Element Girl: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 14:42, 30 December 2024

Template:Infobox comics character Element Girl is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Metamorpho #10 (February 1967), written by Bob Haney and drawn by Sal Trapani.^[1] Element Girl's death was featured in Neil Gaiman's Sandman series in issue #20, "Façade".^[2] A similar character named Element Woman appeared during the events of Flashpoint and later appearing in The New 52 as part of the Justice League. Both characters are similar in design to Metamorpho and have the same powers.

Fictional character biography

Element Girl

Urania "Rainie" Blackwell is initially a spy for the United States government. While infiltrating the crime syndicate Cyclops, Blackwell replicates the incident that gave Metamorpho his powers and becomes an entity similar to him dubbed Element Girl.^[2]

Element Girl works with Metamorpho to destroy Cyclops, but is unable to return to her normal life. Her powers render her unable to die normally, so she contacts Ra and has him remove them so that she can die.^[2]^[3]

Element Girl appears in the non-canon Wednesday Comics, written by Neil Gaiman.^[4] She returns in the 2024 series Metamorpho: The Element Man, part of the DC All In initiative.^[5]

Element Woman

Template:Infobox comics character Emily Sung, the Element Woman, first appears during the "Throne of Atlantis" crossover as one of Cyborg's new recruits for the Justice League.^[6]^[7]

After the events of Forever Evil, Element Woman joins the Doom Patrol.^[8]

Powers and abilities

Like Metamorpho's original powers, Element Girl (and Element Woman) could transform her body into any of the elements naturally found in the human body and shape them at her will. She can change her hair color using metals, and she can create silicate faces that fall off after a while. She uses the faces for ashtrays. She said she once tried to transmute her body into flesh, but this experience ended badly and she vowed never to try it again.

Other versions

Emily Sung appears in DC Bombshells.
Prior to her debut in the mainstream continuity, an alternate universe variant of Emily Sung / Element Woman appeared in Flashpoint.^[9]^[10]^[11]

References

Template:Reflist

External links

The Sandman Annotations Template:Webarchive

Template:Doom Patrol Template:Justice League characters Template:The Sandman Template:Flashpoint

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↑ Aquaman (vol. 7) #16
↑ Justice League (vol. 2) #18 (May 2013)
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↑ Flashpoint #1 (May 2011)
↑ Flashpoint #4 (August 2011)
↑ Flashpoint #5 (October 2011)

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[6] Aquaman (vol. 7) #16

[7] Justice League (vol. 2) #18 (May 2013)

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[9] Flashpoint #1 (May 2011)

[10] Flashpoint #4 (August 2011)

[11] Flashpoint #5 (October 2011)

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 ==Fictional character biography==
 ===Element Girl===
-'''Urania "Rainie" Blackwell''' began as a spy for the United States government. Her first major assignment was to infiltrate a European crime syndicate called Cyclops and get a firsthand look at the workings of its leader, a man code-named Stingaree. She soon fell in love with him, and agreed to marry him, only to have him spurn her when his mercurial affections turned elsewhere. In turn, Blackwell managed to convince her agency that the romance had been a sham, as part of her role, and asked their help in finding some way to strike back at Stingaree. The agency obliged by offering her the chance to take part in a long-planned experiment.
+'''Urania "Rainie" Blackwell''' is initially a spy for the United States government. While infiltrating the crime syndicate Cyclops, Blackwell replicates the incident that gave Metamorpho his powers and becomes an entity similar to him dubbed Element Girl.<ref name="dc-ency" />
-A few months earlier, an adventurer and soldier of fortune named [[Metamorpho|Rex Mason]] had entered the Egyptian pyramid of Ahk-Ton on a treasure hunt. There he had been exposed to the radiation of a buried meteor, part of the great Orb of Ra, and had been transformed into [[Metamorpho]] the Element Man. Blackwell volunteered to duplicate Mason's encounter, and consequently found herself, once inside the pyramid, molded by the mystical sun god Ra into an elemental with superpowers identical to Mason's.<ref name="dc-ency"/>
+Element Girl works with Metamorpho to destroy Cyclops, but is unable to return to her normal life. Her powers render her unable to die normally, so she contacts [[Ra]] and has him remove them so that she can die.<ref name="dc-ency" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gaiman Interview with Brian Hibbs |url=https://thedreaming.joefulgham.com/2008/08/05/gaiman-interview-with-brian-hibbs/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121235023/http://thedreaming.joefulgham.com/2008/08/05/gaiman-interview-with-brian-hibbs/ |archive-date=November 21, 2014 |access-date=March 13, 2016 |website=The Dreaming}}</ref>
-Blackwell, now calling herself '''Element Girl''', sought out Metamorpho and recruited his help in her mission to destroy Stingaree. Together they destroyed Cyclops, and the two allies found themselves in danger of becoming a romantic pair, much to the dismay of Metamorpho's fiancee, the debutante [[Sapphire Stagg]]. Though it was obvious to Mason that he and Blackwell were kindred spirits, he eventually severed his ties with her to salvage his relationship with Sapphire. This abandonment devastated Blackwell. Overnight, she found herself cast back into the "real world", a place where men and women labored in mundane nine-to-five jobs and where contact with superhumans like her was limited to television newscasts and the occasional fleeting glimpse of an Earthbound demigod. She turned to the agency for help and acceptance, but their activities had become delicate and covert; their missions were such that a "metamorphosized freak" like her would be more of a hindrance than a help.
+Element Girl appears in the non-canon ''[[Wednesday Comics]]'', written by Neil Gaiman.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Callahan |first=Timothy |date=July 12, 2009 |title=Splash Page: Wednesday Comics Week One |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=21979 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160303191723/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=21979 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date= |work=[[Comic Book Resources]] |language=en}}</ref> She returns in the 2024 series ''Metamorpho: The Element Man'', part of the [[DC All In]] initiative.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bird |first=Jared |date=December 2, 2024 |title=Interview: A glimpse into ''Metamorpho'' and ''Absolute Green Lantern'' with Al Ewing |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-a-glimpse-into-metamorpho-and-absolute-green-lantern-with-al-ewing/ |access-date=December 17, 2024 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}</ref>
-Her insecurities caused problems, and in later years when her feelings for Metamorpho went unrequited, she became isolated. Blackwell found herself utterly alone, ostracized by the employers who had helped destroy her humanity and terrified of interacting with more normal-looking men and women. For years she endured a completely insulated existence, living on a disability pension and for the occasional phone call from the agency. Abandoned by her employers and unwilling to face the world, Blackwell attempted suicide many times, but her powers saved her every time.<ref name="dc-ency"/>
-Eventually, [[Death of the Endless|Death]] of [[Endless (comics)|The Endless]] helped Blackwell. Death stated that she could not personally help Blackwell since Blackwell's immortality and powers had originated from the sun god [[Ra]]. Death revealed that Blackwell was one of many "metamorphae" created by Ra to battle the god [[Apep]]: "the serpent that never dies". Death comments on the irony of this, stating that Apep is long dead. Death then tells Blackwell how to ask Ra to remove her "gift" by looking straight into the Sun and asking him. Blackwell finally dies leaving behind a disintegrating husk of a body with an expression of pure joy.<ref name="dc-ency"/>
-Element Girl appeared again as Rex Mason's sidekick in the "Metamorpho" feature of the summer series ''[[Wednesday Comics]]''.<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=21979 Splash Page: Wednesday Comics Week One].</ref> This feature is written by Gaiman with art by [[Mike Allred]] and occurs outside of DC continuity.
 ===Element Woman===
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-|powers= Can transmute her body to any elemental compounds and form it to her will
+|powers= Elemental shapeshifting
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-'''Emily Sung''', the Element Woman, first appears during the "[[Throne of Atlantis]]" crossover as one of [[Cyborg (DC Comics)|Cyborg's]] new recruits for the [[Justice League]]. During a battle with a number of [[Atlantis (DC Comics)|Atlantean]] soldiers loyal to the [[Ocean Master]], Element Woman nonchalantly chats with [[Black Lightning]], expressing joy over being asked to join the League.<ref>''Aquaman'' (vol. 7) #16</ref>
+'''Emily Sung''', the Element Woman, first appears during the "[[Throne of Atlantis]]" crossover as one of [[Cyborg (DC Comics)|Cyborg]]'s new recruits for the [[Justice League]].<ref>''Aquaman'' (vol. 7) #16</ref><ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #18 (May 2013)</ref>
-She is later inducted into the League alongside a new female [[Atom (character)|Atom]] and [[Ronnie Raymond (character)|Firestorm]].<ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #18 (May 2013)</ref> Her relation to Metamorpho is unknown. However, she does reference him by first name.
-After the events of ''Forever Evil'', Element Woman joins the [[Doom Patrol]].<ref name=Guide>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=100}}</ref>
+After the events of ''[[Forever Evil]]'', Element Woman joins the [[Doom Patrol]].<ref name="Guide">{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=100}}</ref>
-====''Flashpoint''====
-Prior to appearing in the mainstream [[DC Universe]], Element Woman made her debut in the alternate ''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]'' universe. She first appears at a meeting of superhumans assembled by [[Cyborg (comics)|Cyborg]] with the intention of stopping an oncoming war between the [[Amazons (DC Comics)|Amazons]] and [[Atlantis (DC Comics)|Atlanteans]]. She offers her help, but is dismissed by [[Shade, the Changing Man]], who uses his M-Vest to reveal to the others that Element Woman is insane.<ref>''Flashpoint'' #1 (May 2011)</ref> She subsequently reappears in [[Metropolis (comics)|Metropolis]], where she rescues Cyborg, [[Thomas Wayne|Batman]] and the [[Flash (Barry Allen)|Flash]] from a group of soldiers working for the mysterious Project [[Superman]]. She then reveals that she has been following Cyborg ever since his initial failed attempt to recruit the heroes to stop the war, and that she wishes to help him.<ref>''Flashpoint'' #4 (August 2011)</ref>
-Emily continues to accompany the new gathering of heroes as they travel to visit the members of [[Marvel Family|SHAZAM]]. Despite her social awkwardness, she offers to help the group and joins the mission to the elevated coast of [[Themyscira (DC Comics)#New Themyscira|New Themyscira]]. After the death of [[Billy Batson]], Emily uses her powers to protect the remaining children alongside Cyborg.<ref>''Flashpoint'' #5 (October 2011)</ref>
 ==Powers and abilities==
@@ Line 63: / Line 50: @@
 ==Other versions==
-Emily Sung appears in ''[[DC Bombshells]]''.
-==Quotes from Neil Gaiman==
+* Emily Sung appears in ''[[DC Bombshells]]''.
-[[Neil Gaiman]], author of the ''[[Sandman (Vertigo)|Sandman]]'' comic book series, discussed the death of Element Girl in an interview with Comix Experience:
+* Prior to her debut in the mainstream continuity, an alternate universe variant of Emily Sung / Element Woman appeared in ''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]''.<ref>''Flashpoint'' #1 (May 2011)</ref><ref>''Flashpoint'' #4 (August 2011)</ref><ref>''Flashpoint'' #5 (October 2011)</ref>
-: '''Neil Gaiman''': ''There's one called "The Death of Element Girl", in which Sandman probably won't even appear. He might appear, I dunno. That has Death, and an old DC character called Element Girl, who nobody remembers any more.''
-: '''Comix Experience''': ''From Metamorpho''.
-: '''Neil Gaiman''': ''Yeah. The Lady Metamorpho. So famous she never even made it into Who's Who. Anyway, she's in there. Terribly sad story.''<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thedreaming.joefulgham.com/2008/08/05/gaiman-interview-with-brian-hibbs/ |title=Comix Experience interview |access-date=2016-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121235023/http://thedreaming.joefulgham.com/2008/08/05/gaiman-interview-with-brian-hibbs/ |archive-date=2014-11-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
-Although she did not have an entry in the original series, Element Girl received an entry in ''[[Who's Who in the DC Universe]]'' #10 (June 1991), stamped "DECEASED" after her appearance in ''Sandman''.
 ==References==
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 {{The Sandman}}
 {{Flashpoint}}
+[[Category:Characters created by Bob Haney]]
+[[Category:Characters created by Geoff Johns]]
+[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1967]]
+[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 2011]]
 [[Category:DC Comics characters with accelerated healing]]
 [[Category:DC Comics female superheroes]]
+[[Category:DC Comics shapeshifters]]
+[[Category:Fictional characters with elemental transmutation abilities]]
 [[Category:Fictional female spies]]
-[[Category:DC Comics shapeshifters]]
 [[Category:Korean superheroes]]
 [[Category:The Sandman (comic book)]]
-[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1967]]
-[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 2011]]
-[[Category:Characters created by Bob Haney]]
-[[Category:Fictional characters with elemental transmutation abilities]]