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MISTY COLLINS

Real Name: Misty Collins

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: High school student, model, actor

Group Membership: Shady Hollow High School student cohort, cast of "As the Cookie Crumbles" TV show (WOW Television)

Affiliations: Billy Active (loose), Shirelle Brown, Amelia Calhoun, Cuddles (cat), Anton DeCarlo, Jane Fisher, Lake Lovelock, Spike Mahoney, Ricky Martin, Miny & Mo, R.J. Rittenhouse, Jane Rosen

Enemies: Darlene Dunderbeck (rival)

Known Relatives: Michael Spenser Collins (father), George Henry Peter Collins (grandfather), Nancy Lisbeth Collins (grandmother), Geraldine Collins (aunt), Millicent "Millie" Collins (aunt), Waldo Collins (uncle); Mill Collins (cousin), Pingi Raghu (foster cousin); Evelyn Collins (great-aunt); Charlie Collins, Dee-Dee Collins, Phil Collins (cousins-once-removed)

Aliases: Mall Girl (briefly)

Base of Operations: Shady Hollows, New York State, USA

First Appearance: Misty#1 (December, 1985)

Powers/Abilities: Misty is a very friendly, respectful and outgoing teenage girl with a good level of fitness. She has hopes of becoming a future movie star and has novice acting skills, and is enthusiastic about trying new things. Inspired by her aunt, she is very aware of current fashion trends and has novice haircutting skills. Misty has a sizable fashion clothing wardrobe (and may possibly create some of her own stylized clothes). She very briefly wore a colorful tunic that gave the ability to fly and gave her enhanced strength. She collects Millie comics.

Height: 5'2"
Weight: 120 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond

History:

(Misty#1) - Misty slept in and dreamed of being a big movie star, but this made her late getting ready for school. Despite her aunt Millie's protestations, Misty skipped breakfast and ran off for school in reverie of winning the Ms. Heaventeen Talent Contest, which included a role in the "As the Cookie Crumbles" TV light drama show. Misty met her friends Spike and Shirelle, and compared ideas for the contest. Misty tried to warn her rich rival Darlene that she was leaning on wet paint, but Darlene rudely brushed her off. Later in History class, the rivals' bickering earned them extra homework. The next night, she had prepared her Shakespeare soliloquy for the contest, but her faulty dress led to dramatic alternative outfit trials until Aunt Millie supplied an old but spectacular modeling gown. Held at the school, the contest featured a range of performance types, but Misty's act was chosen as the winner. Misty was thrilled to meet the TV show's star Ricky Martin, who she already greatly admired. But jealous Darlene had her rich father intervene and had Darlene secretly installed in the part instead, much to the shock of Misty. Director Anton DeCarlo could only offer Misty a small part. Misty scolded Ricky, thinking he knew something about it, but he encouraged her to prove her acting skills. Darlene tried to sabotage Misty's scene with a banana peel, but it added humor that DeCarlo liked, so he ensured Misty had a major role, Misty was jubilant and clumsily scampered off to tell her father and aunt.

(Misty#2/1 (fb) - BTS) - Misty's father, a teacher at her school, warned Misty that she would have to give up acting on the TV show if her grades suffered.

(Misty#2/1) - Misty rushed in early to school to make up for lost schoolwork due to acting, but literally ran into Ricky who had brought updated scripts for her. They parted and Ricky's friendliness left Misty dazed in romance and oblivious to her friends passing by, which annoyed them. Misty discovered new student Jane Rosen upset and bewildered at her new surroundings and maths curriculum. Misty took gave Jane fashion advice and maths tutoring, which boosted Jane's confidence. Deliberately misled by the spiteful Darlene, Spike and Shirelle initially thought Misty had become too haughty from TV to associate with them until they saw Jane thanking Misty for her help, and all was resolved.

(Misty#2/2) - As usual, Misty volunteered to help the Shady Hollow Library with their Halloween afternoon program for children, telling them of the local legend of the ghostly Horseless Horseman of Shady Hollow. Listening nearby, Darlene went off to make a failed attempt as a ghost to scare Misty. Later that night, Misty and the other students enjoyed a costume party at the school gym up to midnight.

(Misty#2/3) - Misty auditioned well for a part in a school production of West Side Story. Confusion over modern slang terms allowed Misty to secretly criticize Darlene's overly dramatic performance.

(Misty#3/1) - While cameras rolled for the TV show, Misty and Darlene appeared best of friends, but once they stopped, the bickering quickly escalated; however, the two stopped starstruck when they heard international beauty star Lake Lovelock would be on the next week to film a "hot" scene with star Ricky. Both girls felt that Ricky would only have eyes for Lake, so Darlene pushed Misty into a pact to ruin Lake's secret scene. The following week, Darlene's nasty plans made Misty rethink her jealousy as she found she liked the friendly Lake. Much to Darlene's chagrin, Misty let Lake use her wardrobe when Lake's was damaged by Darlene. Starstruck by Lake's boyfriend rock star Billy Active, Lake invited her to visit Los Angeles. Darlene secretly left Billy Active concert tickets in Ricky's room, expecting him to ask her along, but Ricky instead chose Misty. Weeks later, Misty watched the TV show with her aunt and father and discovered the secret "hot" scene between Ricky and Lake was one involving actual fire.

(Misty#3/2) - After a chatty school-night get-together before Christmas at Misty's, Spike and Shirelle walked home but deliberately took a longer route to avoid a would-be haunted house where the elderly Amelia Calhoun lived. But on Saturday, an incorrectly delivered envelope saw Misty take responsibility to hand deliver the letter. Despite her two friends emphasizing the place's supposed haunted nature, Misty went ahead and found the door open. Calhoun lay on the floor unconscious so the girls took her to her bedroom and nursed her back to health with Millie's soup. Calhoun admitted she also thought the house was haunted, but the girls discovered it was only a small family of raccoons. The letter was from Calhoun's grandson who soon arrived, and Misty's family, friends and newfound friends enjoyed a Christmas gathering.

(Misty#4/1) - Ricky invited Misty to the TV show's cast party but she had to decline as she was babysitting rowdy twins Miny and Mo. She calmed the young boys with an impromptu fairy tale type story (that placed Misty as a ragged scullery maid rescued by a prince (Ricky) against a wicked queen (Darlene)). At the tale's end, Ricky coincidentally arrived with a picnic hamper and music so they could enjoy time together (which they both mutually but silently wanted).

(Misty#4/2) - Millie found a portfolio book of her aunt from her younger modeling days showcasing stylized hair from that era. Misty was surprised with the hair trends but soon left with Spike, who was sporting a new bold red spiky hairdo.

(Misty#4/3) - Aunt Millie accompanied Misty into New York City for a fashion shoot as part of her earlier contest win. She met Heaventeen Magazine editor Jane Fisher and happily tried on many outfits for the photo shoot. However, Fisher felt that an older motherly type of woman was also needed; Misty suggested her aunt instead of another model and the magazine quickly agreed due to Millie's reputation. The photo shoot continued but focused on Millie, much to Misty's disappointment, although the teenager's photo shoot was rescheduled to continue the next day. Initially very upset, Misty soon realized how much her aunt had enjoyed the afternoon.

(Misty#5/1) - In the school gym change-room, bickering between Misty and Darlene resulted in them mixing up their shorts; Misty mistakenly too Darlene's larger shorts while Darlene took Misty's slimmer-sized shorts. Each thought their weight had suddenly shifted and sharply changed their diet accordingly; Misty ate much more while Darlene cut back. A Heaventeen article made Misty quietly concerned she had anorexia. A week went by and at the next gym class, each girl discovered the mix-up; however, their personal weight had already shifted and their own shorts no longer fitted properly, so they returned to their usual eating habits.

(Misty#5/2) - Millie gave away a few old fashionable clothes from her old modeling days to a thrift shop. Unaware, Misty, Spike and Shirelle excitedly bought several of them the next day.

(Misty#5/3) - Misty canceled dinner at home at the last minute so she could join Spike and Shirelle at the new pizzeria at the mall. The girls chose to play arcade games first and got hooked on a shopping game. They bumped into Darlene, who challenged Misty to a game that she had already secretly mastered and trounced Misty. After the long evening, they went home, having forgotten to eat pizza.

(Misty#6/1) - On the TV show set, Misty and Darlene bickered with each other until DeCarlo advised them of script changes. He introduced them to writers Bert and Harry, who told the girls of an impending on-screen marriage to Ricky's character. Darlene was excited until it was revealed that Misty was chosen. Delighted, Misty told her aunt and father, and was fitted for the wedding dress the next day. But then the scriptwriters changed their mind and went with Darlene's character as the bride and Misty's character as the bridesmaid. However, both bickering rivals then discovered that the scriptwriters had elected that the newlywed wife disappears in the Amazon jungle and suddenly neither wanted the part as they both wanted to continue acting with Ricky. Instead, the bride chosen was Lake Lovelock and the two girls were happily bridesmaids (but Misty secretly wished that she would marry Ricky one day).

(Misty#6/2) - In June, Misty, Spike and Shirelle were again clothes shopping and came across an apparently new shop "Boutique Magique"; they all tried on cheaply priced clothes but it was only Misty who bought a bold superhero-style outfit with two lightning bolt logos on it. She chose to wear the clothing home and the friends parted ways. On her walk, Misty saw a child in trouble and instinctively flew to save him from a car. Seeing Darlene in strife with her bucking horse, Misty again flew and calmed the horse, forcing the creature to a stop. Soon after, she stopped a mugging by punching out the thug with her newfound enhanced strength. Misty flew off again, thinking herself a super-heroine, and called herself Mall Girl. But landing was difficult and she fell in mud, requiring a clean. Later at school, she thought of future super-hero activities. Back home, her "super" tunic had dried but faded in the wash and the lightning bolts had disappeared. She found she was no longer able to fly and rushed to the mall to the clothes shop, but it had also vanished, apparently replaced with a cake shop.

(Misty#6/3) - Hearing poodle skirts were the latest fashion, Darlene rushed out and got a tiny skirt for her now-grumpy poodle. Misty was astonished at the sight and Darlene's explanation (given that a poodle skirt is actually a wide swing skirt from the 1950s popular with teenage girls, especially for dancing).

 

Comments: Created by Trina Robbins.

Misty's town of Shady Hollows was described as a 2-hour drive from New York City.

The super-powered tunic tale could have been all in Misty's head, but Shirelle also recalled the unusual clothing store afterward, despite the cake store attendant saying his cakery had been there for seven years. Misty also absent-mindedly mentions Kitty Pryde in the story as if she's a known super-hero.

As with the classic "Millie the Model" and similar comics, the issues included full pages of paper dolls that could be cut out and preprinted clothes attached; the themed clothing designs were usually submissions (really in Misty's case, in case you were skeptical like me) and featured all the major characters. Creator Trina Robbins had much admiration for the original "Millie the Model" comics. Issue #5 had a retro sci-fi theme costume doll, with one strongly reminiscent of the classic In-Betweener look (the cosmic Marvel being) (design submitted by Casey Robbins) while #6 had super-hero theme with a hint of the New Universe's Justice lightning bolt on a design submitted by Jeff Tompkins "Mr. O" of Mile High Comics, as well as a Quicksilver lightning bolt sweater by Bill Walko.

While Misty's father's first name is not revealed in the comic, perusing Millie Collins' entry in the Official Handbook reveals that Michael bears a striking resemblance to Misty's father. Of minor note is that he reads the Daily Bugle newspaper in issue #5.

Thanks to Stuart Vandal for extrapolating the more distant members on her family tree. He notes that Millie has a LOT of cousins, but it's difficult to determine on which side of the family if they have different surnames.

The comic cover reads "Meet Misty", but the comic title in the indicia is "Misty".

Reviews for this comic title were mixed; it generated considerable fan mail, but sales were low as direct market comic shops were uninterested in stocking female-oriented comics (according to the Wikipedia entry). As such, sales weren't strong enough to justify further issues beyond the limited series. Of note is that Mike Mignola (who drew the 1985 Rocket Raccoon limited series) contributed raccoons (which lived in a house on "Mignola Drive") to one panel in the third issue (1986).

Marvel's "15-Love" comic miniseries of 2011 seemed almost like a reboot of Misty, placing the teen-aged girl Mill coping with different demands (high school and tennis, compared to Misty's high school and acting) and mentored by Aunt Millie. Stuart Vandal adds: In many ways Dee-Dee Collins [Millie's cousin introduced in Millie the Model I#148 (1967)] is Misty's prototype as the "young girl just getting into the fashion industry: character.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Misty Collins has no known connections to:

Amelia Calhoun

The elderly and frail Amelia Calhoun lived in a house on Mignola Drive near Misty. She was poor and couldn't get out of the house, so she used her furniture for firewood to keep warm in winter. The empty house spooked some people, including Misty's friends Shirelle and Spike, who thought the house haunted. Near Christmas, a letter from Amelia's grandson was mistakenly delivered to Misty, so she hand-delivered it, despite her friends' paranoia. Misty found the door unlocked and saw Amelia collapsed on the floor. The girls nursed her back to health with Misty's aunt Millie's soup and new firewood. Amelia also thought the house haunted due to sounds in the attic, but the girls discovered it was just a family of raccoons. Later, Amelia and her grandson enjoyed Christmas celebration with Misty and her family and friends. Amelia's grandson would take care of her and study at Misty's school.

 

 

 

 

 

--Misty#3/2

Jane Fisher

Jane Fisher was the editor of Heaventeen Magazine located in the Heaventeen Building in New York City. She was a judge at the Ms. Heaventeen Talent Contest held at Shady Hollow High School. Fisher was moved by Misty's Shakespeare soliloquy performance and Misty won. The prize included a photo shoot for Heaventeen Magazine and she welcomed Misty upon her arrival, also making suggestions and agreeing to use Misty's aunt Millie when a motherly figure was required to add to the images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

--Misty#1 (4/3

Jane Rosen

Jane Rosen was a new student at Shady Hollow High School. Her father had been unemployed for six months until he scored a job at the school so they moved there. But that time without work left them poor and Jane had no new clothes and fell behind in her studies with the move. She felt like an outsider and less intelligent with an impending test, and sobbed in the girls toilet, which is when Misty heard her and investigated. Misty listened to the younger girl and it seemed Misty's first thought was that Jane needed a fresh new haircut. Helpful Misty then tutored Jane in the lunchbreak so that Jane was better prepared for the math test. That night, Misty gave Jane a new hair style, which boosted Jane's self-confidence. The next day, Jane thanked Misty with positive results already coming in.

 

 

 

 

 

--Misty#2/1

images: (without ads)
Misty#2/1, p3, pan1 (main image)
Misty#4/1, p1, pan1 (headshot)
Misty#5/1, p2, pan5 (school sports outfit)
Misty#6, p19 (paper doll cutouts)
Misty#3/2, p6, pan2 (Calhoun)
Misty#4/3, p4, pan1 (Fisher)
Misty#2/1, p5, pan3 (Jane Rosen, sad headshot)
Misty#2/1, p9, pan6 (Jane Rosen, happy, new look)

Appearances:
Misty#1 (December, 1985) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti (editor)
Misty#2/1, 2/2, 2/3 (February, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti (editor)
Misty#3/1, 3/2 (April, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Mike Mignola (one panel contribution), Ann Nocenti (editor)
Misty#4/1, 4/2, 4/3 (June, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti (editor)
Misty#5/1, 5/2, 5/3 (August, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti (editor)
Misty#6/1, 6/2, 6/3 (October, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti (editor)

Issue #1's release date was about August 9, 1985, so happy 40th birthday, Misty!

First posted: 08/09/2025
Last updated: 08/09/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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