Cipher (comics)

Cipher (Marvel Comics)
Cipher in her first appearance by Rapha Sandoval. Young X-Men #8.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Young X-Men #8 (Nov. 2008)
Created by	Marc Guggenheim Rafa Sandoval
In-story information
Alter ego	Alisa Tager
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	X-Men-In-Training Young X-Men Jean Grey School Students
Abilities	Invisibility, phasing/intangibility, complete stealth

Cipher (Alisa Tager) is a fictional mutant character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a young African-American female who first appeared in Young X-Men #8 (Nov. 2008) and was created by Marc Guggenheim and Rafa Sandoval.

Cipher's first appearance was in Young X-Men #8 by writer Marc Guggenheim and artist Rafa Sandoval. However, references to her character began in Young X-Men #3 and were initially written to deceptively reference long-deceased New Mutants character Cypher. Through retcons, Cipher is depicted as having been present during events prior to her character's creation, including Grant Morrison's 2001 run on New X-Men and Joss Whedon's 2004 tenure on Astonishing X-Men. She became a featured character in the series Young X-Men, and after that series ended, she appeared in Uncanny X-Men and Wolverine and the X-Men as part of the student cast.

A new character in the ongoing series Young X-Men, Graymalkin, mentions a "Cypher" twice. The first is when he is alone in the air ducts inside of the Danger Cave. He mentions that he is "not the only one that can help them. There is Cypher." The second time is when he tells Donald Pierce, who was disguised as Cyclops, that "Cypher told [him] everything."

The new "Cypher," an African-American girl named Alisa Tager, reveals herself at the end of Young X-Men #8, however her codename is spelled "Cipher" rather than "Cypher" (as it is spelled in earlier mentions). She had come to warn Ink that his teammates were in trouble and he is needed to come with her to save them. Although Ink is very skeptical about this young girl's motivations or intentions, she is shown wearing the standard uniform of the Young X-Men, and has a jet from the X-Men's headquarters to transport him to his team as well, to show that her information is legitimate, even though she refuses to give any more information, about herself or the team, other than that. However, she also gives into his demand to take him to his tattooist to give him some new abilities, even though she voices that she feels he is wasting his time while his friends are "dead or dying." She is still able to get him to the battle with the Y-Men in time, though, where Ink is able to turn the tide and save his teammates. Revealing herself in order to save the Young X-Men causes several members of the team and X-Men faculty to question who she is and why they had never been aware of her.