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Anima (comics)
Encyclopedia
Anima is a fictional character
from DC Comics
, who starred in the comic book series of the same name. The character was created and written by science fiction and fantasy authors Elizabeth Hand and Paul Witcover.
crossover. Seven extraterrestrial predators had come to Earth and slaughtered thousands of humans by feeding on their spinal fluids. On the run in New Orleans, Courtney was kidnapped by a cult that sacrificed her to two of these insatiable parasites, knows as Pritor and Lissik. But Courtney did not die. Instead, the parasites' bites unleashed the Animus
, a sentient-energy creature that can absorb the spirit essences of the living and the dead, which was now able to enter the world through Courtney. She became the embodiment of mankind's rage and masculine drive, and quickly developed awesome physical powers of her own. As Anima, Courtney sought revenge against the cult. She also met the Teen Titans and battled a variety of supernatural menaces. Anima remains a wanderer, traveling from place to place and helping those in need by calling upon the fearsome primal force inside her.
Anima featured prominently in DC Comics' Bloodbath limited series (1993), in which all the New Blood characters teamed up to help defeat the alien parasites who had empowered them. The following year she showed up in the Zero Hour
crossover.
Anima's own title, beginning December 1993, ran for 16 months before being cancelled due to low sales (issues numbered 1-15, plus a #0 issue between #6 & #7 in line with Zero Hour
). It was an unconventional DC comic book, with the main theme being a war between metaphysical beings who embodied the Jungian archetypes of human psychology - Animus was only one of these. The series had a huge supporting cast, both human and supernatural - in some issues, Anima herself appeared for only a few pages. Courtney's younger brother Jeremy Mason becomes the channel for Animus' evil sister, Eris (Eris shares her name with a goddess of Greek Mythology
, who herself appeared in DC's Wonder Woman
title, second series). Animus and Eris ultimately combine as the Syzygy, to fight their father/enemy known only as The Nameless One. The series featured innumerable pop-culture references, as symbols of the collective unconscious
where the archetypal beings dwell. Fellow DC superheroes Superboy
and Hawkman
also guest-starred - with Superboy temporarily acting as a channel for an archetype called The Warrior.
series, the final issue of Infinite Crisis
, and again in the more recent Titans East
Special as a potential member of Cyborg
's new group. She was badly wounded along with the rest of the team at the conclusion of the special and was left in a coma along with Lagoon Boy
and Vulcan
.
: Prometheus
one-shot that came out in the first month of 2009. She is fighting with a new Blood Pack alongside Gunfire
and Argus
. They were pursuing the second villain to take up the Prometheus alias when the original one, awakened from his own coma, came to take his revenge on the usurper. The original Prometheus quickly crippled Gunfire, and as Anima charged him, he teleported. The effect of the teleport cut Anima in half, killing her and leaving her legs on the streets of Gotham, and the rest of her in Prometheus' Ghost Zone
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, who starred in the comic book series of the same name. The character was created and written by science fiction and fantasy authors Elizabeth Hand and Paul Witcover.
Fictional character biography
Rebellious teenage runaway Courtney Mason acquired her miraculous powers following an attack by parasitic aliens: one of many New Blood superbeings created in this way, as part of the BloodlinesBloodlines (comics)
"Bloodlines" was a 1993 comic book story arc published by DC Comics. It was an intracompany crossover that ran through DC's superhero annuals and concluded with a two-issue 'Bloodbath' miniseries written by Dan Raspler. The antagonists were a race of monstrous xenomorph-like aliens, incorrectly...
crossover. Seven extraterrestrial predators had come to Earth and slaughtered thousands of humans by feeding on their spinal fluids. On the run in New Orleans, Courtney was kidnapped by a cult that sacrificed her to two of these insatiable parasites, knows as Pritor and Lissik. But Courtney did not die. Instead, the parasites' bites unleashed the Animus
Animus
-Psychology :* Anima and animus, Jungian concepts* The ancient Roman concept of animus or soul-Music:*Animus , a Philadelphia, PA based Eastern Mediterranean World Fusion music group...
, a sentient-energy creature that can absorb the spirit essences of the living and the dead, which was now able to enter the world through Courtney. She became the embodiment of mankind's rage and masculine drive, and quickly developed awesome physical powers of her own. As Anima, Courtney sought revenge against the cult. She also met the Teen Titans and battled a variety of supernatural menaces. Anima remains a wanderer, traveling from place to place and helping those in need by calling upon the fearsome primal force inside her.
Anima featured prominently in DC Comics' Bloodbath limited series (1993), in which all the New Blood characters teamed up to help defeat the alien parasites who had empowered them. The following year she showed up in the Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
crossover.
Anima's own title, beginning December 1993, ran for 16 months before being cancelled due to low sales (issues numbered 1-15, plus a #0 issue between #6 & #7 in line with Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
). It was an unconventional DC comic book, with the main theme being a war between metaphysical beings who embodied the Jungian archetypes of human psychology - Animus was only one of these. The series had a huge supporting cast, both human and supernatural - in some issues, Anima herself appeared for only a few pages. Courtney's younger brother Jeremy Mason becomes the channel for Animus' evil sister, Eris (Eris shares her name with a goddess of Greek Mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, who herself appeared in DC's Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
title, second series). Animus and Eris ultimately combine as the Syzygy, to fight their father/enemy known only as The Nameless One. The series featured innumerable pop-culture references, as symbols of the collective unconscious
Collective unconscious
Collective unconscious is a term of analytical psychology, coined by Carl Jung. It is proposed to be a part of the unconscious mind, expressed in humanity and all life forms with nervous systems, and describes how the structure of the psyche autonomously organizes experience...
where the archetypal beings dwell. Fellow DC superheroes Superboy
Superboy (Kon-El)
Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...
and Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
also guest-starred - with Superboy temporarily acting as a channel for an archetype called The Warrior.
After the Solo Series
Since the demise of her title, Anima has appeared very infrequently. She appeared in the Young JusticeYoung Justice
Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team first appeared in Young Justice: The Secret , before graduating to their ongoing monthly series...
series, the final issue of Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, and again in the more recent Titans East
Titans East
Titans East is the name of several DC Comics teams. The teams appear in the Teen Titans comic books and animated series. The comic book incarnation of Titans East first appeared in the "Titans Tomorrow" storyline, which is set in the future. The first modern incarnation appeared in Teen Titans vol....
Special as a potential member of Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
's new group. She was badly wounded along with the rest of the team at the conclusion of the special and was left in a coma along with Lagoon Boy
Lagoon Boy
Lagoon Boy is a fictional character a superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Aquaman vol. 5 #50 , and was created by Erik Larsen and Eric Battle.-Fictional character biography:...
and Vulcan
Vulcan (DC Comics)
Vulcan, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the second character to star in a book titled Son of Vulcan, the first being Johnny Mann, who was created by Charlton Comics in 1965 and later purchased by DC Comics in 1983.In the modern version, Miguel...
.
Death
She was next seen in the Faces of EvilFaces of Evil
"Faces of Evil" is a DC Comics "event" in January 2009, that editor Dan DiDio described as "inspirationally tied to Final Crisis" as they aim to address the question the series raises: "What happens when evil wins?" Numerous monthly books will have villains displayed on their covers while four...
: Prometheus
Prometheus (comics)
Prometheus is the name of three fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.The first Prometheus debuted in New Teen Titans vol. 2, #24 and was created by Marv Wolfman and Eduardo Barreto . The second version debuted in New Year's Evil: Prometheus Prometheus is the name...
one-shot that came out in the first month of 2009. She is fighting with a new Blood Pack alongside Gunfire
Gunfire (comics)
Gunfire is a fictional DC Comics superhero and freelance anti-terrorist operative. He first appeared in Deathstroke Annual #3 October 1993, he was created by Len Wein and Steve Erwin.-Fictional character biography:...
and Argus
Argus (comics)
Argus is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared during the Bloodlines crossover event in Flash Annual v2, #6 , and was created by Mark Waid and Phil Hester.-Fictional character biography:...
. They were pursuing the second villain to take up the Prometheus alias when the original one, awakened from his own coma, came to take his revenge on the usurper. The original Prometheus quickly crippled Gunfire, and as Anima charged him, he teleported. The effect of the teleport cut Anima in half, killing her and leaving her legs on the streets of Gotham, and the rest of her in Prometheus' Ghost Zone
Phantom Zone
The Phantom Zone is a fictional prison dimension featured in the Superman comic books and related media published by DC Comics. It first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 , and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp...
.
Awards and nominations
- The character Anima was nominated for the R.A.C. "SquiddySquiddy AwardsThe Squiddy Awards, also known as The Squiddies, were the annual awards given by the participants in the Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.comics through 2004. The awards are named after the humorous typo "Suicide Squid"...
" Award for Favorite Comics Character in 1995, and the Anima comic series was nominated for the R.A.C. "SquiddySquiddy AwardsThe Squiddy Awards, also known as The Squiddies, were the annual awards given by the participants in the Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.comics through 2004. The awards are named after the humorous typo "Suicide Squid"...
" Award for Favorite Ongoing Comics Series in 1995.