Alright class, here is your question: Which of the following is Superman weak to? Is it A. Mondays, B. Reboots, C. The Tide of Islam, or D. Magic Babes? That's right! Magic babes! And today we look at the least-threatening magic entity in existence, The Yellow Peri!
Created by Bob Rozakis and Kurt Schaffenberger (where do people get these names) in 1982's "The New Adventures of Superboy #34", The Yellow Peri was originally a young woman named Loretta York. Loretta had once explored a burned down library and found one book that survived the fire. Contained in this book were spells Loretta practiced and eventually mastered, using magic to create the guise of The Yellow Peri. Under this identity she tried to help people, but her spells often misfired and ended with misfortune. During her adventures she joined a traveling circus and met a magical being named Gazook. Gazook-like Superman's foe Mr. Mxyzptlk-came from the 5th Dimension and could alter reality to his whim. His mischief-making only made Peri's attempt at helping people worse. When she met Superboy, Peri was head-over-heels for the Boy of Steel and attempted to beat him to the punch when rescuing people. Their encounter ended with Superboy throwing her magic book into space and Gazook escaping. Without the book, she returned to being Loretta York and lost all memory of having the book. Superboy flew her home and assumed that'd be the last time they'd meet. He was wrong.
Well into both Superman and Loretta's adulthood, the magic book fell from space and landed on Loretta's lawn. At this point Loretta was an adult married to a con-man named Alvin Grant, Loretta regained her memories when she found the magic book and her husband decided to exploit her powers. Superman found Alvin and Peri committing crimes with the magic book and gave them both a stern talking to, but seemingly set them on the right path. Not too long later, Yellow Peri and Alvin reappeared, now Alvin had told Peri to use her magic powers to make a piece of property better so they could sell it. This property scam ended up backfiring and Superman had to bail the two out. Superman then encased the magic book in lead. Without direct contact to the book, Peri lost her powers and both she and Alvin lost their memories of what they did with the book's magic.
Yellow Peri is later seen as a pole-bearer at the fake funeral of Booster Gold along with The Blimp from The Inferior Five, time-displaced president Abraham Lincoln, The Beefeater, The Mind-Grabber Kid, and The Odd Man. The last three are Z-Lister nominees. She is next seen in the mini-series "Reign in Hell" as a guide to the paranormal hero Doctor Occult. Doctor Occult is another Z-Lister nominee. I swear, comic book research is like a rabbit hole. Or a gateway drug. Anyway, it is implied The Yellow Peri is dead, but still able to help Doctor Occult through Hell. Along the way her legs become useless and she rides on Occult's back, leading the path and using memorized spells. She appears alive once more in a tie-in to "Brightest Day". She is possessed by an evil entity and battles Stargirl over the Grand Canyon. While the explanation for her revival is about as detailed as her death (non-existent), it can be assumed she was revived in "Blackest Night", but prevented from being a Black Lantern zombie due to the events of "Brightest Day". Maybe. Assuming.
I think The Yellow Peri is a neat character. I'm a sucker for a character who just wants to do good, but always makes the situation worse. And her magic background could make her a humorous enemy/ally to the likes of Superman, Superboy, and Supergirl. Of all of his obscure villains, The Yellow Peri is among the most unique. The genie motif, the book of spells being the source of powers and memories. Even her manipulating husband brings a layer of innocence to an otherwise nonthreatening villain. I'd love to see the character come back in any of the six or seven Super-titles. Oh, or on that "Supergirl" show. That show seems to do well with female villains like Livewire or Silver Banshee. So, yeah, get Yellow Peri on screen so her magical antics can be fully utilized! Or don't. Be a sexist.
Thanks for reading!
Damn. Why has nobody rebooted "I Dream of Jeannie"?
Well into both Superman and Loretta's adulthood, the magic book fell from space and landed on Loretta's lawn. At this point Loretta was an adult married to a con-man named Alvin Grant, Loretta regained her memories when she found the magic book and her husband decided to exploit her powers. Superman found Alvin and Peri committing crimes with the magic book and gave them both a stern talking to, but seemingly set them on the right path. Not too long later, Yellow Peri and Alvin reappeared, now Alvin had told Peri to use her magic powers to make a piece of property better so they could sell it. This property scam ended up backfiring and Superman had to bail the two out. Superman then encased the magic book in lead. Without direct contact to the book, Peri lost her powers and both she and Alvin lost their memories of what they did with the book's magic.
Yellow Peri is later seen as a pole-bearer at the fake funeral of Booster Gold along with The Blimp from The Inferior Five, time-displaced president Abraham Lincoln, The Beefeater, The Mind-Grabber Kid, and The Odd Man. The last three are Z-Lister nominees. She is next seen in the mini-series "Reign in Hell" as a guide to the paranormal hero Doctor Occult. Doctor Occult is another Z-Lister nominee. I swear, comic book research is like a rabbit hole. Or a gateway drug. Anyway, it is implied The Yellow Peri is dead, but still able to help Doctor Occult through Hell. Along the way her legs become useless and she rides on Occult's back, leading the path and using memorized spells. She appears alive once more in a tie-in to "Brightest Day". She is possessed by an evil entity and battles Stargirl over the Grand Canyon. While the explanation for her revival is about as detailed as her death (non-existent), it can be assumed she was revived in "Blackest Night", but prevented from being a Black Lantern zombie due to the events of "Brightest Day". Maybe. Assuming.
I think The Yellow Peri is a neat character. I'm a sucker for a character who just wants to do good, but always makes the situation worse. And her magic background could make her a humorous enemy/ally to the likes of Superman, Superboy, and Supergirl. Of all of his obscure villains, The Yellow Peri is among the most unique. The genie motif, the book of spells being the source of powers and memories. Even her manipulating husband brings a layer of innocence to an otherwise nonthreatening villain. I'd love to see the character come back in any of the six or seven Super-titles. Oh, or on that "Supergirl" show. That show seems to do well with female villains like Livewire or Silver Banshee. So, yeah, get Yellow Peri on screen so her magical antics can be fully utilized! Or don't. Be a sexist.
Thanks for reading!
Damn. Why has nobody rebooted "I Dream of Jeannie"?
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