Caitlin Fairchild
Encyclopedia
Caitlin Fairchild is a fictional comic book
superhero
, who appears in the Wildstorm
series Gen¹³
. She was created by writers Jim Lee
and Brandon Choi
, and artist J. Scott Campbell
.
When he was forced to go underground to escape International Operations
, Alex Fairchild left Caitlin in the care of relatives in Portland, Oregon
. Raised by her aunt and uncle alongside her cousin Karen, Caitlin grew into a brilliant, but rather mousy young woman. Her academic skill led to her being accepted to Princeton University
where she double-majored in computer science
and electrical engineering
.
and Roxy
were hanging out. Caitlin convinced them to go back to their rooms and was about to leave when she spotted her father's name on a computer screen.
Caitlin, investigating this, was interrupted by a security guard who clubbed her with his rifle when she tried to explain herself. The guard was about to turn on Grunge and Roxy, but was interrupted by Caitlin’s anger activating her latent gen-active abilities. Fairchild’s clothing was shredded in the process, but within seconds she was transformed from a mousy computer geek to a powerful, towering amazon.
Borrowing Grunge's shirt, Caitlin, Roxy and Grunge decided to escape Project: Genesis. Along the way, they were joined by Bobby Lane and Sarah Rainmaker. Despite their best efforts the team’s escape from Project: Genesis would have failed if not for the intervention of International Operations director John Lynch.
Deciding that I/O had to be opposed, Lynch turned on the organization and helped the teens flee to San Diego, California
where he set up a luxurious safe house in the La Jolla area. Lynch promised to teach the fledgling superheroes how to make a difference in the world and to help them uncover the mysteries of who their parents were.
Because of her responsible and mature attitude, Caitlin was universally elected field leader of the team. Though uncertain of her abilities, Fairchild accepted the role and her cool thinking got the team out of more than a few tight situations. Some time later, John Lynch disappeared. But Alex Fairchild, who Caitlin was reunited with during the Fire From Heaven
crossover, took up the role of mentor
. It was during this period that the team relocated to the Florida Keys
and Roxy and Caitlin discovered that they were half-sisters.
But the family reunion was short-lived as Alex was killed protecting his daughters and the rest of the team from the villain Tindalos. With her father dead and John Lynch still missing, Caitlin took full leadership of the team.
Though sometimes frustrated by her comrades' personal eccentricities, Caitlin cares deeply for all of them. They are all the family she has now. In return, the rest of Gen¹³
look to Caitlin as both a friend and leader. Also, an accident resulted in a case of amnesia
that made her believe she was Supergirl
for a time, an issue that was quickly resolved.
Gen¹³ and the entire Wildstorm line was rebooted. Caitlin is still living with her adoptive parents when she mysteriously wakes up with a version of her familiar green uniform. Her parents take this as a cue that their apparent mission to raise her is over. Soldiers enter her home, kill her parents and kidnap Caitlin. She meets up with other familiar Gen¹³ characters, Freefall, Burnout, Rainmaker, and Grunge, for apparently the first time.
, the Wildstorm universe is merged with the DC Universe
, with most of the Wildstorm characters now having their histories rewritten. Caitlin is now a supporting character in the new Superboy
series. She appears as a teenaged researcher working for N.O.W.H.E.R.E., a shadowy organization dedicated to capturing teenagers with metahuman abilities. She apparently has a rivalry with Rose Wilson
, a young mercenary hired to act as Superboy's handler after he is kidnapped and experimented upon by N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s scientists. She still retains her super-strength and she also posseses psychic powers.
Alternate versions
Powers and abilities
Caitlin was affected by her gen-factor causing her mass to increase and her muscle density to grow exponentially. (A letter column described her height as 6'5) This gives her incredible strength and durability as well as increased stamina and agility. She has confronted and been able to hold her own against some of the strongest heroes and villains in the Wildstorm universe.
In Gen 13 v3, Caitlin absorbed the shape-shifting powers of another "genie" (that reality's nickname for those with gen-factor powers). She gained the ability to melt into a purple liquid and reform in various shapes, somewhat similar in concept to the T-1000
's abilities in Terminator 2. After expressing these powers, Caitlin's hair and lips turned purple. It is unknown whether she retained these new powers after the events of Gen 13 v3 #16.
In the current relaunch by author Gail Simone
, Caitlin Fairchild's origins are slightly different. The activation of her gen-factor (and subsequent physical appearance) were all the result of bold-faced manipulation since birth by Tabula Rasa, an offshoot of I.O., to create an attractive Gen-Active teen. The limits and changes to her traditional abilities of superstrength and invulnerability are unknown (she is able to best a saber-tooth tiger, for instance, but a blow to the head from a fall causes her to bleed and concuss), and apparently tied to her physical welfare: when infected by the Warhol virus, so with an overtaxed immune system, her invulnerability was almost completely lost, so that a simple knife could penetrate her otherwise impenetrable skin. Also, Caitlin seems to have superhuman reactions, catching a bullet fired from a sniper rifle before it can hit its intended target. Cailtin retains her notable traits of intelligence and attractiveness but is continually suspicious and unhappy about her appearance, given the prurient nature of her creators.
In other media
External links
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
, who appears in the Wildstorm
Wildstorm
WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, published American comic books. Originally an independent company established by Jim Lee and further expanded upon in subsequent years by other creators, WildStorm became a publishing imprint of DC Comics in 1999...
series Gen¹³
Gen¹³
Gen¹³ is a fictional superhero team and comic book series originally written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi and illustrated by J. Scott Campbell. It was originally published by Image Comics under the banner Wildstorm, which went on to become an imprint for DC Comics, who continued publishing the Gen¹³...
. She was created by writers Jim Lee
Jim Lee
Jim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, writer, editor and publisher. He first broke into the industry in 1987 as an artist for Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as Alpha Flight and Punisher War Journal, before gaining a great deal of popularity on The Uncanny X-Men...
and Brandon Choi
Brandon Choi
Brandon Choi is an American comic book writer best known as one of the co-creators of the series Gen¹³ which enjoyed high popularity in the middle and late 1990s. He also wrote several other titles for Wildstorm Comics.-Biography:...
, and artist J. Scott Campbell
J. Scott Campbell
Jeffrey Scott Campbell is an American comic book artist. He has had several pen names, including "Jeff Scott", but is best known as J. Scott Campbell...
.
Early life
Fairchild is the daughter of Alex Fairchild of Team 7. The identity of her mother is unknown and Caitlin has never mentioned her.When he was forced to go underground to escape International Operations
International Operations
International Operations is a fictional American Intelligence Agency in Wildstorm comics. I.O. first appeared in WildC.A.T.S. volume 1 #1 and was created by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee.-International Operations:...
, Alex Fairchild left Caitlin in the care of relatives in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Raised by her aunt and uncle alongside her cousin Karen, Caitlin grew into a brilliant, but rather mousy young woman. Her academic skill led to her being accepted to Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
where she double-majored in computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
and electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
.
Gen¹³
In her sophomore year, Caitlin was recruited into Project: Genesis which she believed to be some sort of government internship. One night, Caitlin began to feel ill (due to secretly being fed drugs designed to activate latent Gen-Active abilities) and she staggered out of her room to try to find a bathroom. She inadvertently stumbled into a computer room where her future teammates GrungeGrunge (comics)
Grunge is the codename of Percival Edmund Chang, a fictional comic book character from DC Comics/Wildstorm, and is a member of the superhero team Gen¹³.-Character history:Philip Chang sent his son into hiding while he was still an infant...
and Roxy
Freefall (comics)
Freefall is the code name of a fictional comic book character Roxanne "Roxy" Spaulding from Wildstorm Comics. She is a member of the superhero team Gen¹³.-Early life:...
were hanging out. Caitlin convinced them to go back to their rooms and was about to leave when she spotted her father's name on a computer screen.
Caitlin, investigating this, was interrupted by a security guard who clubbed her with his rifle when she tried to explain herself. The guard was about to turn on Grunge and Roxy, but was interrupted by Caitlin’s anger activating her latent gen-active abilities. Fairchild’s clothing was shredded in the process, but within seconds she was transformed from a mousy computer geek to a powerful, towering amazon.
Borrowing Grunge's shirt, Caitlin, Roxy and Grunge decided to escape Project: Genesis. Along the way, they were joined by Bobby Lane and Sarah Rainmaker. Despite their best efforts the team’s escape from Project: Genesis would have failed if not for the intervention of International Operations director John Lynch.
Deciding that I/O had to be opposed, Lynch turned on the organization and helped the teens flee to San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where he set up a luxurious safe house in the La Jolla area. Lynch promised to teach the fledgling superheroes how to make a difference in the world and to help them uncover the mysteries of who their parents were.
Because of her responsible and mature attitude, Caitlin was universally elected field leader of the team. Though uncertain of her abilities, Fairchild accepted the role and her cool thinking got the team out of more than a few tight situations. Some time later, John Lynch disappeared. But Alex Fairchild, who Caitlin was reunited with during the Fire From Heaven
Fire From Heaven (comics)
"Fire From Heaven" was a company-wide crossover event story arc published by Wildstorm comics in 1996. The story ran across at least one issue of most Wildstorm titles at the time and several independent one-shots...
crossover, took up the role of mentor
Mentor
In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...
. It was during this period that the team relocated to the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
and Roxy and Caitlin discovered that they were half-sisters.
But the family reunion was short-lived as Alex was killed protecting his daughters and the rest of the team from the villain Tindalos. With her father dead and John Lynch still missing, Caitlin took full leadership of the team.
Though sometimes frustrated by her comrades' personal eccentricities, Caitlin cares deeply for all of them. They are all the family she has now. In return, the rest of Gen¹³
Gen¹³
Gen¹³ is a fictional superhero team and comic book series originally written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi and illustrated by J. Scott Campbell. It was originally published by Image Comics under the banner Wildstorm, which went on to become an imprint for DC Comics, who continued publishing the Gen¹³...
look to Caitlin as both a friend and leader. Also, an accident resulted in a case of amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
that made her believe she was Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
for a time, an issue that was quickly resolved.
Worldstorm
In the limited series Captain Atom: Armageddon, Captain Atom comes to the Wildstorm universe and has several encounters with the characters of that world. After his departure, the entire Wildstorm line had a "soft reset" with significant and subtle continuity changes.Gen¹³ and the entire Wildstorm line was rebooted. Caitlin is still living with her adoptive parents when she mysteriously wakes up with a version of her familiar green uniform. Her parents take this as a cue that their apparent mission to raise her is over. Soldiers enter her home, kill her parents and kidnap Caitlin. She meets up with other familiar Gen¹³ characters, Freefall, Burnout, Rainmaker, and Grunge, for apparently the first time.
DC Universe
Following the events of FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
, the Wildstorm universe is merged with the DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
, with most of the Wildstorm characters now having their histories rewritten. Caitlin is now a supporting character in the new Superboy
Superboy (Kon-El)
Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...
series. She appears as a teenaged researcher working for N.O.W.H.E.R.E., a shadowy organization dedicated to capturing teenagers with metahuman abilities. She apparently has a rivalry with Rose Wilson
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:...
, a young mercenary hired to act as Superboy's handler after he is kidnapped and experimented upon by N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s scientists. She still retains her super-strength and she also posseses psychic powers.
Alternate versions
- During the storyline entitled "Bleed" in StormwatchStormwatch (comics)Stormwatch is a fictional United Nations-sponsored superhero team that originated in the Wildstorm Universe and has since been revived as part of the DC Universe. The original version of Stormwatch first appeared in Stormwatch Stormwatch is a fictional United Nations-sponsored superhero team that...
v2, an alternate world was showed in which Caitlin had joined this version of Stormwatch (which had 20 superhumans working for Stormwatch, divided in five squads of four members), becoming a team leader. She was apparently killed along with the rest of Stormwatch, including Jack Hawksmoor and Roxy Spaulding when they tried to stop a Kherubin invasion. - Another set in the Alan MooreAlan MooreAlan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
WildC.A.T.s/SpawnSpawn (comics)Spawn is a fictional comic book superhero who appears in a monthly comic book of the same name published by Image Comics. Created by writer/artist Todd McFarlane, Spawn first appeared in Spawn #1...
crossover,where a Satan-powered Spawn calling himself the Ipissimus forced superheroines into his concubines for his underlings. Fairchild became morbidly obese in order to be overlooked. She was present when the past WildC.A.T.s stormed the Ipissimus stronghold. - The hero 'Union' teams with an alternate resistance-fighter Caitlin in a world conquered by the magician 'Necros'. Caitlin's father, an illusion caster, tricks Necros into expending his energy upon him, perishing but allowing a fatal blow to be delivered in return.
Powers and abilities
Caitlin was affected by her gen-factor causing her mass to increase and her muscle density to grow exponentially. (A letter column described her height as 6'5) This gives her incredible strength and durability as well as increased stamina and agility. She has confronted and been able to hold her own against some of the strongest heroes and villains in the Wildstorm universe.
In Gen 13 v3, Caitlin absorbed the shape-shifting powers of another "genie" (that reality's nickname for those with gen-factor powers). She gained the ability to melt into a purple liquid and reform in various shapes, somewhat similar in concept to the T-1000
T-1000
The T-1000 is a fictional nanomorph mimetic poly-alloy assassin and the main antagonist in Terminator 2: Judgment Day controlled by the series main antagonist Skynet. The T-1000 is portrayed primarily by Robert Patrick; however, being a shape-shifter, the T-1000 is played by other actors in some...
's abilities in Terminator 2. After expressing these powers, Caitlin's hair and lips turned purple. It is unknown whether she retained these new powers after the events of Gen 13 v3 #16.
In the current relaunch by author Gail Simone
Gail Simone
Gail Simone is an American writer of comic books. Best known for penning DC's Birds of Prey, her other notable works include Secret Six, Welcome to Tranquility, The All-New Atom, and Deadpool. In 2007, she took over Wonder Woman...
, Caitlin Fairchild's origins are slightly different. The activation of her gen-factor (and subsequent physical appearance) were all the result of bold-faced manipulation since birth by Tabula Rasa, an offshoot of I.O., to create an attractive Gen-Active teen. The limits and changes to her traditional abilities of superstrength and invulnerability are unknown (she is able to best a saber-tooth tiger, for instance, but a blow to the head from a fall causes her to bleed and concuss), and apparently tied to her physical welfare: when infected by the Warhol virus, so with an overtaxed immune system, her invulnerability was almost completely lost, so that a simple knife could penetrate her otherwise impenetrable skin. Also, Caitlin seems to have superhuman reactions, catching a bullet fired from a sniper rifle before it can hit its intended target. Cailtin retains her notable traits of intelligence and attractiveness but is continually suspicious and unhappy about her appearance, given the prurient nature of her creators.
In other media
- In the Gen¹³Gen¹³ (film)Gen¹³ is a 1999 animated feature film based on the WildStorm comic book Gen¹³. The film was directed by Kevin Altieri and was distributed by Buena Vista Pictures, and produced by WildStorm Productions...
animated movie, Fairchild's voice was provided by Alicia WittAlicia WittAlicia Roanne Witt is an American film, stage, television actress and singer.-Early life:Witt was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her mother, Diane , is a junior high school reading teacher, and her father, Robert Witt, is a science teacher and photographer. She has a brother, Ian...
; also in this incarnation she's the long lost sister of Threshold not Roxy and seems to display latent telepathic powers along with her regular ones.
External links
Gen¹³ (film)
Gen¹³ is a 1999 animated feature film based on the WildStorm comic book Gen¹³. The film was directed by Kevin Altieri and was distributed by Buena Vista Pictures, and produced by WildStorm Productions...
animated movie, Fairchild's voice was provided by Alicia Witt
Alicia Witt
Alicia Roanne Witt is an American film, stage, television actress and singer.-Early life:Witt was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her mother, Diane , is a junior high school reading teacher, and her father, Robert Witt, is a science teacher and photographer. She has a brother, Ian...
; also in this incarnation she's the long lost sister of Threshold not Roxy and seems to display latent telepathic powers along with her regular ones.