Elasti-Girl
Encyclopedia
Elasti-Girl is a fictional character
, a superhero
of the DC Comics
universe
and a member of the Doom Patrol
.
swimming gold medalist turned Hollywood actress who is exposed to unusual volcanic gases while shooting a film
in Africa
. When Farr recovers, she discovers that she can expand or shrink her body at will — from hundreds of feet tall to mere inches in height. When she gains greater control of her powers, she discovers that she can enlarge one limb at a time.
Although not physically disfigured, Rita initially has no control over her size changes, is considered a freak and a menace, and becomes a recluse, leaving her Hollywood career in ruins. However, Rita is approached by Dr. Niles Caulder (also known as The Chief
) who offers her a place among fellow "freaks" attempting to use their powers for good. As Elasti-Girl, she joins Caulder's team, the Doom Patrol
. Rita falls in love with, and marries, Steve Dayton, the hero Mento
. Later on, the couple adopts young Gar Logan, who would become the Teen Titans' Beast Boy
.
In the JLA: Year One storyline, the Martian Manhunter
tells Rita that he was something of a fan of her "chiller pictures" and that he was disappointed that she did not continue making films. Flattered, she kisses him on the cheek and later tells him that she has met Alien
actress Sigourney Weaver
and that she is sure he would approve of her.
Tragedy strikes when the Doom Patrol's enemies, the Brotherhood of Evil
, threaten a small New England fishing village. The Patrol members elect to sacrifice themselves to save the innocents, and are killed in an explosion. It is later revealed that several members of the team actually cheated death (to appear in Doom Patrol
revivals), although Elasti-Girl would remain "dead" until Infinite Crisis
.
— Elasti-Girl, Teen Titans #32, March 2006.
When writer-artist John Byrne revived the Doom Patrol in 2004, Elasti-Girl was among the team members reintroduced, as if none of the events in prior Doom Patrol
continuity had ever happened.
This situation was explained as an after-effect of Superboy-Prime
's pounding on the barrier to reality, which created ripples that changed reality for several characters, including the original Doom Patrol
.
The Patrol members retain no memories of their previous lives —until Superboy-Prime
breaks the Phantom Zone barrier during his battle with the Teen Titans and their allies. At that moment their minds discern visions of the previous Doom Patrol
s, and Rita remembers everything — her husband, her son, and her own death.
Rita is seen in issue #7 of Infinite Crisis as one of the many heroes defending the city of Metropolis
from the army calling themselves the Secret Society of Super Villains
. She personally battles the giant villain Giganta
.
Rita makes a cameo in issue #50 of the 52
maxi-series. She is seen on a monitoring screen; she is fighting Black Adam
next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa
.
Infinite Crisis ultimately retconned Byrne's reboot out of continuity.
jump, the Doom Patrol changes considerably, losing several members and gaining Beast Boy
, Bumblebee
and Vox
.
The explanation for Rita's resurrection: The Chief
salvaged a piece of Elasti-Girl's skull and used his technology to regrow her entire body due to its malleable form. Consequently, Elasti-Girl is very docile, and is reluctant to question the Chief. The Chief hints that her malleable form hampers her thinking abilities, leading to her lack of personal initiative which makes her dependent upon Caulder (a.k.a. The Chief). As he observes her interaction with the Chief, Robin suspects that the Chief has brainwashed Rita and the other Patrol members. Rita's husband, Mento
, is under the control of his Mento-helmet, and believes that his wife would never love him without it.
Following their battle against the Brotherhood, the Titans and the Doom Patrol witness the Chief working to convince Kid Devil
that he is a freak and that the Titans actually dislike him. This pushes the teams to confront the Chief: Mento finally removes his helmet and pointedly tells the Chief that he is no longer leader of the Patrol and if he ever again insults his wife and son, he will use his powers to destroy the Chief's intellect. Rita firmly stands behind her husband, breaking out of the Chief's control.
In the most recent Doom Patrol series, Rita changes her codename to "Elasti-Woman".
her body. Her powers of expansion allow her to become as large as a skyscraper. She has the ability to shrink to mere inches. (During one adventure, she was exposed to a gas that caused her to reduce to a microscopic scale and enter a sub-atomic universe; that experience has not been repeated.) Rita can selectively shrink or expand parts of her body.
As depicted in John Byrne's Doom Patrol (retcon
ned out of existence), Elasti-Girl could change the size of objects and people by touching them; when she'd release them, they'd revert to their normal size.
Because of her special physiology, Rita can regenerate any part of her body. She can reconstruct a half-blown face or a torn leg.
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...
, a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
of the 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...
universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
and a member of the Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
.
Fictional character biography
Rita Farr is an OlympicOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
swimming gold medalist turned Hollywood actress who is exposed to unusual volcanic gases while shooting a film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. When Farr recovers, she discovers that she can expand or shrink her body at will — from hundreds of feet tall to mere inches in height. When she gains greater control of her powers, she discovers that she can enlarge one limb at a time.
Although not physically disfigured, Rita initially has no control over her size changes, is considered a freak and a menace, and becomes a recluse, leaving her Hollywood career in ruins. However, Rita is approached by Dr. Niles Caulder (also known as The Chief
Chief (comics)
The Chief is a fictional character from DC Comics and the leader of the Doom Patrol. He first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
) who offers her a place among fellow "freaks" attempting to use their powers for good. As Elasti-Girl, she joins Caulder's team, the Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
. Rita falls in love with, and marries, Steve Dayton, the hero Mento
Mento (comics)
Mento is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Doom Patrol #91 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani.-Fictional character biography:...
. Later on, the couple adopts young Gar Logan, who would become the Teen Titans' Beast Boy
Beast Boy
Garfield Mark "Gar" Logan, known as Beast Boy or Changeling, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics...
.
In the JLA: Year One storyline, the Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter
The Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
tells Rita that he was something of a fan of her "chiller pictures" and that he was disappointed that she did not continue making films. Flattered, she kisses him on the cheek and later tells him that she has met Alien
Alien (franchise)
The Alien film series is a science fiction horror film franchise, focusing on Lieutenant Ellen Ripley and her battle with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as "the Alien"...
actress Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver is an American actress. She is best known for her critically acclaimed role of Ellen Ripley in the four Alien films: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, for which she has received worldwide recognition .Other notable roles include Dana...
and that she is sure he would approve of her.
Tragedy strikes when the Doom Patrol's enemies, the Brotherhood of Evil
Brotherhood of Evil
The Brotherhood of Evil is a group of DC Comics supervillains, archenemies of the original Doom Patrol and the Teen Titans.-Origins:The Brotherhood of Evil was founded by the engimatic villain the Brain. In the beginning, the group's motivation was world domination...
, threaten a small New England fishing village. The Patrol members elect to sacrifice themselves to save the innocents, and are killed in an explosion. It is later revealed that several members of the team actually cheated death (to appear in Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
revivals), although Elasti-Girl would remain "dead" until 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...
.
Infinite Crisis
"I remember the explosion on the island. And then nothing but darkness. Am I supposed to be dead?"— Elasti-Girl, Teen Titans #32, March 2006.
When writer-artist John Byrne revived the Doom Patrol in 2004, Elasti-Girl was among the team members reintroduced, as if none of the events in prior Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
continuity had ever happened.
This situation was explained as an after-effect of Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
's pounding on the barrier to reality, which created ripples that changed reality for several characters, including the original Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
.
The Patrol members retain no memories of their previous lives —until Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
breaks the Phantom Zone barrier during his battle with the Teen Titans and their allies. At that moment their minds discern visions of the previous Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
s, and Rita remembers everything — her husband, her son, and her own death.
Rita is seen in issue #7 of Infinite Crisis as one of the many heroes defending the city of Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
from the army calling themselves the Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. She personally battles the giant villain Giganta
Giganta
Giganta is a fictional character, a red-haired super-villainess appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. A longtime enemy of Wonder Woman and an occasional foil for The Atom, Giganta possesses the superhuman ability to increase her physical size and mass, effectively transforming into...
.
Rita makes a cameo in issue #50 of the 52
52 (comic book)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
maxi-series. She is seen on a monitoring screen; she is fighting Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa or simply the Tower of Pisa is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa...
.
Infinite Crisis ultimately retconned Byrne's reboot out of continuity.
One Year Later
Following the One Year LaterOne Year Later
"One Year Later" was a 2006 storyline event running through the DC Universe. As the title suggests, it involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Comics Universe following the events of the Infinite Crisis event, to explore major changes within the continuities of the many...
jump, the Doom Patrol changes considerably, losing several members and gaining Beast Boy
Beast Boy
Garfield Mark "Gar" Logan, known as Beast Boy or Changeling, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics...
, Bumblebee
Bumblebee (comics)
Bumblebee is a fictional character, existing in DC Comics' main shared universe. She is a former member of the Teen Titans and a current member of the Doom Patrol...
and Vox
Mal Duncan
Malcolm "Mal" Arnold Duncan, currently known as Vox , is a fictional character, existing in DC Comics' main shared universe...
.
The explanation for Rita's resurrection: The Chief
Chief (comics)
The Chief is a fictional character from DC Comics and the leader of the Doom Patrol. He first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
salvaged a piece of Elasti-Girl's skull and used his technology to regrow her entire body due to its malleable form. Consequently, Elasti-Girl is very docile, and is reluctant to question the Chief. The Chief hints that her malleable form hampers her thinking abilities, leading to her lack of personal initiative which makes her dependent upon Caulder (a.k.a. The Chief). As he observes her interaction with the Chief, Robin suspects that the Chief has brainwashed Rita and the other Patrol members. Rita's husband, Mento
Mento (comics)
Mento is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Doom Patrol #91 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani.-Fictional character biography:...
, is under the control of his Mento-helmet, and believes that his wife would never love him without it.
Following their battle against the Brotherhood, the Titans and the Doom Patrol witness the Chief working to convince Kid Devil
Kid Devil
Red Devil , formerly known as Kid Devil, was a superhero in the DC Comics universe. Created by Alan Kupperberg, Dan Mishkin, and Gary Cohn, he first appeared in Blue Devil #14.-Origin and early heroics:...
that he is a freak and that the Titans actually dislike him. This pushes the teams to confront the Chief: Mento finally removes his helmet and pointedly tells the Chief that he is no longer leader of the Patrol and if he ever again insults his wife and son, he will use his powers to destroy the Chief's intellect. Rita firmly stands behind her husband, breaking out of the Chief's control.
In the most recent Doom Patrol series, Rita changes her codename to "Elasti-Woman".
Powers and abilities
Rita has the ability to expand and shrinkShrink
Shrink can refer to:*Miniaturization*Resizing *"Shrink" or "head shrinker", Bold text slang term for a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist or psychologist...
her body. Her powers of expansion allow her to become as large as a skyscraper. She has the ability to shrink to mere inches. (During one adventure, she was exposed to a gas that caused her to reduce to a microscopic scale and enter a sub-atomic universe; that experience has not been repeated.) Rita can selectively shrink or expand parts of her body.
As depicted in John Byrne's Doom Patrol (retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned out of existence), Elasti-Girl could change the size of objects and people by touching them; when she'd release them, they'd revert to their normal size.
Because of her special physiology, Rita can regenerate any part of her body. She can reconstruct a half-blown face or a torn leg.
Television
- Elasti-Girl has appeared as a member of the Doom Patrol in Season Five (the two-part "Homecoming" episode) of the Teen Titans animated series. Her shrinking ability is not demonstrated in the series, except when she returns from her enlarged state to her normal size. She is voiced by Tara StrongTara StrongTara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
, who also has provided voices for other animated superheroes, such as BatgirlBatgirlBatgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, frequently depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman...
, Ben 10, and RavenRaven (comics)Raven is a fictional superheroine who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26 , and was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez...
.
- Elasti-Girl (alongside Doom Patrol members ChiefChief (comics)The Chief is a fictional character from DC Comics and the leader of the Doom Patrol. He first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
, Negative ManNegative ManNegative Man is a fictional superhero from DC Comics. He first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80.-Larry Trainor:The original Negative Man, Larry Trainor, is a founding member of the Doom Patrol, along with Elasti-Girl, Robotman, and The Chief...
, and RobotmanRobotman (Cliff Steele)Robotman is a fictional character, a cyborg superhero in the . Robotman first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80 and was created by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani.-Fictional character biography:...
) appears in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "The Last Patrol" voiced by Olivia d'AboOlivia d'AboOlivia d'Abo is an English actress and singer-songwriter, best known for portraying Karen Arnold in The Wonder Years and Nicole Wallace, the recurring villain in Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Acting career:...
. In this version, she has become very fat and is wallowing in self-pity due to the accident in Paris that broke up the Doom Patrol. She was even shown doing that at a party she held at her sea-side mansion when the Mutant Master and his minions attacked. When Batman and Chief arrived, they manage to convince Elasti-Girl to rejoin and fend off Mutant Master. She rapidly loses weight before doing so, implying that she had been using her powers on her fat tissues to either increase or decrease her weight. In a recreation of the original Doom Patrol series' finale, she and her team mates later sacrifice their lives to stop General Zahl from detonating explosives planted on the island of a small fishing village.
Name use
- In the 2004 film The IncrediblesThe IncrediblesThe Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
, Helen Parr's hero name is "Elastigirl" (voiced by Holly HunterHolly HunterHolly Hunter is an American actress. Hunter starred in The Piano for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She has also been nominated for Oscars for her roles in Broadcast News, The Firm, and Thirteen...
). PixarPixarPixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
received permission from DC ComicsDC ComicsDC 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...
to use the name in the film as long as it wasn't used in the merchandising. In the merchandising (and almost twice in the film) she's referred to as "Mrs. Incredible".