Crazy Jane
Encyclopedia
Crazy Jane is a fictional character
created by Grant Morrison
and Richard Case
for their work on the Vertigo Comics version of the Doom Patrol
. She first appears in Doom Patrol (2nd series) #19 (February 1989).
Some aspects of her story are based on real-life multiple Truddi Chase
.
of Kay Challis, who suffers from multiple personality disorder. As a result of exposure to the alien Dominators
' "gene bomb", each of her 64 alternate personalities has a different super-power.
Kay Challis was molested
by her father, beginning when she was five years old. The first time her father molested her, she was putting a jigsaw puzzle
together; this would be an important symbol in her future. Kay eventually withdraws completely and is replaced by an alternate personality answering by the name "Miranda." One Easter Sunday, Miranda is the victim of an attempted rape
in a church, triggering flashbacks to her former abuse, the destruction of the "Miranda" personality and the completion of the massive personality fragmentation. Kay is committed to a mental institution soon after.
When the gene-bomb goes off, Jane and all of her personalities are affected; each personality gains a different power (e.g. Black Annis has retractable claws, Flit can teleport
, etc.). Cliff Steele
is staying in the same institution as Jane when Will Magnus
asks Cliff to look after her, which leads to Jane's becoming a member of Doom Patrol.
Near the end of the Grant Morrison run of Doom Patrol, Jane makes a pilgrimage back to her childhood home, facing her own trauma
s and overcoming them. This brings peace to her inner turmoil, and her personalities integrate into facets of a more normal, if complex, single personality.
Unfortunately, upon returning to Doom Patrol, Jane is attacked by The Candlemaker and thrown into another dimension, similar to the real world, where she is interned as a schizophrenic and treated by shock therapy
. Cliff eventually rescues Jane from the other dimension and lives with her on Danny the World, formerly Danny the Street
.
In Rachel Pollack
's run, it is revealed that Jane's alter ego
s still exist, and Cliff leaves her and returns to Earth. The two separated due to constant arguments, mostly Cliff's fault, and that Cliff felt afraid of her.
Jane makes a cameo appearance in Teen Titans #36, where she is seen on Danny the World through a portal in Dayton Manor in Prague
. She returns in Doom Patrol #7, written by Keith Giffen
, on Oolong Island, asking for Cliff and carrying with her the remains of Danny the Street. Danny has now been reduced to a single brick, making him Danny the Brick. Jane says "If you build it, he will come", although she does not explain further.
A number of Jane's alters are named after Sylvia Plath
poems. Other sources of names are song titles by R.E.M.
, Incredible String Band
, The Jam
and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The name "Crazy Jane" is taken from a Richard Dadd
painting.
There are still other personalities in Jane who haven't yet been properly identified. They include: A nun
with a chainsaw, a red-headed girl with a beauty mark in a red dress, someone in gladiator
gear, one in biker gear, a red-headed school girl, a boy with short blonde hair, a person with an orange, odd-shaped head, and a woman whose face is shadowed over.
, includes the character Ragged Robin. Given to introducing herself with the phrase, "I'm nuts," Robin shared with Crazy Jane the real name 'Kay' and a distinctive doll-like style of make-up. Readers immediately speculated that this character was indeed Crazy Jane, mildly disguised for copyright
reasons; The Invisibles was creator-owned, while Morrison's Doom Patrol had been work-for-hire.
In Anarchy for the Masses, Disinfo
's guide to The Invisibles, the interviewer mentions that readers thought Robin might be Jane. Morrison answers, "Well, she is. She's The Invisibles universe
version of Kay Challis, who is, in the DC universe
, Crazy Jane. It is part of the whole DC Hypertime
."
Another hint at this connection comes in the final issues of volume one of The Invisibles, when a dummy's head, having been kicked off by Boy, lands in Robin's lap. Robin reacts by saying "Brrr, déjà-vu." The scene mirrors a similar moment towards the end of Morrison's Doom Patrol run, when a severed head lands in Jane's lap.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
created by Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and Richard Case
Richard Case
Richard Case is an American comics artist, most often seen published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics. His credits include pencilling the majority of issues of Grant Morrison's run on Doom Patrol, as well as drawing Jamie Delano's limited series Ghostdancing, the final story arc of Peter...
for their work on the Vertigo Comics version of the Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
. She first appears in Doom Patrol (2nd series) #19 (February 1989).
Some aspects of her story are based on real-life multiple Truddi Chase
Truddi Chase
Truddi Chase was the author of the book When Rabbit Howls , an autobiography about her experiences after being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder...
.
Fictional character biography
Jane Morris is the dominant alternate personalityAlter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
of Kay Challis, who suffers from multiple personality disorder. As a result of exposure to the alien Dominators
Dominators
The Dominators, collectively known as the Dominion, are a fictional alien race from the outer cosmos of the DC Universe. They are highly technologically advanced, and live in a rigid hierarchical society, in which one's caste is determined by the size of a red circle on one's forehead...
' "gene bomb", each of her 64 alternate personalities has a different super-power.
Kay Challis was molested
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
by her father, beginning when she was five years old. The first time her father molested her, she was putting a jigsaw puzzle
Jigsaw puzzle
A jigsaw puzzle is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of numerous small, often oddly shaped, interlocking and tessellating pieces.Each piece usually has a small part of a picture on it; when complete, a jigsaw puzzle produces a complete picture...
together; this would be an important symbol in her future. Kay eventually withdraws completely and is replaced by an alternate personality answering by the name "Miranda." One Easter Sunday, Miranda is the victim of an attempted rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
in a church, triggering flashbacks to her former abuse, the destruction of the "Miranda" personality and the completion of the massive personality fragmentation. Kay is committed to a mental institution soon after.
When the gene-bomb goes off, Jane and all of her personalities are affected; each personality gains a different power (e.g. Black Annis has retractable claws, Flit can teleport
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
, etc.). Cliff Steele
Robotman (Cliff Steele)
Robotman is a fictional character, a cyborg superhero in the . Robotman first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80 and was created by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani.-Fictional character biography:...
is staying in the same institution as Jane when Will Magnus
Will Magnus
Doctor Will Magnus is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Showcase #37 alongside his creations, the Metal Men; he was created by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru.-Fictional character biography:...
asks Cliff to look after her, which leads to Jane's becoming a member of Doom Patrol.
Near the end of the Grant Morrison run of Doom Patrol, Jane makes a pilgrimage back to her childhood home, facing her own trauma
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
s and overcoming them. This brings peace to her inner turmoil, and her personalities integrate into facets of a more normal, if complex, single personality.
Unfortunately, upon returning to Doom Patrol, Jane is attacked by The Candlemaker and thrown into another dimension, similar to the real world, where she is interned as a schizophrenic and treated by shock therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy , formerly known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Its mode of action is unknown...
. Cliff eventually rescues Jane from the other dimension and lives with her on Danny the World, formerly Danny the Street
Danny the Street
Danny the Street is a fictional character in the DC Universe. He was created by Grant Morrison and Brendan McCarthy and first appeared in Doom Patrol. His name is a pun on female impersonator Danny La Rue, as "La Rue" is French for "The Street"...
.
In Rachel Pollack
Rachel Pollack
Rachel Pollack is an American science fiction author, comic book writer, and expert on divinatory tarot...
's run, it is revealed that Jane's alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
s still exist, and Cliff leaves her and returns to Earth. The two separated due to constant arguments, mostly Cliff's fault, and that Cliff felt afraid of her.
Jane makes a cameo appearance in Teen Titans #36, where she is seen on Danny the World through a portal in Dayton Manor in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. She returns in Doom Patrol #7, written by Keith Giffen
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
, on Oolong Island, asking for Cliff and carrying with her the remains of Danny the Street. Danny has now been reduced to a single brick, making him Danny the Brick. Jane says "If you build it, he will come", although she does not explain further.
Personalities
Crazy Jane's personalities are organized in a mental subway grid called the Underground. Each personality has its own 'station', which appears to serve as home when they are not in control. In the lower section of the Underground is a well where the personalities go to destroy themselves. This is where Miranda was killed. The Well houses the Daddy persona of Jane's mind.A number of Jane's alters are named after Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
poems. Other sources of names are song titles by R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, Incredible String Band
Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band were a psychedelic folk band formed in Scotland in 1966. The band built a considerable following, especially within British counterculture, before splitting up in 1974...
, The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The name "Crazy Jane" is taken from a Richard Dadd
Richard Dadd
Richard Dadd was an English painter of the Victorian era, noted for his depictions of fairies and other supernatural subjects, Orientalist scenes, and enigmatic genre scenes, rendered with obsessively minuscule detail...
painting.
- Crazy Jane: The dominant personality. No powers. Her name is derived from that of a character in several poems by YeatsYeatsW. B. Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright.Yeats may also refer to:* Yeats ,* Yeats , an impact crater on Mercury* Yeats , an Irish thoroughbred racehorse-See also:...
. - K-5: The original Kay Challis, who vanished at age 5. She is "sleeping" in one of the lower stations of the Underground.
- Miranda: The former dominant personality; she destroys herself after the church incident. Her "station" is now occupied by some indescribable horror, visible from a distance only as a weird light, which only Driver 8 can see without being destroyed by the vision (she covers Cliff's eyes as they pass through this area).
- Liza Radley: A normal personality awakened as a result of a loving environment who pushes Jane to recovery. The other personalities are unsure of how to react to Liza and feel threatened by her. She is named after a song by The JamThe JamThe Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
, the B-side of their single "Start!Start!"Start!" is the eleventh UK single release by punk rock band, The Jam and their second number-one, following "Going Underground"/"Dreams of Children". Upon its release on 15 August 1980, it debuted at number three, and two weeks later reached number one for one week...
" - Daddy: An impression of Jane's father as a giant monster made of insects, excrement and puzzle pieces. Daddy talks with Jane's voice. It was destroyed.
- Driver 8: Conductor of the Underground subway, named after the R.E.M. songDriver 8"Driver 8" was the second single from R.E.M.'s third album, Fables of the Reconstruction. Released in September 1985, the song peaked at #22 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
. The Driver's hat has an infinity symbol (a sideways "8") on it. - Black AnnisBlack AnnisBlack Annis, also known as Black Agnes, is a bogeyman figure in English folklore. She is imagined as a blue-faced crone or witch with iron claws and a taste for human flesh...
: An aggressive misandristMisandryMisandry is the hatred or dislike of men or boys.Misandry comes from Greek misos and anēr, andros . Misandry is the antonym of philandry, the fondness towards men, love, or admiration of them...
, equipped with sharp claws, red eyes, and blue skin. - Baby Doll: A childlike personality that believes everything is lovely.
- Scarlet Harlot: A nymphomanic with the power to create ectoplasmEctoplasm (paranormal)Ectoplasm is a term coined by Charles Richet to denote a substance or spiritual energy "exteriorized" by physical mediums...
projections and absorb stray psychosexual energy.- Baby Harlot: An integration of Baby Doll and Scarlet Harlot.
- Penny Farthing: She speaks with a stutter. A Penny Farthing is the EnglishEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
name for the early bicycles that had different-sized wheels. - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter: An artist with the power to psychically activate her paintings; whose name is taken from the title of an albumThe Hangman's Beautiful Daughter-Personnel:*Robin Williamson - vocals, guitar, gimbri, penny whistle, percussion, pan pipe, piano, oud, mandolin, jaw harp, chahanai, water harp, harmonica*Mike Heron - vocals, sitar, Hammond organ, guitar, hammered dulcimer, harpsichord...
by the Incredible String BandIncredible String BandThe Incredible String Band were a psychedelic folk band formed in Scotland in 1966. The band built a considerable following, especially within British counterculture, before splitting up in 1974...
. - Rain Brain: She speaks in a stream of consciousnessStream of consciousness (psychology)Stream of consciousness refers to the flow of thoughts in the conscious mind. The full range of thoughts that one can be aware of can form the content of this stream, not just verbal thoughts...
and can take on an abstract immaterial form. - Flit: She can teleportTeleportationTeleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
anywhere. Dresses in late 80s fashion. - Mama PentecostPentecostPentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
: An expert enigma and cryptogramCryptogramA cryptogram is a type of puzzle which consists of a short piece of encrypted text. Generally the cipher used to encrypt the text is simple enough that cryptogram can be solved by hand. Frequently used are substitution ciphers where each letter is replaced by a different letter or number. To solve...
solver. - Sun Daddy: A gigantic figure with a sun for a head with the power to throw fireballs.
- Sex Bomb: She explodes when sexually arousedSexual arousalSexual arousal, or sexual excitement, is the arousal of sexual desire, during or in anticipation of sexual activity. Things that precipitate human sexual arousal are called erotic stimuli, or colloquially known as turn-ons. There are many potential stimuli, both physical or mental, which can cause...
. - StigmataStigmataStigmata are bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus, such as the hands and feet...
: She bleeds from her hands and feet and relives the church incident endlessly. - No One: She is very aggressive; was able to sense the Fifth Horseman and the Painting before it was activated.
- Lucy Fugue: She has radioactive bones and see-through skin. She can also generate harmonic vibrations, a power she used to defeat the AntigodCult of the Unwritten BookThe Cult of the Unwritten Book is a fictional cult/supervillain group created by DC Comics which first appeared in Doom Patrol #31 .- History :...
. - Hammerhead: She is very aggressive towards everyone.
- Spinning JennySpinning jennyThe spinning jenny is a multi-spool spinning frame. It was invented c. 1764 by James Hargreaves in Stanhill, Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire in England. The device reduced the amount of work needed to produce yarn, with a worker able to work eight or more spools at once. This grew to 120 as technology...
: Prone to panic attackPanic attackPanic attacks are periods of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacks usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and subside over the next several hours...
s. - Flaming Katy: She is a pyrokineticPyrokinesisPyrokinesis, derived from the Greek words and , was the name coined by horror novelist Stephen King for the ability to create or to control fire with the mind that he gave to the protagonist Charlie McGee in Firestarter...
. - Lady Purple: She can see the future but rarely speaks; her name possibly comes from the Siouxsie and the Banshees song "Christine."
- Pepper's GhostPepper's ghostPepper's ghost is an illusionary technique used in theatre and in some magic tricks. Using a plate glass and special lighting techniques, it can make objects seem to appear or disappear, transparent, or make one object seem to morph into another...
- Merry AndrewMerry andrew (clown)A merry andrew is a clown or buffoon or mountebank's assistant.The OED also mentions that Merryandrew can also be used as a verb—meaning to play like a clown.- Usages of the term 'merry andrew' as a clown or buffoon :...
: Dresses as a Harlequin and carries toys. - Driller Bill
- Pretty PollyPretty Polly (ballad)"Pretty Polly", "The Gosport Tragedy" or "The Cruel Ship's Carpenter" is a traditional English-language folk song found in the British Isles, Canada, and the Appalachian region of North America, among other places....
- The Snow QueenThe Snow QueenThe Snow Queen is a fairy tale by author Hans Christian Andersen . The tale was first published in 1845, and centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by a little boy and girl, Kai and Gerda....
- Jeann: Her station could be seen as Cliff was falling into Jane's mind.
- The Sin-EaterSin-eaterThe term sin-eater refers to a person who, through ritual means, would take on by means of food and drink the sins of a household, often because of a recent death, thus absolving the soul and allowing that person to rest in peace...
: She believes she must suffer for her sinSinIn religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
s. Jane brings her out as a defense when being tortureTortureTorture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d. - The Signal-ManThe Signal-ManThe Signal-Man is a short story by Charles Dickens, first published as part of the "Mugby Junction" collection in the 1866 Christmas edition of All the Year Round....
- Jill-in-Irons: She is wrapped in large chains. Possibly a reference to Jack-In-IronsJack-In-IronsJack-In-Irons is a mythical giant of Yorkshire lore who haunts lonely roads. He is covered with chains and wears the heads of his victims. He wields a large, spiked club...
. - The Secretary: A neat and orderly pessimist and rarely shows emotion.
- The Weird Sisters: A three-in-one personality.
- The Engineer: He assists Driver 8 in maintaining The Underground.
- Kit W'the Canstick: An old woman who carries a burned-out candle.
- Jack Straw: A living scarecrow.
- The Pointman: He assists Driver 8 in maintaining The Underground.
- Sylvia: She bears Jane's feelings of claustrophobiaClaustrophobiaClaustrophobia is the fear of having no escape and being closed in small spaces or rooms...
. She is locked inside of a small room, reciting poem fragments. She believes if she can put the fragments together she can use them as a key out of the room. - Butterfly Baby: Constantly suffers pain on a HellraiserHellraiserHellraiser is a 1987 British and American horror film based upon the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Hellraiser explores themes of sadomasochism and morality under duress and fear. The film spawned a series of sequels...
-like level in the deepest part of Jane's mind. - The Shapeless Children: Constantly repeat "Daddy don' do it".
- Bizzie Lizzie Borden: Jane's ninth alter, who may not be real.
- Blood of the Lamb: No given information.
There are still other personalities in Jane who haven't yet been properly identified. They include: A nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
with a chainsaw, a red-headed girl with a beauty mark in a red dress, someone in gladiator
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
gear, one in biker gear, a red-headed school girl, a boy with short blonde hair, a person with an orange, odd-shaped head, and a woman whose face is shadowed over.
Relation to Ragged Robin
Grant Morrison's later series, The InvisiblesThe Invisibles
The Invisibles is a comic book series that was published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics from 1994 to 2000. It was created and scripted by Scottish writer Grant Morrison, and drawn by various artists throughout its publication....
, includes the character Ragged Robin. Given to introducing herself with the phrase, "I'm nuts," Robin shared with Crazy Jane the real name 'Kay' and a distinctive doll-like style of make-up. Readers immediately speculated that this character was indeed Crazy Jane, mildly disguised for copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
reasons; The Invisibles was creator-owned, while Morrison's Doom Patrol had been work-for-hire.
In Anarchy for the Masses, Disinfo
Disinfo
The Disinformation Company is a privately held, limited American publishing company that focuses in current affairs titles and seeks to expose disinformation. It is headquartered in New York City, New York...
's guide to The Invisibles, the interviewer mentions that readers thought Robin might be Jane. Morrison answers, "Well, she is. She's The Invisibles universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
version of Kay Challis, who is, in 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...
, Crazy Jane. It is part of the whole DC Hypertime
Hypertime
Hypertime is a fictional concept presented in the 1999 DC comic book series The Kingdom, both a catch-all explanation for any continuity discrepancies in DC Universe stories and a variation or superset of the Multiverse that existed before Crisis on Infinite Earths.- The Kingdom :The basic premise...
."
Another hint at this connection comes in the final issues of volume one of The Invisibles, when a dummy's head, having been kicked off by Boy, lands in Robin's lap. Robin reacts by saying "Brrr, déjà-vu." The scene mirrors a similar moment towards the end of Morrison's Doom Patrol run, when a severed head lands in Jane's lap.
