room. The next day, however, Rivcah awoke to the sound of her friend, Crystal, screaming in agony as parts of her body were morphing into cybernetic components. She also noticed that Alexis, the bachelorette, was multiplying into clones of herself! Her other friends were also going through wild and crazy changes. And so was she!
Rivcah suddenly felt a jolt of electricity rush through her body! Then another! And another! The pain was excruciating. But before she could make sense of what in the world was happening, the door of their suite was kicked in. It was the hotel’s owner, Ray Carnel, along with two of his business associates, Reina Valencia and Simon Charles, and a squad of hotel security goons with tranquilizer rifles! They proceeded to put the women to sleep.
When Rivcah woke up, she was under the hotel in a secret scientific laboratory and her wrists were confined by energy shackles. Four of her other friends were also shackled and her fifth friend, Crystal, was on an operating table being transformed into a half woman, half cyborg. Ray informed them all that they’d been accidentally dosed with a hyper-serum that was “stolen” from him by his brother Victor Carnel. He also told them they have all gained hyper abilities and that now they will be his personal team of bodyguards. He outfited each of them with a mind-control earpiece and prepared to put them to work.
The bachelorette, Alexis, however, was resistant to the earpiece and broke free from the mind-control, then ripped the devices from her friends’ ears. The women turned to Ray with the intention of using their new powers to teach him a lesson. Ray desperately pleaded for his life, offering them all the money they can imagine, if they just let him live. They all ignored his plea… well, all, except Rivcah.
She accepts his offer and turns on her friends, attacking them with destructive thunderclaps and electrical blasts from her hands! The battle is intense, but eventually, her five friends begin to harness the power of their new abilities and defeat her.
Rivcah looks at the women she used to call her best friends, bids them adieu, then retreats with her new employer and his business associates. It looks like Ms. Patterson was never meant to be a hero afterall.
While the other five women go on to form a hero squad called The Sista Clique, Rivcah fully embraces the super-villain role. She eventually begins introducing herself as “Shanga, the Mistress of Thunder” and uses her hyper abilities to infuse a modified sledgehammer with mystical powers. It becomes her primary weapon. She pledges her loyalty to Ray, Reina and their benefactor, the ruthless mastermind businessman, Edgar Lockhart. And she vows to destroy the Sister Clique once and for all.