I can't tell if the birthday candles are lit, because our heroine today is...Tasmia Mallor, Shadow Lass. As is appropriate for a shadow caster, the date of her first appearance is a bit unclear. See, in Adventure Comics #354 (Mar, 1967) we are shown a statue of a character called Shadow Woman. Superman is visiting the headquarters of the Legion of Super-Heroes, where he runs into many of his formerly teenaged teammates, who are now adults. He tours their Hall of the Dead, and among the tributes, is one for a member known as Shadow Woman. The trick is, that up until that point, there had never been mention of such a character in Legion lore. It would be eleven months later, in Adventure #365 (Feb, 1968) that both the readers, and the Legion would actually encounter her. In the story, the team (back to their usual teenage status quo) meets Shadow Lass, who joins up. In either case, the creative team on both stories was Jim Shooter and Curt Swan.
Tasmia is the resident hero of Talok VIII, and comes from a long lineage of champions (including her cousin Grev, Shadow Kid). She received the power to project absolute darkness, from the cave dwelling spirits of her ancestors. In addition, she is an incredible hand to hand fighter. After becoming a Legionnaire, she develops a brief crush on Brainiac 5. But, it's not long before she really falls for Mon-El.
She has undergone all the various revamps a good Legionnaire should. In the post Zero Hour incarnation, she bore the codename Umbra. And, in another storyline (that is now out of continuity), she wed a dying Mon-El. The marriage rite required her to snip off part of her finger. In the current comics, Tasmia has all of her digits, but she is a bit heartless. She has dumped Mon-El, for the former xenophobic bad guy (turned Legionnaire) Earth Man. I'm not happy about this development, but maybe the truth behind her actions is hidden in the shadows.
Tomorrow, one of the sweetest DC characters. And, that's not a STRETCH...
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