Delilah Tyler (New Earth)

Delilah "Dee" Tyler is the second Phantom Lady, a super-hero trained by the original Sandra Knight. She fights crime using martial arts and technology that allows her control over the light spectrum. In addition to a solo career she was a member of the Freedom Fighters led by Uncle Sam.

Origins

Dee Tyler was the daughter of politician Albert Tyler and teacher Diana Tyler, although her mother passed away at an early age. Graduating from college at Our Lady of the Shadows special academy in France, she was trained in combat and mentored by Sandra Knight in the covert arts. Returning to her home in Washington, D.C. she discovered that her father was being blackmailed by a man named Edwin Guerrehart and decided to take matters into her own hands.^[1] Using a costume designed to distract attention and gadgets supplied by her roommate Sarah Moss, she began beating up thugs and pumping the underworld for information.^[2] Her first high-profile battle happened when the Vice President and Speaker of the House were kidnapped by high-tech thugs working for the organization she was tracking down, the Thousand Eyes.^[3] Next she used stealth to lead a stealth assault on Guerrehart's mansion with her college friend Marie Saloppe and her father's aide Roger Richter, recovering the mysterious incriminating files.^[4] Then she struck at the man directly as a warning, permanently blinding his face with a laser when he tried to shoot her.^[5] Dee discovered the blackmail had been evidence suggesting her father was a member of the Ku Klux Klan in his youth. They spoke and he explained that it had been his brother Beau Tyler who helped lynch a man and then used photos to make sure he would never talk about it. Beau had then gone on to become a professional criminal and was the leader of the Thousand Eyes. Albert resigned despite his innocence because he was tired of living in fear. Guerrehart swore that he would have his revenge.^[6]

Solo career

She was hired to protect a defecting Russian scientist as he toured North Africa looking for new ways to poison food, his specialty. Although they were targeted for assassination by Merlyn and Syonide, she was able to defeat the villains, with the help of the Flash.^[7] Dee was also present when the Doom Patrol fought the Brotherhood of Dada inside the Painting that ate Paris.^[8] Her involvement with the Thousand Eyes led her into a fight with the second Colonel Computron, teaming up with Starman and Rampage.^[9] On the side she began doing some modeling. One of her shoots was interrupted during War of the Gods by Achilles, who believed her to be Helen of Troy and fought Starman for her honor. Zeus and Hera took sides each claiming their own champion, super-charging the battle with cosmic energy.^[10] Rampage in her civilian identity helped Dee train at S.T.A.R. Labs, and the two became friends and went shopping together. After helping Starman fight the inflatable assassin Plasmax, she gave him a kiss goodbye and went home to help her dad with his campaigns.^[11] At the opening of Guy Gardner's Warriors Bar, she flirted with Tiger Man.^[12] She appeared again at Gardner's Christmas party.^[13] Eventually she moved to Opal City.^[14]

Freedom Fighters

Earth was threatened by the nigh-omnipotent galactic devourer Imperiex during Our Worlds at War. President Lex Luthor enlisted a large number of super-heroes into the military, and the Justice Society of America was sent on a suicide mission to destroy the war machines on Daxam. Phantom Lady was part of a splinter group that would develop into the new Freedom Fighters led by Uncle Sam, and they completed their mission without a single casualty.^[15]

She was later seen during a massive brawl between Wonder Woman and Circe, each leading an army of female super-heroes and super-villains. Phantom Lady was almost killed by Lady Vic, although she was rescued by Nemesis.^[16] Princes of Darkness saw the Freedom Fighters alongside the Justice Society again while the world was being ravaged by Eclipso, Mordru and Obsidian. Dee used her invisibility to steal Eclipso's Black Diamond and give it to Alex Montez, making him the new Eclipso.^[17] This enabled them to save New York City from destruction.^[18]

Death

See also: Infinite Crisis

During the OMAC Project the Freedom Fighters were part of a large last stand of heroes led by Wonder Woman fighting against the O.M.A.C. threat.^[19] The beginning of Infinite Crisis saw them investigating a warehouse outside of Metropolis for leads in an ongoing conspiracy investigation. They were ambushed by the Secret Society of Super-Villains on a mission to capture the Ray. Black Condor was murdered by Sinestro and Human Bomb was pounded to death by Bizarro. Cheetah smelled Phantom Lady through her invisibility and Deathstroke stabbed her through the chest with his power lance. Her last words were asking him why, and he responded that it was just business.^[20] Perry White later told Lois Lane at the Daily Planet that their corpses had been found strung up on the Washington Monument. This was intended to send a message. Uncle Sam was also revealed to have gone missing.^[21]

Her successor was Stormy Knight, a brilliant scientist and celebrity debutante actress. Stormy was originally a member of the government organization S.H.A.D.E. led by Father Time and first appeared during the Battle for Bludhaven.^[22]

Blackest Night

Black Lantern Phantom Lady 01 — Black Lantern Corps

Main article: Blackest Night

Blackest Night saw many former heroes and villains resurrected as zombies by power rings controlled by the entity Nekron, forming the Black Lantern Corps. Dee Tyler was one of many brought back from the dead.^[23] In New York City the Justice Society of America fought against many of its deceased members, and she was part of that battle. Damage smacked her down repeatedly.^[24] This event ended when the power of the Entity resurrected Black Hand and severed Nekron's connection to the mortal realm, reverting the zombies back to their natural uncorrupted form and laying the dead to rest again.^[25]

Powers and Abilities

Abilities

Savate: Phantom Lady is highly trained in French kick-boxing.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Black Light Ray: Dee's devices were incorporated into her costume.
- Illusion Casting
- Invisibility

Black Ray Goggles: Dee's devices were incorporated into her costume.

Notes

Phantom Lady was originally designed as a character that could support an ongoing feature or series when she debuted in Action Comics Weekly. This never caught on and she ended up making mostly guest appearances and cameos in other titles throughout her career. This is why many plot elements from her origin story, including characters such as Albert Tyler, Beau Tyler, Edwin Guerrehart, Marie Saloppe, Roger Richter, Sarah Moss and the Thousand Eyes were never expanded upon.

Trivia

Phantom Lady once did a mission for Oracle and the Birds of Prey, auditioning for a position on the team. Her hesitation against a group of children bred as deadly killers almost cost her life, although she was rescued by Black Canary.^[26]

External Links

Phantom Lady at Wikipedia.org

Footnotes

Freedom Fighters member

This character is or was a member of the Freedom Fighters, a team of American super-heroes who fight threats to the nation and its ideals under the leadership of Uncle Sam. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the "Freedom Fighters members" category.

Justice Society of America member
This character is or was a primary member of the Justice Society of America in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice Society of America members" category.

Black Lantern Corps member
This character is or was a member of the Black Lantern Corps. Those who have died may wield the Black Power Ring, symbolizing their lack of both life and emotion.
This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Black Lantern Corps members category."

[1] Action Comics Weekly #636

[2] Action Comics Weekly #637

[3] Action Comics Weekly #638

[4] Action Comics Weekly #639

[5] Action Comics Weekly #640

[6] Action Comics Weekly #641

[7] The Flash (Volume 2) #29

[8] Doom Patrol (Volume 2) #29

[9] Starman (Volume 1) #36-37

[10] Starman (Volume 1) #38

[11] Starman (Volume 1) #39

[12] Guy Gardner: Warrior #29

[13] Guy Gardner: Warrior #39

[14] Starman (Volume 2) #56

[15] JSA: Our Worlds at War #1

[16] Wonder Woman (Volume 2) #175

[17] JSA #49

[18] JSA #50

[19] OMAC Project #6

[20] Infinite Crisis #1

[21] Infinite Crisis #2

[22] Battle for Blüdhaven #2

[23] Blackest Night #2

[24] Blackest Night #4

[25] Blackest Night #8

[26] Birds of Prey #110

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