Queen of Fables
| Queen of Fables | |
|---|---|
|
The Queen of Fables, artist Bernard Chang. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | JLA #47, (November 2000) |
| Created by |
Gail Simone (writer) Bryan Hitch (artist) Mark Waid (writer) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Tsaritsa |
| Species | Homo Magi |
| Abilities | Magic, Immortality |
Queen of Fables is a villain who has battled the Justice League, Wonder Woman and Superman. Based on the character of the Queen from "Snow White", the Queen of Fables is the living embodiment of all evil in folklore. She first appeared in JLA #47 (November 2000), and was created by Gail Simone, Mark Waid and Bryan Hitch.
Fictional character biography
The Queen of Fables' was originally a sorceress from another dimension until she was exiled to Earth. She reigned until princess Snow White defied her and she was trapped in the Book of Fables. Snow White used the book to turn fact into fiction and undo all the Queen's terrible acts.
Unfortunately, countless generations later the Queen was unwittingly released from her prison. She transformed Manhattan into an enchanted forest full of fantastic creatures extracted from folk tales. Just after being released she attempted to locate Snow White, mistaking a television for a magic mirror, and ordered it to show her -"The Fairest In The Land." Coincidentally, the TV was currently showing the news, reporting the Justice League's latest battle, and at that moment showing Wonder Woman. Believing the Amazon Princess to be her daughter, she confronts her, forcing her into a deep sleep in an enchanted forest. Fortunately, Aquaman awakens Wonder Woman with his kiss (As he was once a Prince, and is now the King of Atlantis, it counts as a kiss from a Prince), and Batman discovers the book that the Queen had been trapped in. Eventually, the Justice League managed to stop her, by making her realize that she was no longer immortal and eternally beautiful in the real world, and lock her up once more (by trapping her within a book on the United States Tax Code, where she could find nothing imaginative to use as a weapon), undoing her spell again.[1]
Eventually the Queen of Fables awakens and is none too happy. Since being defeated by the Justice League, who placed her in the U.S. tax code manual, she has somehow escaped and now has her sights set on her own Prince Charming, Superman. After transporting Superman to a Kryptonian glass forest, he is able to win his freedom and defeat the Queen (although the effort leaves him weak).[2] She is last seen standing over a young sleeping girl, saying "Sleep well, dear one. Keep me alive. Dream of me. Dream of me."[3]
She returns again after assuming the identity of Laney Kirswel, the film executive in charge of an unauthorized Wonder Woman biography, made mostly of unapproved and slandering materials. She's again able to act in the human world, where she puts Wonder Woman through hellish scenarios, taken from the movie, meant to represent distorted happenings in her life. Diana coaxes her into taking the form of a huge dragon, who she notes is reminiscent of Maleficent, and blinds her with two battle axes, forcing her to flee.[4]
Powers and abilities
The Queen Of Fables is an extremely powerful sorceress and was able to transform Manhattan into an enchanted forest. She can perform virtually any feat and usually has fairy tale creatures such as Dragons, Ogres and Goblins at her command. Once in our world, she managed to unleash various fictional monsters from other stories to use against the Justice League. She is also immortal and cannot be killed while she resides within her story book. Fighting her was essentially like fighting a dark and twisted fairy tale from the inside.
In other media
- According to Gail Simone, had she scripted another episode for Justice League Unlimited, the Queen of Fables would have been the main antagonist.[5]
- Queen of Fables appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold issue 5. She ends up abducting children (whose tears keep her young and beautiful) and runs afoul of Batman and Captain Marvel.