Rose and Thorn return

[bretmaverick2]

So I see this Disassociative Identity Disorder heroine is returning!

Wonder which Thorn we are gonna get. The original split personality Rose and Thorn? The Thorn that was crazier and had additional personalities, written by Gail Simone? Or the one that was in one of the Showcase limited series that also changed physically when the personalities changed? Or are we gonna get something else altogether? Not to mention the version that was originally the main there of Nade and Obsidian!

I always liked the original version from the Lois Lane back up stories. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing the character again.

[Kuwagaton]

What's the scoop on their return, where will they be?

[Yoda]

What's the scoop on their return, where will they be?

They are coming back in Action Comics #1013 and going after the Invisible Mafia according to the July solicits. No real info beyond that.

[Vordan]

I have no clue who this character is, recs for learning about her? Any guesses why Bendis wanted her? Was she tied to Supes or Metropolis in the past?

[Kuwagaton]

Okay, thanks.

Rose and Thorn spun out of the original Lois comics, from an arc where Lois dealt with a major organization called the 100. Thorn hung around throughout the 70s and 90s some.

I have no idea where Bendis will pick up, especially considering their history outside of Superman, but the last I recall with Thorn in Metropolis would be around Death of Superman, in the Legacy story, and somewhere around the end of the Stern run.

Edit: I fell for it, Adventures of Superman 521 has a homage cover to Action 669, and I got the two series mixed up.

[kcekada]

Okay, thanks.

Rose and Thorn spun out of the original Lois comics, from an arc where Lois dealt with a major organization called the 100. Thorn hung around throughout the 70s and 90s some.

I have no idea where Bendis will pick up, especially considering their history outside of Superman, but the last I recall with Thorn in Metropolis would be around Death of Superman, in the Legacy story, and somewhere around the end of the Stern run.

Rose and the Thorn in Superman mythos was the second DC character to use that name. The first was a Golden Age villain of the Flash. The original version was Rose Canton who had an evil/misguided second personality with Poison Ivy type powers (controlling plant-life). In the Bronze Age, it was revealed that she was the mother of Jade and Obsidian -- the offspring of the Golden Age Green Lantern -- Alan Scott.

The version that debuted in Lois Lane was Rose Forrest. She was the meek daughter of a murdered police officer. His death apparently created a second-personality for Rose who would dress in a brunette/auburn wig and green leather to fight crime (mostly the 100 -- the group responsible for her father's death). She had olympic level athletic abilities and fighting skills -- whose origin were never revealed. Later stories seemed to indicate that there may have been a meta-human element to her. Thorn had an arsenal of mini-flares/bombs that she would hurl at her opponents. She also used a rope on occasion -- which was apparently kept on the thorny belt she wore. Her outfit was a bit immodest by modern standards -- halter top, hot pants and hip boots -- but was a product of the mod-era where women's fashions were very flamboyant. In the late 80s/90s, she donned a more modest bodysuit.

Her backup strip in Lois Lane was a huge draw to me as a kid.

[Kuwagaton]

Cool, dunno if I ever saw the character who shares the name. And yeah, while I actually don't have strong feelings about the return of this one, I do think the bronze age Lois stories were very cool. My collection starts at #107.

[MajorHoy]

One other wildcard possibility was the one-shot comic book from 2012:


This version featured a teen aged girl named Rose Canton.
As far as I'm aware, it was not in regular DC universe continuity, but who knows?

[Jim Kelly]

Both versions of Rose and Thorn were co-created by Robert Kanigher, who also co-created Poison Ivy. He had a thing for good girls gone bad and bad girls gone good (also having co-created the original Harlequin and Black Canary, among many others).

The Rose that appeared in the back pages of SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE, was one of those characters that gave me a lot of angst in the early 1970s, as I was experiencing puberty and the sexual revolution at the same time. She wore a kinky outfit--a combination of jackboots and bra--that made me feel like I needed to hide these comics from my mom.

[kcekada]

Well, I was reading Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Supergirl, and some Wonder Woman around this time. So never thought Thorn's outfit was any more daring that what the other heroines were wearing. Heck, Lois wore a lot of outlandish outfits. My parents never made a comment about the styles-- maybe because I was too young to care.

[Jim Kelly]

Obviously I'm much more neurotic.