Black Alice
Encyclopedia
Black Alice is a DC Comics
character introduced in Birds of Prey
#76 (January 2005). She uses her magical powers to prey on drug dealers in her hometown of Dayton
, Ohio
.
One day, overwhelmed by shame, Mrs. Zechlin commits suicide by overdosing and drowning herself in her pool. Lori discovers the body when she comes home from school. Lori also discovers, later that same night, that she has a mystical
ability: she can "borrow" the magical powers of other superheroes or supervillains. She did not have the same control over the powers as their owners and had little control over when she could take them or how long she could use them. Despite this, Lori (taking the name Black Alice) formulates a plan to avenge her mother's death and punish the prescription drug traffickers.
Lori's father, shattered and slipping into depression, becomes a recluse, although he tries to pretend for Lori's sake that nothing is wrong. Her mother's death also distresses Lori, but she is aware of the change in her father and assigns herself the role of caregiver. Her grades begin to slip, and she becomes alienated from her peers. Her primary social group, a Wicca
n circle, expels her, claiming she is emitting "black energy" after her mother's death (in actuality, the circle's leader, Lori's best friend Dawn, is jealous of Lori's real and growing powers).
Having recently left Gotham City
following the destruction of their clock tower headquarters, the superhero team the Birds of Prey are traveling the country by jet in order to identify and help previously unknown metahumans. Oracle
becomes aware of Lori's power, but not her specific abilities. She sends Huntress
, disguised as a school teacher, to keep an eye on Lori and offer counseling, while Black Canary
is tasked with keeping surveillance on all of Lori's activities, to determine the specific nature and strength of her powers.
While Black Canary watches, Lori abruptly leaves her boyfriend, Kyle, when Doctor Fate
's powers manifest, and seeks out a trio of suspected drug dealers. When Lori seems intent to use lethal force, Black Canary intervenes to save the lives of the three men. Doctor Fate's power fades, and Lori flees the scene, tailed by Black Canary. Suddenly manifesting Zatanna
's powers, Lori binds and gags Canary and escapes.
Black Canary and Huntress unite to tail Kyle in the hopes of rediscovering Lori, and instead find that Kyle is two-timing Lori with Dawn. Lori discovers the same thing shortly afterwards and prepares to destroy a shopping mall (having now manifested the powers of Black Adam
) in her efforts to avenge herself on Kyle. Black Canary is able to bring her down in an all-out brawl, but the Huntress brings a stop to Lori's rampage by presenting a contrite Dawn.
Oracle turns Lori over to the care of the real Doctor Fate, where she would receive guidance in the use of her powers.
miniseries. The Shadowpact
asks for her aid in confronting the Spectre
and Eclipso
. Over her father’s objections and reservations, she goes with the team. Despite her power and efforts, she, along with the Shadowpact and the Phantom Stranger
, does little more than delay the Spectre. Alice does manage to temporarily take the Spectre's powers. Since he is host-less, all this does is make the Spectre an intangible phantom, immune to harm. After witnessing both the death of the wizard Shazam
and the destruction of the Rock of Eternity at the hands of the Spectre, she sees the destruction this wreaks on Gotham City
and elsewhere. She declines an offer to join the team, choosing instead to return to her father and her hometown.
Later, in the Villains United
: Infinite Crisis
Special, she helps to combat the global prison break that Alexander Luthor, Jr.
orchestrates.
, Felix Faust
, and Cheetah
. They attempt to get her to join the Society
, offering both training and the resurrection of her mother. The Birds of Prey attempt to intervene. A frustrated and enraged Black Alice (who almost hangs Black Canary to death using Wonder Woman's golden lasso) teleports everyone to the outskirts of Dayton and states that she just wishes to be left alone. She returns home with her parents, her mother apparently fully resurrected, but living in a constant-shock state (she barely speaks, mechanically doing house chores).
Lori's life continues downhill, with her father turning alcoholic again due to his wife's condition, and popular boys and girls continuing to bully her at school. She summons the traveling helmet of Doctor Fate
in an attempt to tame its powers. When the helmet starts to punish everyone who wrongs her, even her loved ones, Lori realizes that she does not need more power to attain happiness and sets the helmet free, spending more time to help rehabilitate her father. Her realization, however is short lived, as her difficult life finally takes a toll on her sanity. When Oracle summons her to help the Birds of Prey again, Black Alice apparently forgives the Birds and agrees. However, she soon snaps when Oracle reveals that her mood swings are a side effects of the antidepressant
s she has been taking to restrain herself, and that Lori has mirrored her mother's own addiction.
Her addiction to antidepressants saves her when she is kidnapped by Darkseid
's henchmen and taken to the "Dark Side Club." Dosed with will-suppressing drugs and pitted against other teenaged metahumans, she discovers that her own drugs interfere with Darkseid's. Finding Misfit
similarly trapped, but almost completely brainwashed and vulnerable, she briefly contemplates the idea of stealing her teleport abilities to flee alone. After discovering in Darkseid's files that she may be a blood relative of Misfit, she has a change of heart, and helps the girl escape. She leaves behind a letter, explaining her discoveries, but claiming that her feud with the young teleporter is not over.
A few weeks later, with a new scholastic year beginning, Lori brings her rivalry to a new level. Transferring to Platinum Heights High School, she learns that Misfit is also a student, forced to attend by Oracle. While Misfit has a difficult time adapting, Lori's exotic lifestyle, perceived as rebellious and independent, gains the instant acceptance and adoration of the school's Silicon Valley
geek chic elite.
Various comics, including Birds of Prey and Day of Vengeance
, say Black Alice is potentially the most powerful (and dangerous) teenager on the planet.
as both "a novice" and "the Black Alice abomination." While in Hell
, she seemingly teams up with Danny Khalifa, the latest incarnation of Ibis the Invincible
, only to immediately betray him, thus apparently revealing herself to be loyal to Neron
in the war for control of Hell. In actuality, she is there to find the one who stole a portion of her powers, retrieve the missing fragment, and bring some heavy vengeance down on whomever did it.(Previous issues suggest that the one who stole her power is either Lilith or Neron himself.) She incurs the wrath of Lobo when she steals part of his strength to reach Hell's ruler. After Lori's unsuccessful attempt at stealing Satanus
' power allows Blaze
to gain sole control of Hell, she is returned to Earth, emotionally scarred by whatever she saw within the mind of Satanus. Blaze comments that power is knowledge, and the power Alice tried to siphon from Satanus was not the kind she could ever hope to understand. Lori is left suffering from the experience.
and Catman
who had been hired to capture a child molester and bring him to the father of one of his victims. Alice confronts both Catman and Deadshot asking how much they pay. Following that she fights several police men, as a trial of sorts, easily besting by stealing the powers of various magic users. She is accepted once she reveals that her dad is sick and that she needs money. Catman however is troubled by the fact that Alice is not disturbed at the stuff they did and how easily she tends to violence.
On Alice's first official mission (taking place during the apocalyptic events of Blackest Night), the team is hired to free a drug kingpin from Belle Reve
. Despite being enraged at the idea of helping a drug dealer, Alice participates in the attack on the prison, using the powers of Giganta
to distract the guards while her teammates sneak in. It is revealed that the entire mission was a setup staged by the Suicide Squad in order to arrest the Six. Alice steals the powers of Suicide Squad member Nightshade
and defeats both her and Count Vertigo
. Just as Alice begins to revel in her victory, a group of Black Lanterns attack her and the other Sixers. Her fear of them inhibits her control over her stolen powers until Bane's threat forces her to teleport the Six, Rick Flag, and Bronze Tiger to the House of Secrets. Unfortunately, she brings the Black Lanterns with them and she refuses to return the power to Nightshade so she can teleport Amanda Waller
to a place where she can find help. So Waller knocks her out, and Nightshade takes her away only to return shortly with a Manhunter
android containing the Green Lantern
energy they need to destroy the Black Lanterns. Alice remains with the Six while the Squad leaves.
Some time later, Alice goes with Deadshot, Scandal, and Ragdoll
to try and help Catman retrieve his kidnapped, and possibly murdered, infant son. However, all the four find are a trail of corpses Catman has left behind, the sight of which brings Alice to tears. Using Dr. Occult's abilities to locate and transport the four to South Africa
, Alice suddenly reacts very hostilely towards Scandal. She mistakenly believes that Scandal is after Ragdoll, whom she calls her "boyfriend" (while Ragdoll does not exactly feel the same way, he does care for Alice), despite the fact that Scandal is a lesbian. Alice summons Etrigan's abilities, turning into Estrogan, and fighting Scandal. She then gives up, turning back to normal and tearfully apologizes. Alice explains that she had attempted to cure her father's asthma using Raven's healing abilities, but unsure of how to properly use them, believes she gave him cancer by mistake.
In May 2010, Alice began co-starring in a back-up feature in Teen Titans alongside Zachary Zatara
and Traci 13. Following this, Black Alice appears alongside fellow teen heroines Batgirl, Supergirl
, Miss Martian
, Lightning
, Cyclone
, Stargirl, Ravager
, Misfit
and Terra as part of an all-female group of heroines gathered together to fight off Professor Ivo
's army of robot sirens.
's abilities during the prison breakouts while he was in space.
When she steals a being's power, her clothing partially transforms to somewhat resemble that of her target. In Birds of Prey #118, she apparently steals some of Etrigan the Demon's magic, including the compulsion to speak in rhyme. She has even shown the ability to steal the powers of two beings simultaneously. In the Helmet of Fate miniseries, she takes the powers of two heroes of her choice while in school and exudes magical abilities of her own, possibly indicating a growing level of control over her powers. During the Reign in Hell storyline, she loses much of this power, and at the end, is left a shrivelled, addled wreck of the sorceress she used to be, traumatized by her experience in Hell, though later stories do not show her significantly reduced.
She has taken the powers of the following:
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
character introduced in Birds of Prey
Birds of Prey (comic book)
Birds of Prey is a comic book series published by DC Comics that features the adventures of the heroine Oracle and her group of superheroines. The group is initially based in Gotham City and later operates in Metropolis and then relocates once more to "Platinum Flats", California, a new locale...
#76 (January 2005). She uses her magical powers to prey on drug dealers in her hometown of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Origin
Lori Zechlin is a teenager who lives with her father John and drug addicted mother. Neither Lori nor her father suspects Mrs. Zechlin's addiction because she abuses stolen prescription pharmaceuticals supplied by local drug dealers.One day, overwhelmed by shame, Mrs. Zechlin commits suicide by overdosing and drowning herself in her pool. Lori discovers the body when she comes home from school. Lori also discovers, later that same night, that she has a mystical
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
ability: she can "borrow" the magical powers of other superheroes or supervillains. She did not have the same control over the powers as their owners and had little control over when she could take them or how long she could use them. Despite this, Lori (taking the name Black Alice) formulates a plan to avenge her mother's death and punish the prescription drug traffickers.
Lori's father, shattered and slipping into depression, becomes a recluse, although he tries to pretend for Lori's sake that nothing is wrong. Her mother's death also distresses Lori, but she is aware of the change in her father and assigns herself the role of caregiver. Her grades begin to slip, and she becomes alienated from her peers. Her primary social group, a Wicca
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
n circle, expels her, claiming she is emitting "black energy" after her mother's death (in actuality, the circle's leader, Lori's best friend Dawn, is jealous of Lori's real and growing powers).
Having recently left Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
following the destruction of their clock tower headquarters, the superhero team the Birds of Prey are traveling the country by jet in order to identify and help previously unknown metahumans. Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
becomes aware of Lori's power, but not her specific abilities. She sends Huntress
Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)
Huntress is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Based upon the Earth-Two character Helena Wayne, she is one of several DC characters to bear the Huntress name...
, disguised as a school teacher, to keep an eye on Lori and offer counseling, while Black Canary
Black Canary
Black Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
is tasked with keeping surveillance on all of Lori's activities, to determine the specific nature and strength of her powers.
While Black Canary watches, Lori abruptly leaves her boyfriend, Kyle, when Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
's powers manifest, and seeks out a trio of suspected drug dealers. When Lori seems intent to use lethal force, Black Canary intervenes to save the lives of the three men. Doctor Fate's power fades, and Lori flees the scene, tailed by Black Canary. Suddenly manifesting Zatanna
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
's powers, Lori binds and gags Canary and escapes.
Black Canary and Huntress unite to tail Kyle in the hopes of rediscovering Lori, and instead find that Kyle is two-timing Lori with Dawn. Lori discovers the same thing shortly afterwards and prepares to destroy a shopping mall (having now manifested the powers of Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
) in her efforts to avenge herself on Kyle. Black Canary is able to bring her down in an all-out brawl, but the Huntress brings a stop to Lori's rampage by presenting a contrite Dawn.
Oracle turns Lori over to the care of the real Doctor Fate, where she would receive guidance in the use of her powers.
Day of Vengeance
Black Alice makes her second appearance in the Day of VengeanceDay of Vengeance
Day of Vengeance is a six-issue comic book limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, published in 2005 by DC Comics.-Publication history:...
miniseries. The Shadowpact
Shadowpact
The Shadowpact is a group of magic-based heroes who fought against the Spectre in the 2005 limited series Day of Vengeance, published by DC Comics. They are a sort of Justice League for the supernatural elements of the DC Universe...
asks for her aid in confronting the Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
and Eclipso
Eclipso
Eclipso is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre...
. Over her father’s objections and reservations, she goes with the team. Despite her power and efforts, she, along with the Shadowpact and the Phantom Stranger
Phantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a fictional character of unspecified paranormal origins who battles mysterious and occult forces in various titles published by DC Comics, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint.-Publication history:...
, does little more than delay the Spectre. Alice does manage to temporarily take the Spectre's powers. Since he is host-less, all this does is make the Spectre an intangible phantom, immune to harm. After witnessing both the death of the wizard Shazam
Shazam (comics)
Shazam is a comic book character created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. He is an ancient sorcerer who gives young Billy Batson the power to transform into the superhero Captain Marvel...
and the destruction of the Rock of Eternity at the hands of the Spectre, she sees the destruction this wreaks on Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
and elsewhere. She declines an offer to join the team, choosing instead to return to her father and her hometown.
Later, in the Villains United
Villains United
Villains United is a six-issue comic book limited series, written by Gail Simone with art by Dale Eaglesham and Wade Von Grawbadger, published by DC Comics in 2005...
: Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
Special, she helps to combat the global prison break that Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor Jr. is a DC Comics character who turned from a hero to a villain. Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Alexander has a prominent role in the DC Universe storylines Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis....
orchestrates.
The Society
Lori is approached by Talia al GhulTalia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, the now-estranged daughter of the supervillain Ra's al Ghul, a love interest of Batman, and the mother of his son Damian Wayne, the fifth Robin...
, Felix Faust
Felix Faust
Felix Faust is a fictional character and supervillain who appears in stories published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in 1962 as an adversary of the Justice League of America...
, and Cheetah
Cheetah (comics)
The Cheetah is a fictional character, a super-villainess appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Popularly regarded as the archenemy of Wonder Woman, the Cheetah first appeared in 1943 in Wonder Woman #6 , written by Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston...
. They attempt to get her to join the Society
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
, offering both training and the resurrection of her mother. The Birds of Prey attempt to intervene. A frustrated and enraged Black Alice (who almost hangs Black Canary to death using Wonder Woman's golden lasso) teleports everyone to the outskirts of Dayton and states that she just wishes to be left alone. She returns home with her parents, her mother apparently fully resurrected, but living in a constant-shock state (she barely speaks, mechanically doing house chores).
Lori's life continues downhill, with her father turning alcoholic again due to his wife's condition, and popular boys and girls continuing to bully her at school. She summons the traveling helmet of Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
in an attempt to tame its powers. When the helmet starts to punish everyone who wrongs her, even her loved ones, Lori realizes that she does not need more power to attain happiness and sets the helmet free, spending more time to help rehabilitate her father. Her realization, however is short lived, as her difficult life finally takes a toll on her sanity. When Oracle summons her to help the Birds of Prey again, Black Alice apparently forgives the Birds and agrees. However, she soon snaps when Oracle reveals that her mood swings are a side effects of the antidepressant
Antidepressant
An antidepressant is a psychiatric medication used to alleviate mood disorders, such as major depression and dysthymia and anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder. According to Gelder, Mayou &*Geddes people with a depressive illness will experience a therapeutic effect to their mood;...
s she has been taking to restrain herself, and that Lori has mirrored her mother's own addiction.
Her addiction to antidepressants saves her when she is kidnapped by Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
's henchmen and taken to the "Dark Side Club." Dosed with will-suppressing drugs and pitted against other teenaged metahumans, she discovers that her own drugs interfere with Darkseid's. Finding Misfit
Misfit (DC Comics)
Misfit is a fictional character in the . She first appeared in Birds of Prey #96 as a wannabe Batgirl, before taking on her own identity as Misfit.-The new Batgirl:...
similarly trapped, but almost completely brainwashed and vulnerable, she briefly contemplates the idea of stealing her teleport abilities to flee alone. After discovering in Darkseid's files that she may be a blood relative of Misfit, she has a change of heart, and helps the girl escape. She leaves behind a letter, explaining her discoveries, but claiming that her feud with the young teleporter is not over.
A few weeks later, with a new scholastic year beginning, Lori brings her rivalry to a new level. Transferring to Platinum Heights High School, she learns that Misfit is also a student, forced to attend by Oracle. While Misfit has a difficult time adapting, Lori's exotic lifestyle, perceived as rebellious and independent, gains the instant acceptance and adoration of the school's Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
geek chic elite.
Various comics, including Birds of Prey and Day of Vengeance
Day of Vengeance
Day of Vengeance is a six-issue comic book limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, published in 2005 by DC Comics.-Publication history:...
, say Black Alice is potentially the most powerful (and dangerous) teenager on the planet.
Reign in Hell
In the recent Reign In Hell storyline, Black Alice was referred to by Phantom StrangerPhantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a fictional character of unspecified paranormal origins who battles mysterious and occult forces in various titles published by DC Comics, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint.-Publication history:...
as both "a novice" and "the Black Alice abomination." While in Hell
Hell (DC Comics)
Hell is a fictional location, an infernal underworld utilized in titles published by DC Comics. It is the locational antithesis of the Silver City. The DC Comics location known as Hell is based heavily on its depiction in Judeo-Christian mythology...
, she seemingly teams up with Danny Khalifa, the latest incarnation of Ibis the Invincible
Ibis the Invincible
Ibis the Invincible is a fictional character, a comic book superhero originally published by Fawcett Comics in the 1940s and then by DC Comics beginning in the 1970s. Like many magician superheroes introduced in the Golden Age of Comics, Ibis owes much to the popular comic strip character Mandrake...
, only to immediately betray him, thus apparently revealing herself to be loyal to Neron
Neron
Neron is a fictional demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in the DC Comics cross-over event Underworld Unleashed #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Howard Porter.- Publication history :...
in the war for control of Hell. In actuality, she is there to find the one who stole a portion of her powers, retrieve the missing fragment, and bring some heavy vengeance down on whomever did it.(Previous issues suggest that the one who stole her power is either Lilith or Neron himself.) She incurs the wrath of Lobo when she steals part of his strength to reach Hell's ruler. After Lori's unsuccessful attempt at stealing Satanus
Blaze and Satanus
Blaze and Satanus are fictional demonic siblings published by DC Comics. Blaze debuted in Action Comics #655 ; she was created by Roger Stern and Bob McLeod...
' power allows Blaze
Blaze and Satanus
Blaze and Satanus are fictional demonic siblings published by DC Comics. Blaze debuted in Action Comics #655 ; she was created by Roger Stern and Bob McLeod...
to gain sole control of Hell, she is returned to Earth, emotionally scarred by whatever she saw within the mind of Satanus. Blaze comments that power is knowledge, and the power Alice tried to siphon from Satanus was not the kind she could ever hope to understand. Lori is left suffering from the experience.
Secret Six and Blackest Night
Black Alice resurfaces again by following DeadshotDeadshot
Deadshot is a fictional character, a supervillain/assassin in the DC Universe and an enemy of Batman. He first appears in Batman #59 and was created by Bob Kane, David Vern Reed and Lew Schwartz....
and Catman
Catman (comics)
Catman is a modern version of a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics, initially a supervillain and foe of Batman, although in recent years has developed into a more capable and antiheroic figure. He first appeared in Detective Comics #311...
who had been hired to capture a child molester and bring him to the father of one of his victims. Alice confronts both Catman and Deadshot asking how much they pay. Following that she fights several police men, as a trial of sorts, easily besting by stealing the powers of various magic users. She is accepted once she reveals that her dad is sick and that she needs money. Catman however is troubled by the fact that Alice is not disturbed at the stuff they did and how easily she tends to violence.
On Alice's first official mission (taking place during the apocalyptic events of Blackest Night), the team is hired to free a drug kingpin from Belle Reve
Belle Reve
Belle Reve Penitentiary is a fictional prison and sanitorium in the DC Universe, first appearing in Suicide Squad #1 by John Ostrander and Luke McDonnell.-Fictional background:...
. Despite being enraged at the idea of helping a drug dealer, Alice participates in the attack on the prison, using the powers of Giganta
Giganta
Giganta is a fictional character, a red-haired super-villainess appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. A longtime enemy of Wonder Woman and an occasional foil for The Atom, Giganta possesses the superhuman ability to increase her physical size and mass, effectively transforming into...
to distract the guards while her teammates sneak in. It is revealed that the entire mission was a setup staged by the Suicide Squad in order to arrest the Six. Alice steals the powers of Suicide Squad member Nightshade
Nightshade (comics)
Nightshade is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. Created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Captain Atom v2 #82 originally published by Charlton Comics.-Charlton Comics:...
and defeats both her and Count Vertigo
Count Vertigo
Count Werner Vertigo is a DC Comics supervillain. First appearing in World's Finest Comics #251 , Count Vertigo is the last descendant of the royal family that ruled the small eastern European country of Vlatava that was taken over by the Soviets and later became devastated by the Spectre.-Starting...
. Just as Alice begins to revel in her victory, a group of Black Lanterns attack her and the other Sixers. Her fear of them inhibits her control over her stolen powers until Bane's threat forces her to teleport the Six, Rick Flag, and Bronze Tiger to the House of Secrets. Unfortunately, she brings the Black Lanterns with them and she refuses to return the power to Nightshade so she can teleport Amanda Waller
Amanda Waller
Dr. Amanda Blake Waller is a character published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Legends #1 in 1986, and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne...
to a place where she can find help. So Waller knocks her out, and Nightshade takes her away only to return shortly with a Manhunter
Manhunter (comics)
-Golden Age:The first of DC's Manhunters was a non-costumed independent investigator, Paul Kirk, who helped police solve crimes during the early 1940s. Though the series was titled "Paul Kirk, Manhunter", Kirk didn't use the Manhunter name as an alias...
android containing the Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
energy they need to destroy the Black Lanterns. Alice remains with the Six while the Squad leaves.
Some time later, Alice goes with Deadshot, Scandal, and Ragdoll
Rag Doll (Peter Merkel, Jr.)
Rag Doll is a fictional character, a supervillain and anti-hero in the DC Comics Universe. He first appeared in Villains United #1 , and was created by Gail Simone and Dale Eaglesham...
to try and help Catman retrieve his kidnapped, and possibly murdered, infant son. However, all the four find are a trail of corpses Catman has left behind, the sight of which brings Alice to tears. Using Dr. Occult's abilities to locate and transport the four to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Alice suddenly reacts very hostilely towards Scandal. She mistakenly believes that Scandal is after Ragdoll, whom she calls her "boyfriend" (while Ragdoll does not exactly feel the same way, he does care for Alice), despite the fact that Scandal is a lesbian. Alice summons Etrigan's abilities, turning into Estrogan, and fighting Scandal. She then gives up, turning back to normal and tearfully apologizes. Alice explains that she had attempted to cure her father's asthma using Raven's healing abilities, but unsure of how to properly use them, believes she gave him cancer by mistake.
In May 2010, Alice began co-starring in a back-up feature in Teen Titans alongside Zachary Zatara
Zachary Zatara
Zachary Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Zachary is a descendant of the Homo Magi just like his cousin Zatanna and uncle John Zatara. He first appeared in Teen Titans Zachary Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Zachary is a descendant of the Homo Magi just like...
and Traci 13. Following this, Black Alice appears alongside fellow teen heroines Batgirl, Supergirl
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created...
, Miss Martian
Miss Martian
Miss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
, Lightning
Lightning (DC Comics)
Lightning is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. A member of the Justice Society of America, she is the youngest daughter of Black Lightning and sister of the heroine Thunder. The current version of Lightning debuted in Justice Society of America vol...
, Cyclone
Cyclone (DC Comics)
Cyclone is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. She is the granddaughter of the original Red Tornado and a member of the Justice Society of America...
, Stargirl, Ravager
Rose Wilson
Rose Wilson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She is a member of the Teen Titans and the illegitimate daughter of Deathstroke the Terminator.-Fictional character biography:...
, Misfit
Misfit (DC Comics)
Misfit is a fictional character in the . She first appeared in Birds of Prey #96 as a wannabe Batgirl, before taking on her own identity as Misfit.-The new Batgirl:...
and Terra as part of an all-female group of heroines gathered together to fight off Professor Ivo
Professor Ivo
Professor Anthony Ivo is a fictional character, a mad scientist in the DC universe and is the creator of the androids Amazo, Kid Amazo, Tomorrow Woman and Composite Superman in his retconned origin.-Fictional character biography:...
's army of robot sirens.
Powers and abilities
Black Alice has the ability to temporarily usurp the magical powers of any being, even ones as powerful as the Spectre, gaining all its skills and power and leaving it powerless in turn. The limit to the distance at which she can steal power of a target being is unknown, but potentially limitless as she borrows Alan ScottAlan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
's abilities during the prison breakouts while he was in space.
When she steals a being's power, her clothing partially transforms to somewhat resemble that of her target. In Birds of Prey #118, she apparently steals some of Etrigan the Demon's magic, including the compulsion to speak in rhyme. She has even shown the ability to steal the powers of two beings simultaneously. In the Helmet of Fate miniseries, she takes the powers of two heroes of her choice while in school and exudes magical abilities of her own, possibly indicating a growing level of control over her powers. During the Reign in Hell storyline, she loses much of this power, and at the end, is left a shrivelled, addled wreck of the sorceress she used to be, traumatized by her experience in Hell, though later stories do not show her significantly reduced.
She has taken the powers of the following:
- Doctor FateDoctor FateDoctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
- ZatannaZatannaZatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
- A member of the Marvel FamilyMarvel FamilyThe Marvel Family is a group of fictional characters, a team of superheroes in the Fawcett Comics and DC Comics universes. Created in 1942 by writer Otto Binder and Fawcett artists C. C...
- SpectreSpectre (comics)The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
- Wonder GirlWonder GirlWonder Girl is the name of three fictional characters featured as superheroes in comic books and other media produced by DC Comics. The original was a younger version of Wonder Woman...
or Wonder WomanWonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986.... - Felix FaustFelix FaustFelix Faust is a fictional character and supervillain who appears in stories published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in 1962 as an adversary of the Justice League of America...
- MisfitMisfit (DC Comics)Misfit is a fictional character in the . She first appeared in Birds of Prey #96 as a wannabe Batgirl, before taking on her own identity as Misfit.-The new Batgirl:...
- Raven
- GigantaGigantaGiganta is a fictional character, a red-haired super-villainess appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. A longtime enemy of Wonder Woman and an occasional foil for The Atom, Giganta possesses the superhuman ability to increase her physical size and mass, effectively transforming into...
- Alan ScottAlan ScottAlan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
- Etrigan the Demon
- Phantom StrangerPhantom StrangerThe Phantom Stranger is a fictional character of unspecified paranormal origins who battles mysterious and occult forces in various titles published by DC Comics, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint.-Publication history:...
- Blue DevilBlue DevilBlue Devil is a superhero featured in material published by DC Comics. He first appeared in a special insert published in Fury of Firestorm #24 . That story led directly into Blue Devil #1, also cover dated June 1984...
- Johnny Thunderbolt
- JeannetteJeannette (comics)Jeannette is a fictional character in the . She first appeared in Secret Six #3 , and was created by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott.-Publication history:...
- NightshadeNightshade (comics)Nightshade is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. Created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Captain Atom v2 #82 originally published by Charlton Comics.-Charlton Comics:...