Monstress
| Monstress | |
|---|---|
 Monstress | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #82 (July 1996) |
| Created by |
Tom Peyer Tom McCraw Lee Moder |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Candi Pyponte-Le Parc III |
| Team affiliations | Legion of Super-Heroes |
| Abilities | Super-strength |
Monstress (Candi Pyponte-Le Parc III) is a fictional character, a superheroine in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the post-Zero Hour continuity.
Fictional character biography
She was a pampered daughter of a rich industrialist from Xanthu who gained her abilities and monstrous appearance from an explosion caused by a gene-altering bomb within a plant on one of Candi's father's labor farms. The bomb was activated by a protester who was disgusted at the conditions in the facility.
She joined with Xanthu's Uncanny Amazers Kid Quantum and Star Boy. They had a friendly competition with the Legion.[1] The two teams fought Mordru, the Dark Lord. Impressed with the Legion, she asked to join and was accepted.[2] She helps recruit Kid Quantum.[3] By chance, Element Lad altered her skin from green to orange.[4] Monstress also befriends the time-lost Lori Morning.
The aliens known as the Blight attack, causing ten Legionnaires to be transported to the far-side of the universe.[5] Monstress is featured in the first eleven issues of the series Legion Lost, detailing what happened to these ten Legionnaires. Fellow Legionnaire Element Lad had been separated and tossed through time and space; his personal trip renders him mad. Monstress, who had developed feelings for Element Lad, tries to talk him out of his madness. He calls her inferior and kills her with a touch.[6]
Most of the Lost make it home, they hold a memorial for Monstress and Element Lad.[7]
Fan reaction
Dan Abnett:"When we took over Legion, Monstress was deeply unpopular. We'd regularly get letters and posts demanding we bump her off. We actually liked her, and through 'Legion Lost' we did our best to make her an appealing, interesting character. When she died, tragically, at the end of 'Lost,' people were suddenly upset!" —Comic Book Resources