Monica Rambeau AKA Spectrum! Appreciation

[JudicatorPrime]

She was called Pulsar between Photon and Spectrum.

At this point, she's got so many names that I'm not sure it even matters what code name she uses. It's just easier to call her Monica.

It's easier for fans to call her Monica, but I thought that she was still trying to preserve a secret identity? If so, it wouldn't hurt for her to have a nice codename after Secret Wars ends. And yes, I do remember the Pulsar name... and she was right to discard it. That's the kind of name that you give to an alien member of the Imperial Guard, or to a two-bit villain. Monica can do better.

[XPac]

It's easier for fans to call her Monica, but I thought that she was still trying to preserve a secret identity? If so, it wouldn't hurt for her to have a nice codename after Secret Wars ends. And yes, I do remember the Pulsar name... and she was right to discard it. That's the kind of name that you give to an alien member of the Imperial Guard, or to a two-bit villain. Monica can do better.

If she's not wearing a mask, I doubt she's trying TOO hard to preserve any sort of secret identity.

[JudicatorPrime]

If she's not wearing a mask, I doubt she's trying TOO hard to preserve any sort of secret identity.

True. And we shouldn't forget that Monica is just a holographic image. That might not be her real face.

[Javier]

I like the name Spectrum. It took a minute to grow on me but I'm used to it now. I did like Photon too when she used it years ago. It is easier to just refer to her as Monica but hey every hero needs an alias.

At the end of the day what Monica needs is exposure and consistent appearances for her name to stick with readers. I'm not worried about the whole Dr.Spectrum thing for reasons other people have mentioned. Yes, there is the possibility that Marvel can change it but I'm going to be optimistic and hope that won't happen.

Let's be real she has had the same amount of aliases as Carol Danvers (Ms.Marvel>Binary>Warbird>Ms.Marvel>Captain Marvel). The thing is Monica has never had the same amount of consistent appearances or exposure that Carol has had. Hence why the names that she has used after being Captain Marvel have not stuck with certain readers. After she started using the name Photon she would appeared for an issue or three once every two or three years so I can see why the name change might not stick with casual readers. The last two years that she has been appearing in Mighty Avengers was the longest amount of time that she has starred in a book on a consistent basis since her introduction in the 1980's. Pretty crazy to think but it is what it is. The other two times we got Monica on a regular basis was when she appeared in Nextwave and when Kurt Busiek used her in the Avengers during 2000-2001 which was cool. The real question is where she is going to appear after Secret Wars ends.

Random thought but...

I know people mention her Pulsar code name but what issues did she actually use it in? I see people mention it here and there and some people refer to her as that but...when did she actually use the name Pulsar in the comics?

In New Thunderbolts #9,which came out in 2005, is when she said she would consider using the name Pulsar. The next time she appeared was at the beginning of 2006 in Nextwave which I believe she just used her real name. (I haven't read all of Nextwave so someone can correct me if I'm wrong).

When she appeared in Black Panther Vol.4 in 2006, 2007 and 2008 she was just referred to as Monica or Photon. Someone may have to double check on issues #13 and #35 for me. I know in #35 Iron Man said he sent Monica to Wakanda but I can't remember is he called her Monica or Photon. I'm pretty sure that in Marvel Divas (2009) and Heralds (2010) she was called Photon.

Monica didn't make very many appearances after that. So when exactly did she use the name Pulsar? Was it in the She Hulk issues in 2006 that she appeared in? I never got a chance to read those issue. I always see people mention the name Pulsar so I'm really curious as to when she used that name. Oh yeah and I think they referred to Monica as Pulsar in the Official Handbook of Marvel that came out in 2005. Maybe that's why that name has stuck with some people.

[legion_quest]

Random question, seems here would be best place to ask it, but has Monica ever had a romantic interest in any of her appearances, either in Avengers or her own mini or whatever?

A friend and I were talking about LGBT characters in comics and were trying to think of any black LGBT characters and then ones that could be 'outed' and Monica came up as a suggestion.

While I understand that may not go down with some of her fans, the more I thought about it, the more I thought it was a decent suggestion.

[XPac]

I like the name Spectrum. It took a minute to grow on me but I'm used to it now. I did like Photon too when she used it years ago. It is easier to just refer to her as Monica but hey every hero needs an alias.

At the end of the day what Monica needs is exposure and consistent appearances for her name to stick with readers. I'm not worried about the whole Dr.Spectrum thing for reasons other people have mentioned. Yes, there is the possibility that Marvel can change it but I'm going to be optimistic and hope that won't happen.

Let's be real she has had the same amount of aliases as Carol Danvers (Ms.Marvel>Binary>Warbird>Ms.Marvel>Captain Marvel). The thing is Monica has never had the same amount of consistent appearances or exposure that Carol has had. Hence why the names that she has used after being Captain Marvel have not stuck with certain readers. After she started using the name Photon she would appeared for an issue or three once every two or three years so I can see why the name change might not stick with casual readers. The last two years that she has been appearing in Mighty Avengers was the longest amount of time that she has starred in a book on a consistent basis since her introduction in the 1980's. Pretty crazy to think but it is what it is. The other two times we got Monica on a regular basis was when she appeared in Nextwave and when Kurt Busiek used her in the Avengers during 2000-2001 which was cool. The real question is where she is going to appear after Secret Wars ends.

Random thought but...

I know people mention her Pulsar code name but what issues did she actually use it in? I see people mention it here and there and some people refer to her as that but...when did she actually use the name Pulsar in the comics?

In New Thunderbolts #9,which came out in 2005, is when she said she would consider using the name Pulsar. The next time she appeared was at the beginning of 2006 in Nextwave which I believe she just used her real name. (I haven't read all of Nextwave so someone can correct me if I'm wrong).

When she appeared in Black Panther Vol.4 in 2006, 2007 and 2008 she was just referred to as Monica or Photon. Someone may have to double check on issues #13 and #35 for me. I know in #35 Iron Man said he sent Monica to Wakanda but I can't remember is he called her Monica or Photon. I'm pretty sure that in Marvel Divas (2009) and Heralds (2010) she was called Photon.

Monica didn't make very many appearances after that. So when exactly did she use the name Pulsar? Was it in the She Hulk issues in 2006 that she appeared in? I never got a chance to read those issue. I always see people mention the name Pulsar so I'm really curious as to when she used that name. Oh yeah and I think they referred to Monica as Pulsar in the Official Handbook of Marvel that came out in 2005. Maybe that's why that name has stuck with some people.

Course, Carol wasn't really used consistantly either. I think it was Busiek that sort of brought her out of semi-limbo status, and Bendis consistant usage of her in his Avengers book cemented it. NOW it's a regular fixture in books she certainly wasn't when I was growing up reading comics.

The same in theory could happen to Monica ... it just take a writer to really champion her, and the next writer to keep it going. That was the nice thing about a lot of the newer Avengers which Bendis sort of championed... marvel kept using Carol and Cage even after Bendis left the books. That doesn't always happen unfortunately.

I do honestly think that some writers might find Monica difficult to write. A character with light speed, intantibility, and the fire power to hurt a sky father is a tough combination to face. You need a very specific powerset to deal with Monica and even then at times a bit of jobbing is required to make sure she doesn't end every fight she's in 2 seconds after it starts. Not saying it's impossible... but it's a challenge, moreso than even for characters like say Thor or Hulk, who are obviously very powerful in a very different way. It takes a smart writer using a bit of effort (moreso than the average character) to really write Monica to her FULL potential. Unless of course she's in a cosmic setting.

Not saying I don't want Monica used or anything like that. But I know if I were a comic book writer, I'd be struggling like crazy to figure out ways to not have Monica end every fight in a fraction of a second. She's that uber. Which is also part of what makes her so awesome ... it's sort of a tough spot to be in.

[XPac]

Random question, seems here would be best place to ask it, but has Monica ever had a romantic interest in any of her appearances, either in Avengers or her own mini or whatever?

A friend and I were talking about LGBT characters in comics and were trying to think of any black LGBT characters and then ones that could be 'outed' and Monica came up as a suggestion.

While I understand that may not go down with some of her fans, the more I thought about it, the more I thought it was a decent suggestion.

She had a thing with Doctor Voodoo in Marvel Divas.

If this counts, Rhodney as Iron Man TRIED putting the moves on Monica in Secret Wars, but he was shot down.

[Habis]

She had a thing with Doctor Voodoo in Marvel Divas.

If this counts, Rhodney as Iron Man TRIED putting the moves on Monica in Secret Wars, but he was shot down.

Wasn't Voodoo almost stalking her? Sending her love letters and flowers all the time despite Monica not being interested?

[XPac]

Wasn't Voodoo almost stalking her? Sending her love letters and flowers all the time despite Monica not being interested?

Yeah. It wasn't exactly Twilight. Still, unlike with Rhodney he did actually get somewhere with her.

I THINK that's the only relationship she ever had on panel.

[Holt]

Yeah. It wasn't exactly Twilight. Still, unlike with Rhodney he did actually get somewhere with her.

I THINK that's the only relationship she ever had on panel.

Yeah. I think it was also implied she had romantic feelings for Black Panther but it never went anywhere.

[legion_quest]

Fair, thanks the replies.

Interesting to see that having her be a lesbian wouldn't actually change that much about her on panel love life.

[XPac]

Fair, thanks the replies.

Interesting to see that having her be a lesbian wouldn't actually change that much about her on panel love life.

Yeah... that's one you can probably get away with if they really wanted to go there. The closest thing to a relationship Monica ever had was with Voodoo, and again that wasn't exactly Twilight. More like a fling at least on Monica's end of things.

[4sake Baned]

Fair, thanks the replies.

Interesting to see that having her be a lesbian wouldn't actually change that much about her on panel love life.

.
http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix6/freeman_derek.htm

also Derek Freeman who she went on a few dates with in the 616 and who is the father their daughter backlight and I think husband aswell in the mc2 universe

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacklight_%28MC2%29

[Anthony Shaw]

She had a thing with Doctor Voodoo in Marvel Divas.

If this counts, Rhodney as Iron Man TRIED putting the moves on Monica in Secret Wars, but he was shot down.

That was pretty funny. I still find that funny.

[Anthony Shaw]

.
http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix6/freeman_derek.htm

also Derek Freeman who she went on a few dates with in the 616 and who is the father their daughter backlight and I think husband aswell in the mc2 universe

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacklight_%28MC2%29

He was a great supporting character.

Too bad that romance was never picked up by other writers.