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On the 31st October, Halloween, a day synonymous with costumes and creativity, many will embrace the spirit of the season by dressing up in outfits designed to frighten or delight. Among the classic favourites, superheroes and princesses - there is a less conventional character that stands out from the past: the Asbestos Lady.
Imagine Halloween in the 1940s, where the Asbestos Lady costume was among the most sought-after costume options, often selling out quickly. In an era when asbestos was hailed as a ‘miracle material’ due to its fire-resistant properties, children and adults alike may have turned to crafting their own costumes in the spirit of the holiday before heading out for their annual trick-or-treat adventures.
Why? Because at the time, asbestos, known for its fire-resistant properties, was still seen as a wonder material, often described as the ‘wonder mineral’. The properties of this ‘wonder material’, inspired the creation of this distinctive Marvel Comics character, further glorifying its exceptional properties including thermal protection and heat resistance, through the medium of comic book. At the time in the 1940’s, Marvel had no idea of the health risks associated with asbestos exposure – and nor, therefore, did Asbestos Lady herself. The Asbestos Lady, embodied the era’s misguided reverence for asbestos.
The Asbestos Lady gained prominence as a formidable adversary to superheroes, utilising her fireproof abilities to evade capture. Her costume featuring a green miniskirt, purple knee-high boots, and a matching cape was lined with asbestos, providing her a significant advantage against flame-wielding villains. Accompanied by henchmen clad in similar asbestos-lined suits, the Asbestos Lady embarked on a series of criminal escapades. She even armed herself with asbestos bullets!
However, despite her powerful flameproof costume, her life of crime eventually caught up with her. Eventually, Asbestos Lady is defeated by her rivals and is sent to prison, but this isn’t the end of her story. Marvel Comics ended her story tragically in 1990, as she was revealed to have cancer.
After the dangers that asbestos poses to human health became evident later in the twentieth century, Marvel wove the health dangers of asbestos exposure into the story. As per the official storyline, Victoria Murdock aka ‘the Asbestos Lady’, after a lifetime of being exposed to asbestos, developed cancer in 1990.
The Asbestos Lady developed mesothelioma; a cancer only caused by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. It most commonly affects the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) but can also occur in the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) and other areas. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, chest pain, and persistent cough.
After a lifetime of asbestos exposure, the fictional character died aged 45 of mesothelioma.
Image Copyright Marvel.com
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