Rose Psychic
| Rose Psychic | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | More Fun Comics #6 (October 1935) |
| Created by |
Jerry Siegel Joe Shuster |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Rose Spiritus |
| Team affiliations |
Justice Society of America All-Star Squadron Sentinels of Magic The Trenchcoat Brigade |
| Notable aliases | Doctor Occult |
| Abilities |
Astral projection Hypnosis Illusion creation Telekinesis |
Rose Psychic is a DC Comics heroine affiliated with the company's first superhero, Doctor Occult. They were created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman. She first appeared in More Fun Comics #6 (October 1935). She appeared in Dr. Occult's first story, and then disappears from the story until 1938. After Dr. Occult's original stories ended in late 1938, Rose did not appear again for more than fifty years.
Fictional character biography
In a retcon later added to their origin, Richard Occult and Rose Psychic were raised by a group of mystics known as the Seven, characters from a story in More Fun Comics #14-17.
In 1991 Neil Gaiman brought the characters back to public awareness, when he featured them in the miniseries The Books of Magic. In the third issue Doctor Occult acts as Tim Hunter's guide to otherworlds. When visiting Faerie, he transforms into Rose. Although only alluded to, Gaiman suggests that Rose Psychic and Richard Occult represent anima and animus, feminine and masculine versions of the same person. Throughout the third issue of The Books of Magic, Rose Psychic and Richard Occult switch back and forth depending upon the situation. During gentle negotiations, the feminine Rose is in control; during a tense conflict between a giant guardian, a semi-sexual encounter with an amorous bard, and bitter negotiations with the queen of the fairies, Titania, the masculine Doctor Occult is in charge.
Eventually, in the miniseries The Return of the Justice Society, it would be explained that when Doctor Occult was once killed in battle against an otherworldly entity, Rose bonded their souls together to restore him.
In the Reign in Hell miniseries, it is revealed that during one of their cases, Rose was killed by a pack of demons and her soul was separated from their shared body. In the midst of an infernal civil war, Doctor Occult descends into Hell to retrieve her soul. He finds Rose serving in the army of Purgatory but she refuses his offer of rescue, choosing instead to remain in Hell bringing hope to damned souls who believe they have no chance at redemption.
Physical appearance
Having become magically immortal, Doctor Occult and Rose Psychic have not aged and still look the same as they always have. Rose's hairstyle is a flapper bob cut. Sometimes, she dresses in a sports jacket with a skirt.