Contributed by Michael McDermott
Phyla-Vell is the genetically-constructed daughter of the original Captain Mar-Vell, and the younger sister of the current Captain Marvel, Genis.
She suddenly appeared in our timeline as a result of the universe being destroyed and rebooted. Genis was manipulated by the cosmic entities Entropy and Epiphany, into destroying and recreating the universe. However, when he did so, he disrupted the timelines causing discontinuity in the universe as fragments of both timelines overlapped each other.
In the other timeline, Genis’ mother Elysius used the same process that created Genis to create a daughter–Phyla. This timeline now got integrated into our own, bringing Phyla into our universe.
Another consequence of Entropy and Epiphany’s manipulations were that Genis was driven insane by his cosmic awareness. For months, Genis became a growing threat to the universe at large. Finally his family stepped in to intervene and restore Genis’ sanity. Elysius named Phyla the new Captain Marvel, and sent her to confront Genis.
This was, technically, the first meeting between Phyla and Genis, although upon seeing her Genis immediately began to experience memories of growing up with Phyla in the other timeline. The two of them battled, and finally Phyla, along with Elysius and Starfox, managed to overwhelm Genis and snap him out of his delusions.
Even though Genis was now sane, Phyla still thought he should cede the title of “Captain Marvel” to her so that she could redeem the family title. However, Genis kept the title and intended to redeem it and himself for all his actions while insane. Phyla decided to tag along and assist.
Their first mission came when they discovered a threat to Marlo Chandler, the wife of Genis’ partner, Rick Jones. They were attacked by Marlo’s super-powered, animated corpse from the future, who then disintegrated. While Genis and Rick travelled into the future to find out what happened to Marlo and find a way to prevent it, Phyla was sent to Earth to bodyguard Marlo.
When she got there, she met Marlo and the inactive Avenger Moondragon, who was living with Marlo at the time. Phyla was immediately attracted to Moondragon, but Moondragon was still involved with Marlo at that time. The Magus, a powerful villainous sorceror, attacked Marlo at the apartment. Phyla managed to fight off the attack, but then evacuated Marlo to Titan where she had more resources to defend her, while Moondragon remained at the apartment to confront the Magus.
After the crisis with the Magus had been resolved, and Genis and Rick returned to the present, Marlo left Moondragon to return to her husband. Now that Moondragon was available, Phyla told her how attractive she found her, and invited her to join her to the Spiral Nebula by Renault VII. Moondragon was pleasantly surprised, and agreed to join her. Before they could leave, they came across a spatial portal to an unknown destination. They decided to investigate it together.
Phyla possesses superhuman strength, and the ability to fly, both through air and space. She is armed with nega-bands, similar to those of the previous Captain Marvels, which seem to give her the same photonic energy manipulating abilities they have, to project and absorb energy, and create shields with it. At one point, Phyla was described as an “energy sponge”, who is powered by energy directed at her. However, that description can’t be entirely accurate, since on one occassion Phyla projected an energy beam without anyone having hit her first.
Phyla was introduced in Captain Marvel #16 (vol 4) and confirmed as a lesbian in #25. She is now affiliated with the Guardians of the Galaxy and is based on Knowhere though previously she was located at both the moons of Titan and Hyperion. Originally known as Captain Marvel (the fourth Marvel character to use this name), she inherited the name Quasar. Recent events have led her to go by Martyr, a hopefully temporary name.
Please read the current entry for Phyla-Vell and the Moondragon profile.
© and ® Marvel Comics. Used without permission.
Molly von Richthofen is a New York police officer who makes lieutenant at an early age by “hard work [and] being better than most of the people around [her]“; however, she becomes the department’s “biggest embarrassment” when she rejects the police commissioner’s sexual advances at a press conference, unaware that she was in range of a microphone. In retribution, the commissioner assigns her as “a task force of one” to take down the powerful Gnucci crime family, which has influence within city government and the police department but is also the target of the killer vigilante known as the Punisher. One of the few members of the force genuinely interested in ending the Punisher’s killing sprees, Molly teams up with Detective Martin Soap, the luckless officer in charge of an equally perfunctory anti-Punisher “task force” (the only other member of which committed suicide due to a perceived “rejection” from Soap), hoping to take down both of their enemies at once. Soap’s crush on Molly is shot down when she reveals she is a lesbian, but the two nevertheless remain friends.
Contributed by Mike McDermott
That was Yoshi’s final appearance in the series, since it was cancelled two issues later. It was never established exactly who Yoshi’s boyfriend was, but there were a few hints, most notably in issue #12 that Yoshi was romantically attracted to Matt. Matt’s sexuality was never established at any point during the series, so it is possible that he and Yoshi were lovers, but there is nothing to confirm that. Also, the gatefold covers that contained plot summaries and character bios said that Yoshi was Matt’s roommate at the Academy. This was never actually confirmed on panel.
Todd Rice is the son of Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, and Rose Forest, the original Thorn. Forest married Scott under an assumed name, but left him, in fear that her criminal Thorn personality would take control of her and kill him. She bore twin children, but abandoned them, fearing her Thorn persona might kill them as well. The twins, who became known as Todd Rice and Jennie-Lynn Hayden, were each raised by a different set of foster parents in the Milwaukee area. When they reached their late teens, each twin developed super powers, including a limited telepathic link. Using this link, Jennie-Lynn managed to find her brother, and the two spent the next few weeks training together in the use of their powers. Due to Jennie-Lynn’s power-pulse abilities, the twins suspected that their biological father might be the original Green Lantern. Creating costumes for themselves, they took the identities Jade and Obsidian, and confronted him at a Justice Society meeting. This meeting happened to be the same one that several other offspring and proteges of the JSA had decided to crash, in order to gain admittance. Jade and Obsidian attempted to join as well, but all the young heroes were turned away due to their lack of experience.
Courtesy of writer Marc Andreyko, Todd Rice appears briefly in Manhunter #18. Todd arrives at District Attorney Kate Spencer’s office asking to speak with Damon Matthews. In a few panels we learn that Todd is working as a counselor at a youth center, and that Todd and Damon are dating. The scene ends with the pair kissing. Gone were the days of his confusion and angst.
Introductions of a sort are in order in issue #2. Late at night the Question enters Renée’s apartment. Her reactions are still quick, and she shoots at the Question, waking the unnamed woman in her bed. He may have disappeared but he left a note behind with “520 Kane St.” and a big question mark written on it. Her curiosity is piqued and she investigates the building the next night. The Question appears and offers to hire her services without giving any details before doing another disappearing act on her.