Zara (comics)

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Zara, Priestess of the Crimson Flame
ZaraWW.jpg
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Comics Cavalcade #5 (Winter 1943)
Created by William Moulton Marston
In-story information
Alter egoZara
Abilities Pyrokinesis

Zara, Priestess of the Crimson Flame is a villain who battled the Golden Age Wonder Woman. She was also a member of the super-villain team Villainy Inc. She debuted in Comic Cavalcade #5 and was created by Dr. William Moulton Marston as an example of the follies of misandry and another embodiment of emotionally misaligned women whom Wonder Woman must reform.

Wonder Woman superhero appearing in DC Comics publications and related media

Wonder Woman is a fictional superheroine, appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Villainy Inc.

Villainy Inc. is a group composed of villains who battle Wonder Woman. They originally appeared in the Golden Age and have reappeared as a modern-age team with a revamped line-up.

<i>Comic Cavalcade</i>

Comic Cavalcade was an anthology comic book published by DC Comics from 1942 to 1954.

Contents


Fictional character biography

Pre-Crisis

The past of Zara was that she was an Arab girl and wore belly dancer attire. According to her tales, she was sold into slavery as a child by her father, which created in her an intense hatred of men. Using a flair for pyrotechnics, she eventually created a new religion (The Cult of The Crimson Flame), which had swept the globe. She utilized the "crimson flame", which William Moulton Marston created as an allegory of inducement emotion. Zara rigged various fire-based effects to dazzle her followers and keep them in thrall to her. After her initial defeat by Wonder Woman, the Cult went underground; and Zara was able to scare up at least one follower to do her bidding when she joined Villainy Inc.

William Moulton Marston American psychologist, lawyer, inventor and comic book writer

William Moulton Marston, also known by the pen name Charles Moulton, was an American psychologist, inventor of an early prototype of the lie detector, self-help author, and comic book writer who created the character Wonder Woman.

The lovely red-haired woman is the high priestess of the mystic Cult of the Crimson Flame, a "new religion" that has begun "sweeping the world". Its symbol is an eerie "crimson flame" that appears out of nowhere at the behest of the high priestess, hanging suspended in midair and inscribing mysterious flaming messages to cow the members of the cult - the so-called "flame slaves" - into abject obedience. Dr. William Moulton Marston assigned the color crimson to represent the inducement emotion that Zara was activating when trying to influence people.

Anyone daring to oppose the cult falls mysteriously ill and dies soon afterward.

When Helen Armstrong, a U.S. Senator's daughter who has been intimately involved with the flame cult, disappears mysteriously, Wonder Woman, Steve Trevor, Etta Candy, and the Holliday Girls follow her to Arabia, site of the Crystal Temple of the Crimson Flame, the "international headquarters" of Zara and her sinister "flame forces." Ultimately, Wonder Woman and her companions defeat the flame cultists, rescue Helen Armstrong from their clutches, and capture Zara.

Steve Trevor fictional character

General Steven Rockwell Trevor is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superheroine Wonder Woman. The character was created by William Moulton Marston and first appeared in All Star Comics #8. Steve Trevor is a trusted friend, love interest, and partner who introduces Diana to "Man's World", and has served as Wonder Woman's United Nations liaison.

Etta Candy Wonder Woman supporting character

Etta Candy is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly as the best friend of the superhero Wonder Woman. A spirited, vivacious young woman with a devil-may-care attitude, Etta first appeared in Sensation Comics #2 (1942), written by Wonder Woman's creator William Moulton Marston.

It was to wreak vengeance on Helen's father that Zara had had her abducted.

The much-feared "crimson flame," confesses Zara, was actually nothing more than "floating, burning, liquid hydrogen," while the voice seeming to speak from inside it was actually an illusion created with movie projector sound equipment.

[1]

Zara escapes from Transformation Island, which works to rehabilitate female criminals, along with seven other villainesses and joins them in forming Villainy Incorporated [2]

Post-Crisis

Post-Crisis, Zara has been depicted as an Arabian woman and her flame-powers were inborn rather than produced by gadgets (originally, she used a fire-gun). However, Hippolyta referred to her flames as 'scientific trickery.' [3]

Hippolyta (DC Comics) DC Comics character

Queen Hippolyta is a fictional DC Comics superhero, based on the Amazon queen Hippolyta from Greek mythology. Introduced in 1941 during the Golden Age of Comic Books, she is the queen of the Amazons of Themyscira, the mother of Wonder Woman, and in some continuities, the adopted mother of Donna Troy.

Much later, Zara was mentioned as one of the inhabitants of Alan Scott's Emerald City on the dark side of the moon. She is mentioned as being a "fire girl" and an "old enemy of Wonder Woman." [4]

DC Rebirth

After the events of DC Rebirth, Zara's origin was altered. Though her past is currently unknown, she was at some point recruited by Veronica Cale to attack Washington D.C. As a pyrokinetic, Zara's fires were able to melt concrete, which prompted Wonder Woman to quickly defeat the villainess by smashing her into a wall. She's later taken into custody, though Wonder Woman commented that they planned on questioning Zara when she regained consciousness. [5]

Powers and abilities

Pre-Crisis, she used a fire-gun and rigged effects to appear to have a mastery over flames. Post-Crisis, her powers are internal, but may have been the result of scientific engineering rather than from natural sources (e.g., magic, meta-human, etc.).

See also

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References

  1. Comics Cavalcade #5 (Winter 1943): "Mystery of the Crimson Flame"
  2. Wonder Woman #28: "Villainy Incorporated!", "Trap of Crimson Flame", "In the Hands of the Merciless!"
  3. Wonder Woman: Our Worlds at War #1
  4. Justice Society of America #43 (November 2010)
  5. Wonder Woman #41 (2018)
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