is for Madame Xanadu.
Now, this is one of the more obscure (at least to me) characters I've come across and I only, really, chose her because (believe it or not) characters that begin with "X" are sort of scarce. I mean, sure, I could have maybe done the "X"-Men...I did a group for "L"...but with all their movie exposure, Professor Xavier's most gifted of students aren't really that obscure these days.
Anywho....Madame Xanadu debuted in the D.C Comics series Doorway to Nightmare #1 (February,1978) as a "hostess", of sorts, for the last book in D.C.'s "mystery" line of books and was a forerunner to their Veritgo line.
The youngest sister of Arthurian legends Morgaine Le Fay and Viviene (the Lady of the Lake) the family were descendants of the lost tribe of Atlantis....a race known as Homo Magi, due to their affinity for practicing magic. Due to her Atlantean heritage, she was very long lived and traveled the world for many years and becoming the adviser to many rulers. One of these rulers was Kublai Khan and his court at Xanadu...where she took her current name from.
While not strictly an 'adventuring' superhero, per se', Xanadu possesses a vast array of mystical powers.
- Sensitivity to the occult and other mystical phenomena
- Can use tarot cards to sense and interpret the future
- Can banish demons
- Levitate object
- Teleport herself and others.
Xanadu is also immortal after beating Death in a game of cards.
Madame Xanadu has resurfaced in D.C.'s newest continuity as a member of Justice League Dark and, once again, an adviser to the mystical community.
After our day off tomorrow, "Y" not stop back on Monday to see who else I dig up?
