Molly Mayne

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Harlequin

Publisher DC Comics
First appearance All-American Comics #89 (1947)
Created by Robert Kanigher
Irwin Hasen
Characteristics
Alter ego Molly Catherine Mayne-Scott
Affiliations Injustice Society, Manhunters
Abilities Glasses that projected 3-D holograms

The original Harlequin was a woman named Molly Mayne who appeared in stories alongside the Golden Age Green Lantern Alan Scott.

Mayne developed a crush on Scott and, donning a colorful costume (which included horn-rimmed glasses, a birthday hat, and a mandolin), started a life of crime to attract his attention. Her crimes tended to be harmless and mostly for show, although the two clashed on several occasions in the late 1940s.

A newly rejuvinated Molly Mayne reappears as Harlequin in Underworld Unleashed: Abyss - Hell's Sentinel #1.
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A newly rejuvinated Molly Mayne reappears as Harlequin in Underworld Unleashed: Abyss - Hell's Sentinel #1.

She briefly joined the Injustice Society until she turned on them by aiding the Justice Society of America. She had a deep running altruistic streak which occasionally led her to join forces with her enemy/would-be love interest. Despite being attracted to Harlequin, Scott never entered into a relationship with her and she eventually gave up in despair. She made a deal with the government in which she went on intelligence missions in return for amnesty for her past crimes and then quietly retired. On one occasion, she assisted Green Lantern, Superman and Lois Lane in capturing another foe of her love, the Sportsmaster.

Years later, after the death of his first wife Rose/Thorn, Alan Scott realized that he had loved Molly all this time and they were married. As the years passed a problem developed for the two; the Starheart (which gave Scott his powers) had reversed his aging processes, so he was physically a young man while Molly had since aged into an old woman. In despair over the rift this had caused between them Molly sold her soul to the demon Neron in return for youth. Her body became that of a young woman (who had the power to create nightmares) but her soul remained in the underworld. Scott fought his way through Hell to obtain it and with the help of the young Green Lantern Kyle Rayner returned it to the Harlequin's body, re-aging her but making her whole once again. Some time thereafter, Scott himself was returned to his true physical age, as well.

Mayne and Scott remain happily married to this day.

[edit] Powers

Her primary tool was her glasses which projected realistic three-dimensional holograms, later explained as a gift from the Manhunters as one of their agents.