Who the Clix? Monica Rambeau
Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.
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Appearances in Heroclix: Empyre, Avengers Infinity, Age of Ultron: SOP, Giant-Size X-Men, Sinister
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 (October 1982)
Team Affiliations: Nextwave, Avengers, Mighty Avengers, Ultimates, S.W.O.R.D.
Aliases: Captain Marvel, Photon, Pulsar, Daystar, Spectrum
Powers: Energy absorption, generation and manipulation, Ability to travel at speeds up to the speed of light while in her energy form, convert her body into any form of energy within the electromagnetic spectrum and travel in energy form through the vacuum of space, Intangibility
Created by: Roger Stern and John Romita Jr.
Artwork and character is copyright/trademark Marvel; used under Fair Use
Monica Rambeau is born in New Orleans, Louisiana and has a normal life. She joins the New Orleans Harbor Patrol and is promoted to lieutenant. While investigating a dangerous experimental weapon, Monica is exposed to a large amount of extra-dimensional energy. This results in her being able to convert herself in a pure energy form as well as generating, absorbing and manipulating external energy. The local media begins calling her Captain Marvel. She soon meets Iron Man and Spider-Man who help her avert disaster from her uneducated use of her new powers. Determined to use them for good, she decides to become a superhero and use the Captain Marvel name.
Monica seeks out the Avengers for help in learning to control her new powers and becomes a member in training. Captain America and the Wasp take on mentor roles for the younger Monica and she quickly becomes a full fledged Avenger. She goes on to aid Dr. Strange, the Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man and Starfox in several adventures. Early foes of hers are Moonstone and Blackout. They join Helmut Zemo's Masters of Evil and help invade Avengers Mansion, trapping Monica in the Darkforce dimension in the process. Monica is able to escape with the help of The Shroud and joins the other Avengers in repelling the foes. Monica also battles Nebula and becomes trapped in space for a period of time.
When the Wasp steps down as Avengers chairperson, Monica steps up. She leads the Avengers in conflicts with the X-Men, the Olympians and the Super-Adaptoid. Her superhero career and nearly her life ended in the battle against Leviathan, the transformed Marrina. Monica becomes a bolt of lightning to defeat the beast and accidentally contacts the water, conducting herself so widely she barely pulls herself back together. When she does, she is a withered older version of herself, devoid of powers.
Monica retires from the Avengers and takes time for herself, with her health, youth and eventually powers returning. She resumes crime fighting and starts up a charter ship business. Though she remains a reserve member of the Avengers, she helps them in some of their greatest conflicts including an Atlantean invasion, the Acts of Vengeance, Terminus Factor and Kree-Shi'ar War. When Genis-Vell, son of the original Captain Marvel, begins adventuring he adopts the moniker of his father. Though Monica resents this at first, she eventually accepts it and begins calling herself Photon.
After the Avengers return from Franklin Richards' pocket dimension following their battle against Onslaught, they are trapped in a world formed by Morgan Le Fay. Monica is one of the first Avengers to break free of Morgan and realize the truth. She is later transported to Arkon's world alongside the Black Knight. After returning home, Monica's mother begins to intercept Monica's calls from the Avengers in order to try and protect her daughter. Monica eventually learns of this and has a heart to heart with her mother. After aiding the Avengers in more adventures, including the Kang War, Genis-Vell decides to steal Monica's alias again. Monica takes the high road and lets him have her code name, again, and begins calling herself Pulsar.
Monica helps Captain America during the Superhero Civil War but registers for the Initiative after Capt. surrenders. She helps Brother Voodoo, a former romantic partner, and attends Emma Frost's Las Vegas birthday party, helping Frankie Raye.
Monica decides to adopt a new moniker and costume, calling herself Spectrum. She goes on to be the field leader of Luke Cage's Mighty Avengers. After the restoration of the multiverse, Monica joins her old teammate Blue Marvel on the new Ultimates team and is instrumental in transforming Galactus into a bringer of life.