Yankee Girl | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Dynamic Publications Superior Publishers AC Comics |
First appearance | As Kitty Kelly: Punch Comics #1 As Lauren Mason: Dynamic Comics #23 (Nov. 1947) |
Created by | Lauren Mason: Ralph Mayo (artist) |
In-story information | |
Full name | Kitty Kelly Lauren MasonLauren Mason |
Species | Human |
Team affiliations | Sentinels of Justice |
Abilities | Superhuman strength Invulnerability Flight |
Yankee Girl is the name of two superheroines each debuting during the 1930s and 1940s Golden Age of Comic Books. One was revived in the 1990s. [1]
The first superheroine called Yankee Girl was Kitty Kelly, debuting in Dynamic Publications's Punch Comics #1 (cover-dated December 1941). [2]
The next Yankee Girl, Lauren Mason, appeared solely in Dynamic Comics #23 (Nov. 1947) by artist Ralph Mayo, from the Canadian firm Superior Publishers. [3] This story and another, whose original publication is unknown, appear in unauthorized reprints from I.W. Publishing / Super Comics in 1958 and 1964. [1]
An updated version of Lauren Mason re-appeared in AC Comics' FemForce #29 (1990), as one of dozens of characters in a 24-page story by writer Bill Black and penciler Rik Levins. [4] She went on to the single-issue Yankee Girl (Oct. 2003). [5] through 2008. [1]
In the 1940s, young socialite Lauren Mason would utter the words "Yankee Doodle Dandy!" to transform into Yankee Girl, gaining super strength, the power of flight, and enhanced durability or possibly invulnerability. [6] In her only Golden Age appearance, Yankee Girl catches two murderers who are killing people with poisoned cats. [7]
In present-day stories beginning in the 1990s, it was explained that Mason had been bestowed her powers by the wizard Merlin in order to produce a champion to aid the Allied Forces during World War II. She and several other heroes of that era volunteered to enter suspended animated sleep at a classified vault to be summoned again when the world needed them. During the "Shroud Wars" storyline of Femforce , these heroes were awakened and were initially referred to as the "Vault Champions".
Yankee Girl is still essentially a young woman who grew up in the 1930s and 1940s, and is depicted as being relatively naive regarding the modern world and how society has changed. In various Femforce issues, Yankee Girl served as a spokesmodel for "Dunkies", a popular snack cake, along with Span-X, a fabric tailored for superheroes, with humorous results.
By uttering the words "Yankee Doodle Dandy!", the 1940s Lauren Mason gained super strength, the power of flight, and enhanced durability or possibly invulnerability. [6]
In the 1990s, her magic words are Karma Madre Tolon. This instantly changes her clothing into her heroic costume and gives her super powers. In this form she can lift 9000 pounds, is almost impervious to harm, and can fly. She can also survive in outer space unprotected.
Femforce is a comic book published by AC Comics that began publication in 1985, detailing the adventures of the titular team: the "Federal Emergency Missions Force" or "Femforce", some of them original creations, while others originated in the 1940s and 1950s, lapsing into public domain by the time Femforce was published. The team are, as their name implies, all superheroines, and are the first and the longest running all-women 'super-team'. The series has passed 200 issues, a significant milestone for an independent comic book company. Writers on the book have included Bill Black, Stephanie Sanderson, Mark Heike, Paul Monsky, Enrico Teodorani and Francesca Paolucci. Artists on the book have included Bill Black, Stephanie Sanderson, Mark Heike, Brad Gorby, Jeff Austin, Dave Roberts and Rik Levins.
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