Monday, 25 May 2009

Who Was That Masked Woman?

I've been re-reading JSA over the last couple of days, cataloging the series for the lovely people over at Collectorz.com and have come across something that doesn't really sit right with me: the identity of the Crimson Avenger.

One of the things I like about the Collectorz comic database is that it allows you to record which characters appear in particular issues and, as I was updating JSA #33 onwards, I came across the fantastically designed Crimson Avenger. Now in both the Collectorz database and elsewhere, this version of the Avenger is listed with a secret identity/alter ego of one Jill Carlyle.

Trouble is, I can't find anywhere - in a comic I mean - that definitively states that's her name.

The issues of JSA would be the most obvious place to start, of course, but throughout the Stealing Thunder storyline and #52 and #53 where she takes Wildcat to task, no mention is made of her real name.  She simply appears, does what she needs to do, and vanishes in a haze of red mist.

The Wikipedia entry also lists her as Carlyle although it does go so far as to include the line "She... might be called Jill Carlyle." (that's my emphasis there) as well as the data panel entry which lists her alter ego as "Unknown."

The Comic Book Database lists her as Carlyle with no mention of where that name comes from but the DC Comics Encyclopedia lists her alter ego as unknown as well:
That scan's from the updated and expanded version, by the way.

So where has Jill Carlyle come from?  The closest I can come to is this page from JSA #53:
Click on it to make it readable. In that page, the Avenger relives the murder of Jill Kyle before heading off, presumably, to track down Kyle's killer because that's what she does. That's not her grave, just that off the latest victim she has to avenge.

If anyone knows where the name of Jill Carlyle came from, please post a comment and let me know.

1 comment:

  1. Apparantly a card from the 2007 Legion of Super-Heroes set of VS System games (DLS-195) gives the Crimson Avenger's name as Jill Carlyle.

    http://www.coolstuffinc.com/main_searchResults.php?form_search_number=25&search_text=Crimson%20Avenger%20-%20Jill%20Carlyle

    I was wondering if and when you had time, give me some info on the characters in the updated/explanded version.

    Character name
    Real Name
    1st App
    Group Affiliation..if given
    and teams (if given)

    Thanks
    Jim

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for wanting to leave a comment, but this blog is no longer maintained. Feel free to visit my new site/blog over at

crisisonearthprime.com

Look forward to seeing you there. :)

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