Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Who's Who: Marella Tao

Marella Tao
by Russell & Siskoid


Real Name: Marella Tao
Super-Power(s): Power
Planet of Origin: Earth
Relationship to Legion: Relationship

Legion Log
Marella Tao was introduced as a love interest of Timber Wolf's during the time that Universo had taken over Earth's government for the second time. Then, after the Legionnaires had their individual freedoms restored, Timber Wolf and Marella Tao continued their relationship.

None of the information shared in this Who's Who profile appeared in an actual in-continuity Legion story. Although the profile claims she is from Earth, in most of her appearances she was represented with a distinct orange or beige skin-tone, which made me think that she was NOT from Earth.

Marella Tao does not appear in the Reboot or Threeboot.

After Infinite Crisis, Marella Tao's original history has presumably been more or less restored. During the Final Crisis, she reported on the arrival of alternate versions of the Legion and their battle with Superboy-Prime's Legion of Super-Villains.

Only Marella Tao stories:

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #36
The debut of  Marella Tao

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #37
Marella seeks advice about dating a Legionnaire from Shvaughn and Gigi


Secret Origins (v3) #25
Marella Tao On The Air

Who's Who In The Legion of Super-Heroes #1
Marella narrates "The Story of the Legion" for Metropolis Tonite

Who's Who In The Legion of Super-Heroes #2
Marella concludes "The Story of the Legion" for Metropolis Tonite

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #49
Marella and Timber Wolf out on a date


Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #51
Marella chats with Timber Wolf during the trial of Brainiac 5

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #1
Marella remembered before we move on to the Five Years Later era

Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #4
Marella Tao reports on the Final Crisis

5 comments:

  1. With the name "Tao", the skin tone *might* have been intended to indicate that she was of Asian descent. (The first scan is quite orange-y, but that wouldn't be the only time an Asian character was colored with such a skin tone, even into the 80s and 90s.) (Look at some of the early "Japanese Psylocke" issues of X-Men, for example.)

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  2. Hmm. A reporter romancing an animal-themed superhero. Is anyone else thinking "Trish Tilby"?

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    1. No....since I have no idea who that is. ;-)

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    2. Ah. You need to read more "X-Men". To quote Dennis Miller: "Stop me before I sub-reference again!" lol :)

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    3. Trish Tilby? Now THERE'S a name I haven't heard in a while. Didn't she used to date Hank McCoy/Beast back in the 80s?

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