History:
STEPHANIE HARRINGTON
Real Name: Stephanie "Stephie" Ann Lindquist Harrington
Identity/Class: Alternate reality (New Universe) human paranormal
Occupation: Housewife, former C.I.A. operative
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record
Group Membership: Formerly C.I.A., the Clinic for Paranormal Research's Therapy Group C (Charlotte Beck, Lenore Fenzl, Dave Landers, Randy O'Brien, Scuzz/Dennis Cuzinski, Jeff Walters)
Affiliations: Charlotte Beck, Jacob Burnley, Captain Manhattan, Chrome, the Cure (William Wexler), Lenore Fenzl, Lou Givens, Ben Harrington, Emily Harrington, Jill Harrington, Keso, Kickers, Inc. (Dallas Corbin, Darlene Magniconte, Jack Magniconte, Thomas Smythe, Buford Wohl), Rev. Armand Koehn, Dave Landers, Mr. Meinke, Metallurge, Randy O'Brien, Quasar (Wendell Vaughn), Scuzz, Dr. Jane Semple, Sponge (Merriam Sorensen), Wade, Jeff Walters, Thelma Walters
Enemies: Bernard, Bloodhound (Edward Zentner), Deadweight, Irene Dobish, Famileech, Fraley, Chuck Harrington, Lezar, Maiscott, Perricone, Pinhead, Price, Receptor, Regulator, Reinforcer, Seka, Shrapnel (Leland Sharp), Skeevo gang, Spotty, Vice Versa (Geraldine Rumlow), Philip Nolan Voigt, West
Known Relatives: Benjamin Harrington (son), Emily Harrington (daughter), Jill Harrington (daughter), Charles "Chuck" Harrington (husband), Helen Harrington (mother-in-law)
Aliases: Viva, Glitter
Base of Operations: Soho, Manhattan, New York, USA;
formerly Camp Peary, Maryland, USA;
formerly the Clinic for Paranormal Research, south of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA;
formerly Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA
Place of Birth: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, May 20, 1956
Extent of Education: High school (class of 1974)
Religion: Episcopalian (practicing)
First Appearance: D.P.7 I#1 (November, 1986)
Powers/Abilities: Stephanie's body produces an abundance of an unidentified form of energy which grants her superhuman strength, agility, reflexes and the ability to accelerate the healing processes of both her own body and those of others. This energy manifests itself as sparkles of light which form and decay around her. She can lift approximately 1 ton and run at 40 miles per hour. She can exert at peak efficiency for several hours since her body's paranormal energy prevents the manufacture of natural fatigue poisons in muscle tissue. Her reflexes and reaction time are about twice as fast as the average human. Her body can accelerate its natural healing process to at least ten times as fast as the nromal rate of healing. A cut or abrasion that would take a week to fully heal she can cause to heal in less than a minute. A broken bone that would take over a month to heal she can heal in less than a day. It it not yet known if she could recover from a near-fatal wound, such as a bullet through the heart or toxic doses of poison. It once took her eight months to recover from head trauma; while brain damage was suspected, it isn't known if she caused brain cells to regenerate or if she simply taught other cells to take on the fuctions of the damaged ones. She has a very strong immune system, making her highly resistant to all diseases and viruses. She cannot regenerate missing limbs or organs. By placing her hands on other people's wounds, Stephanie acts as a catalyst to accelerate other people's natural healing processes. She can fully heal small cuts and abrasions with simple pressure for less than a minute. She can cause broken bones to heal, but they will heal in whatever position they're in at the time she touches them. She can eliminate aches and pains with a touch. She can only accelerate te natural processes of a body; she cannot help a body do anything it cannot do by itself. Consequently, she cannot help another person combat certain diseases of the immune system and her touch may in fact promote the proliferation of disease through the body. She cannot control her body's healing effect; whenever she touches another being, the process occurs. However, through concentration she can accelerate the process further. The sparkles her body produces are some form of bioluminescence possibly akin to that produced by fireflies. They produce light but no heat. A given sparkle lasts no more than two seconds before it fades. Her body produces these sparkles constantly, even when she is asleep. The greater her exertion, the more light-flashes are produced. When she promotes healing in others, a cascade of sparkles are produced at the interface of her skin and the other person's. The luminosity given off by her body varies from .5 candlepower when she is at rest to an observed maximum of 500 candlepower when she is at peak exertion.
As a former cheerleader in high school, Stephanie is naturally athletic, coordinated and graceful. She can perform complicated sequences of gymnastic movements with practice. She has also received martial arts training in Jeet Kune Do and has earned a green belt. Stephanie eventually learned first aid so that she could use her parability to heal others more effectively. Stephanie's parability made her immune to Lenore Fenzl's fatigue-inducing parability.
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 135 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde
History:
(Official Timeline of the New Universe) - On July 22, 1986, Stephanie Harrington was watching television at her home in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and noticed the White Event outside her window. She didn't realize this cosmic phenomena was caused by the Star Brand and transformed her into a paranormal.
(D.P.7 Annual I#1) - On August 13, 1986, Stephanie was ironing in her house in Sheboygan, Wisconsin while her youngest daughter Jill was playing. As Stephanie's paranormal abilities caused by the White Event began to manifest, she produced sparks of energy that affected Jill, giving Jill so much energy that she jumped on top of a bookcase. When the sparks' effects faded, Jill was frightened and Stephanie helped her down. Stephanie was confused by this manifestation of her new powers and was unaware the ghostly paranormal the Witness had silently observed the entire event.
(D.P.7 I#1 (fb) - BTS/Kickers, Inc. I#5 (fb)) - In time, Stephanie noticed all three of her children and her husband Chuck were demonstrating more hyperactivity than usual. She began to realize she was a paranormal. Chuck was put-off by Stephanie's powers and sent her to a doctor but the doctor couldn't find anything wrong with her. Finally, Chuck learned of the Clinic for Paranormal Research. On September 13, 1986, Chuck left their children with his mother, Helen, then brought Stephanie to the Clinic for an appointment. After examining her, the Clinic's staff told Stephanie she required long-term therapy. Chuck signed commitment papers and told Stephanie not to return home until she was cured. On September 23, 1986, the Clinic assigned Stephanie to Therapy Group C.
(D.P.7 I#1) - On September 29, 1986, Therapy Group C met at the Clinic under Dr. Jane Semple's supervision as she introduced new patients Randy O'Brien and Dave Landers to the group. The other members were Charlotte Beck, Lenore Fenzl, Scuzz and Jeff Walters. After observing the pain Dave Landers was due due to the new muscles he'd developed, Stephanie used her parability to relieve some of his pain. Dave was immediately smitten with Stephanie, although she didn't recognize it.
The members of Therapy Group C continued to bond over the weeks that followed and Stephanie continued to use her parability on Dave to help him manage his pain. On October 19, 1986, Randy discovered the Clinic's staff were making plans to brainwash them. Regulator took Randy away to silence him but the rest of Therapy Group C learned what had happened from Dave. As they debated in the Clinic's hallways whether to save Randy and leave the Clinic, Stephanie refused to leave because Chuck made it clear he wouldn't take her back until she was cured. Suddenly, a team of Clinic security personnel entered the hallway armed with tranquilizer guns. When they opened fire at the group, Dave used his body to shield Stephanie from their darts and Lenore used her parability to freeze them in place. The group went to rescue Randy from Regulator but he used his own parability to regulate physiological reactions upon them, overwhelming Stephanie's "pleasure button." However, Dave overcame the pain Regulator put him through and struck him down, cancelling his parability's effects. When all seven of the group members had revived they resolved to break out of the Clinic and fled into the night.
(D.P.7 I#2) - The seven went through the woods and to the highway. Thinking Stephanie's lovely figure would make her an attractive hitchhiker, Randy encouraged her to thumb down a big rig that was coming down the highway. Stephanie was reluctant to do so but when the driver refused to stop she was offended all the same. Eventually a bus came by and Charlotte used her parability to stop it, then Lenore paralyzed the people aboard so they could commandeer the vehicle. When Jeff fell unconscious from hunger due to his body's enhanced metabolism. Stephanie used her parability to give him more energy. Jeff used his tremendous speed to steal a large amount of fast food to feed both himself and the others. As they continued toward Dave's mobile home, Scuzz suggested they start using code names. Stephanie had never read comic books and had no idea what her's should be but Lenore suggested "Viva" because she adds "life, invigoration, vitality!"
Three miles from Dave's mobile home the group left the bus and continued on foot. However, they were ambushed by Bloodhound, Shrapnel and Vice Versa, three paranormal headhunters working for the Clinic. Bloodhound shot Lenore, Stephanie, Jeff and Dave with tranquilizer darts but Stephanie's parability caused her to quickly revive and she used her sparks to revive Jeff. Stephanie attacked Bloodhound with a cheerleading kick but his superior hand-to-hand combat skills enabled him to outfight her and knock her out again. Charlotte ultimately saved them all and when they had all revived and incapacitated the three headhunters they continued toward the mobile home.
(D.P.7 I#3) - In the early hours of October 21, 1986, Randy and Stephanie left the others at Dave's mobile home and telephoned the police, claiming to be a couple who were attacked in the woods by hunters. Randy and Stephanie led the police to where they had left Bloodhound, Shrapnel and Vice Versa tied up, but the trio had revived, untied themselves and left. The police grew suspicious of Randy and Stephanie, as they couldn't explain why they were on private land and had no car. One of them wondered if they were involved in the stolen bus found nearby and decided to take them in for questioning. Randy and Stephanie resisted the police and were joined by Jeff. Unfortunately, in his zeal to aid them, Jeff gave the officers serious concussions and when he grabbed one officer's gun from his hand he tore off his trigger finger. Stephanie used her parability to reattach the finger and heal the concussions but at Randy's direction the three of them brought the injured officers to the nearest hospital.
Returning to Dave's mobile home, Randy told the others it had been a mistake to involve the police. Dave resolved to hit the road by attaching the mobile home to his truck. After driving for the night they stopped to collect groceries. Stephanie tried to prepare a meal but it reminded her of her family and she broke down in tears. After recovering, Stephanie asked to see her family and Dave, still smitten with her, agreed. On their way to Sheboygan, Bloodhound, Shrapnel and Vice Versa pursued them in a police car. When Randy sent his Anti-Body to attack them, their car veered off the road. Randy tried to help them but the others argued against stopping to aid them. Stephanie agreed with Randy but was too timid to speak her mind. Dave and Jeff accompanied Stephanie to her home in Dave's truck and the two men waited outside while Stephanie went to see her family. Stephanie was surprised to find only Chuck at home as Chuck had sent their children to his mother. Stephanie tried to explain the true nature of the Clinic but Chuck demanded she return to them and refused to even touch her, claiming her parability made his skin crawl. Chuck secretly telephoned the Clinic and told them Stephanie was in his house. Chuck delayed Stephanie inside while Bloodhound, Shrapnel and Vice Versa ambushed Dave and Jeff outside. When Bloodhound and Shrapnel entered the Harrington house, Stephanie immediately recognized them and fought back. As both men were trying to conceal their powers while in Chuck's presence, Stephanie easily knocked them around with her superhuman strength. Stephanie fled her home with Jeff and Dave.
(D.P.7 I#4) - On October 25, 1986, Stephanie was still distraught over how her attempt to return to her family had gone. When Randy, Jeff, Charlotte and Scuzz went out to dinner at a restaurant, Dave suggested Stephanie join them because her sparks weren't "that noticeable." Stephanie had Dave dim the lights and showed him that her sparks had been increasing. Previously, she only gave off sparks when she used her parability - now the sparks were present at all times. When Dave suggested the sparks could be romantic, Stephanie flustered and changed the subject. Subsequently, Dave was arrested by a posse who accused him of being "the Wompus," an urban legend of a wild man who mutilated cattle. Stephanie and the others tried to clear Dave's name but their investigations led nowhere so they decided to fake a cattle mutilation. At night, Lenore used her parability to tranquilize a cow then Jeff, garbed in a bear rug, appeared to the cow's owner as "the Wompus," running too fast to be hit by the farmer's shotgun. However, while leaving the farm Jeff stumbled across the actual cattle mutilators, a gang of college students. Jeff frightened them into confessing what they'd done to the authorities, securing Dave's release.
(Untold Tales of the Marvel Universe: D.P.7 I#1) - In late October, 1986, the seven friends helped break up a fight at the Screaming Eagle bar outside of Keshena, Wisconsin but the owner was frightened by their parabilities and told them to leave. Outside, they met Keso, who invited them to stay on the Menominee reservation nearby. Keso revealed he and his sister Seka were paranormals, Keso having the parability to communicate with spirits of the dead and Seka having the parability to raise the dead. Seka had turned against the tribe and used the dead to assault them. Keso asked the seven friends to assist him in confronting his sister. Stephanie wanted to help and Lenore took her side, convincing the others. Finally the seven agreed and fought Seka's reanimated corpses. Randy ultimately halted Seka by using his Anti-Body to jar her out of her rage. The Menominee thanked the seven for their help and they departed the reservation in peace.
(Kickers, Inc. I#5) - On November 2, 1986, Stephanie telephoned her mother-in-law Helen's house and briefly spoke to her son Ben, who informed her he'd asked Kickers, Inc. for help. Stephanie convinced the others to meet with Kickers, Inc. and obtain their help in exposing the Clinic. The Kickers met with the seven friends and heard their story then the four male Kickers went to meet with the Clinic while their business manager Darlene stayed with Stephanie and her friends. However, the Clinic's director, Philip Nolan Voigt and his assistant Reinforcer altered the Kickers' minds so they would see the seven paranormals as threats who needed to be in the Clinic's care. When the Kickers returned they attacked Dave, Jeff, Randy and Scuzz. Stephanie arrived to find Dave had badly beaten the Kickers' leader, Jack Magniconte. Stephanie used her parability to repair Jack's injuries. Realizing the Clinic were bound to have followed the Kickers to their location the seven friends boarded Dave's mobile home and left, although Darlene promised to continue helping Stephanie regain contact with her children.
(D.P.7 I#5) - On November 7, 1986, Stephanie asked Lenore to use her parability on her, hoping she could suppress her own parability. However, as Lenore exposed Stephanie to the full light of parability, Stephanie's sparks grew in intensity as though it were fighting her. She proved unable to tranquilize Stephanie or even reduce the sparks. Later, Jeff informed the group that his mother had suggested they visit an exorcist because their parabilities could be caused by demonic possession. Although previously modest during group discussions, Stephanie took a firm line in the argument that erupted as she stood up to Dave when he, as an atheist, tried to shut down any discussion about the supernatural. When Stephanie noted that science hadn't helped them and they should try religion instead, Dave observer it would mean involving an outsider, which hadn't worked well with Kickers, Inc. When the group asked Scuzz for his viewpoint he lashed out angrily at the group, annoyed at them for not using the aliases he gave them and for trying to get rid of their powers. Scuzz wound up walking on the rest of the group, determined to go solo. When Dave, Jeff and Randy tried unsuccessfully to stop him, Stephanie insisted they let Scuzz leave, believing that his "resistance" would prevent their being cured by the exorcist. Scuzz took his leave.
That evening, Stephanie gathered the other remaining five and led them in prayer, begging God for help and release from their paranormalities. The next day they met Jeff's mother, Thelma; seeing Jeff hug his mother reminded Stephanie of her own children. Thelma brought them to the exoricst, Rev. Armand Koehn. The six paranormals demonstrated their parabilities to Rev. Koehn and although he wasn't certain whether they were possessed by demons he agreed to perform an exorcism and explained what the exorcism would involve. When the exorcism began, Rev. Koehn started praying for each of them but when he touched Randy his Anti-Body emerged and transmitted its memories to him. Realizing the Anti-Body wasn't evil, Rev. Koehn determined they weren't possessed by demons so an exorcism wouldn't help them. Stephanie broke down in tears as they left.
(D.P.7 I#6) - On November 13, 1986, the remaining six in the group decided to split up. Dave traded in his mobile home to his uncle, who generously gave him a Winnebago. Dave, Stephanie and Lenore took the Winnebago to reunite Stephanie with her children while Randy, Jeff and Charlotte kept the truck and went looking for Scuzz. The two groups promised to meet up again within a week.
(D.P.7 I#7) - On December 4, 1986, Stephanie arrived in Sheboygan and picked up Ben from school, bringing him to the Winnebago where Lenore and Dave were waiting. Stephanie insisted she was only taking the chldren on a "vacation" and went to her mother-in-law's house, where Lenore tranquilized Helen while Stephanie retrieved her daughters. However, Chuck arrived at the house and got into a fight outside with Dave that left Chuck badly injured and Dave's head bloodied. As Chuck's bones had been broken Stephanie couldn't heal him but repaired Dave's injury. Lenore tranquilized the children to quiet them, which made Stephanie angry. Lenore called an ambulance for Chuck and they started to leave town in the Winnebago but Stephanie refused to abandon Chuck. Knowing the hospital would set his bones properly, Stephanie insisted Dave drive her to the hospital so she could speed up Chuck's recovery with her parability. Stephanie succeeded in finding Chuck and healing him but when she stepped into an elevator she was ambushed and knocked out by two mercenaries working for the Clinic.
(D.P.7 I#8) - On December 5, 1986, the mercenaries transferred Stephanie into a van bound for the Clinic.
(D.P.7 I#10) - On December 9, 1986, Stephanie, Jeff, Scuzz, Randy, Lenore and Charlotte were all back at the Clinic, where Regulator, Reinforcer and Receptor were combining their parabilities to rewrite their memories of the last few months and render them easier to manage when they were awakened.
(D.P.7 I#11) - Stephanie's parability fought back against sedation and the effects of Regulator, Reinforcer and Receptor's parabilities. Awakening on a gurney, Stephanie saw Reinforcer approaching her with a needle and punched him across the room. Turning to where Lenore was sedated, Stephanie used her sparks to help Lenore's body shrug off its sedatives so she could awaken. However, Regulator entered the room and forced Stephanie to sleep again. Regulator grew increasingly frustrated at how Stephanie kept resisting them. When she began to shrug off yet another session, Regulator decided to give her a heart attack and claim it was an accident. As Regulator started to kill Stephanie, Reinforcer stopped him by placing him into a coma. Stephanie was so weakened from Regulator's attack that her body stopped producing sparks.
(D.P.7 I#12) - When Randy and Dave revived, having avoided reprogramming by Regulator, Reinforcer and Receptor, they found Stephanie was the only one of their number who was still unconscious, due to the trauma Regulator inflcited upon her. Stephanie's sparks still hadn't returned but when Philip Nolan Voigt demonstrated to Dave and Randy how he could copy other people's parabilities, he drew sparks from Stephanie's body then used them to heal an injury he'd just inflicted on Dave.
(D.P.7 I#13) - Stephanie remained comatose in the Clinic.
(D.P.7 I#16) - Stephanie remained in her comatose state while Dave read to her from the book 'the Clan of the Cave-Bear.'
(D.P.7 I#17) - Dave visited Stephanie again, reading to her from 'Valley of the Horses'; he fell asleep in the chair by her bed.
(D.P.7 I#18) - On December 23, 1987, Jeff fled the Clinic to Pittsburgh, which had just been accidentally destroyed by Ken Connell. Dave, Randy, Lenore and Charlote resolved to leave the Clinic to help Jeff. Dave went to see the comatose Stephanie to tell her what was happening. Dave kissed Stephanie's forehead, then left her room; the moment he left, her sparks began to appear again.
(D.P.7 I#19) - Her sparks having faded, Stephanie remained comatose until her husband Chuck visited her and begged her forgiveness for his past actions. Stephanie began to stir from her coma and her sparks resumed.
(D.P.7 I#21) - Fully revived, Stephanie returned to Sheboygan with Chuck and was reunited with their children. They began living together again and Chuck seemed fully reconciled to Stephanie's parability. On January 9, 1988, Stephanie was putting her children to bed with a bedtime story when she suddenly recalled Dave reading to her every night while she was in her coma. After telling her children their story she planned for a romantic evening with Chuck but was interrupted by the arrival of the DDTeens, Scuzz's gang of teenage paranormals, who had fled the Clinic and invited themselves into Stephanie's home.
(D.P.7 I#23) - Stephanie let the DDTeens stay in their basement but Chuck couldn't stand them. On April 24, 1988, Scuzz and Mothball got into a fight and Chuck ordered them out of the house. Stephanie reluctantly obeyed Chuck's directions and helped the DDTeens to the nearest bus station. While waiting for their bus, Major Edward Zentner (whom Stephanie had known as "Bloodhound") and the recently-drafted Dave Landers confronted Stephanie. Zentner wanted Stephanie to "volunteer" to join the U.S. Army so her parability could be used to heal injured soldiers. Stephanie was disgusted to see Dave working with Zentner; remorseful, Dave finally struck Zentner in the back of the head then told Stephanie and Chuck to flee to Canada with their children to escape the Army. Stephanie and Chuck went home to gather the children but found Lenore waiting for them; Lenore asked Stephanie to join the C.I.A., as she had.
(D.P.7 I#24 (fb) - BTS) - Stephanie and her family relocated to the C.I.A.'s special training facility at Camp Peary where she was reunited with Charlotte and fellow Clinic patient Merriam Sorensen, alias "Sponge." Stephanie began training in martial arts as her increased strength and reflexes made her a quick study. Chuck continued to be incredibly supportive of Stephanie, not even complaining that he'd given up his career to be with her at Camp Peary. Stephanie's superior Ms. Dobish asked Stephanie to see Jenny Swensen, a friend of Lenore, Charlotte and Merriam who had been mutated by exposure to water infected by "the Pitt," the cratered remains of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jenny's skin had become covered with a metallic substance. Stephanie tried to heal Jenny but couldn't stop the metal's spread.
(D.P.7 I#24) - A week later, Stephanie's sensei Wade observed her fight two armed men simultaneously and she easily bested them, then used her parability to heal any injuries she created. The next day, Stephanie tried again to cure Jenny but her parability seemed to have no effect as Jenny was now entirely covered in metal. After leaving Jenny, Stephanie was approached by Lou Givens of C.I.A. security who informed Stephanie Chuck had gone to a clinic that day to be tested for AIDS. Returning home, Stephanie confronted Chuck in the privacy of their bedroom and demanded he explain himself. Chuck admitted he had slept with another woman while Stephanie was away; his change of attitude towards her parability happened because he hoped she could heal him.
(D.P.7 I#26) - On August 4, 1988, Stephanie, Jenny, Charlotte, Merriam and Lenore were sent on their first field mission for the C.I.A., in which they were dispatched to investigate a supposed "biological weapon" that had been accidentally released into the Amazon jungle of Brazil. Unknown to the five women, the "weapon' was actually the horrific paranormal the Famileech, an amoeba-like creature that consumed humans, adding to its mass. The women found the remains of a village the Famileech had devastated and made camp nearby. That night, the Famileech attacked them. Although Stephanie's parability didn't lend itself to a long-range attack, she tried to defend herself and Lenore by lighting taking a fiery tree and waving it at the Famileech to drive back its mass. Unfortunately, Lenore tripped and was seemingly consumed by the Famileech. Stephanie finally climbed up into a tree and hid through the night until the Famileech left. Jenny was impressed at Stephanie's prowess, not expecting her parability to be much use against the creature. Stephanie and the others spent hours looking for Lenore but failed to find her and had to return to the USA on their own. Stephanie was particularly upset at losing Lenore.
(D.P.7 I#27) - Stephanie and the others were debriefed by the C.I.A. but the meeting went poorly as Stephanie accused the agency of neglecting to share information about the Famileech. The C.I.A.'s Mr. Bertolutti retorted that their team had failed in their assignment. The meeting was ended abruptly to let everyone cool off. Returning to her home at Camp Peary, Stephanie found a note from Chuck saying since she "refused" to cure him he had run off with the children and she'd never find them. Incensed, Stephanie tore down the house. Jenny came to try and reason with Stephanie but Stephanie lashed out at her, accusing her poor leadership of causing Lenore's death. Stephanie hit Jenny so badly that she started to bleed and finally fell without getting back up. Mortified at her actions, Stephanie took Jenny in her arms to heal her; unknown to her, Jenny had feigned some of her injury to help Stephanie calm down.
(D.P.7 I#28) - On September 19, 1988, Stephanie tracked Chuck down in North Carolina and retrieved the three children from a hotel. Chuck attempted to flee in his car; running and leaping after him, Stephanie caught the car, tore open the roof and dragged Chuck from the vehicle as it went over a cliff. Stephanie brought Chuck to a hospital then planned to leave him permanently. Stephanie also intended to leave the C.I.A. but Jenny found her at the hospital and informed her, Charlotte and Merriam that Philip Nolan Voigt was running for President and the agency wanted them to observe Voigt. The next day, Stephanie, Merriam, Charlotte and Jenny (plus the children) set up a surveillance office across from Voigt's campaign headquarters in Manhattan. Voigt suddenly teleported into their room and placed them under his mental control, telling them not to report anything about him to their superiors, tell no one of meeting him and vote for him in November. On September 22, 1988, Dave Landers and Randy O'Brien arrived in Manhattan and confronted Voigt, both immune to his mind powers. Instead of fighting them, Voigt ordered Stephanie, Jenny, Charlotte and Merriam to attack Dave and Randy. Stephanie fought Dave, gaining the advantage over him because of his restraint. Stephanie was prepared to beat in Dave's head with a parking meter but Voigt didn't want Dave killed. Voigt warned Dave and Randy if they took action against him he would order the four women to kill themselves.
(D.P.7 I#29) - On November 1, 1988, Stephanie was heading back to her group's shared apartment when she was targeted by the paranormal Deadweight, who had been sent by their former boss Irene Dobish, who had been told to cut Charlotte, Jenny, Merriam and Stephanie loose after Voigt complained about them. Deadweight used his parability to exert pressure on Stephanie in an attempt to kill her; by attempting to resist Deadweight with her physical strength, Stephanie put immense stress on her heart. When Randy came to help Stephanie, Deadweight shot him with a sniper rifle. Although wounded, Randy flew away with Stephanie to bring her to a hospital but once away from Deadweight Stephanie soon recovered under her own parability and she healed Randy. She returned to the apartment to find their friends had beaten Deadweight.
(Star Brand I#18) - Stephanie caught the paranormals Pinhead and Spotty mugging a woman in an alley and intervened, easily besting Pinhead. Spotty cast an illusion of himself to make himself appear enormous and threatening. Stephanie summoned Dave and Jenny to fight Spotty but he was ultimately beaten by Jacob Burnley, the present wielder of the Star Brand. They invited Jacob back to their apartment and he explained to their group how he'd seen through Spotty's illusion. Randy and Dave secretly informed Jacob of the threat against the lives of the four women posed by Voigt and Jacob agreed to confront Voigt for them.
(D.P.7 I#30) - On December 15, 1988, Jenny was helping Stephanie and her children bring home a Christmas tree when they were attacked by muggers of the Skeevo gang. Although Stephanie and Jenny easily bested the gang members, one of them grabbed Emily and threatened her with a knife. She was saved by Captain Manhattan, a paranormal who fancied himself a super hero. Captain Manhattan escorted them home and asked the women if they'd like to join his citizen's coalition. Stephanie replied that being a single mother was enough responsibility for her but Jenny was interested. Stephanie was upset by the mugging and grew increasingly determined to leave Manhattan and return to Sheboygan. Randy suggested they all chip in to provide a trip back to Sheboygan but suggested she stay until the following day so her children could enjoy seeing the tree list at Rockefeller Plaza.
The following day, Stephanie brought her children to Rockefeller Plaza. Members of the Para-Troop gang attempted to steal the tree in order to draw out Captain Manhattan for a fight. Stephanie looked after her children while Dave, Randy and Jenny helped save Captain Manhattan. Afterward they invited Captain Manhattan to the apartment for a Christmas party; Stephanie's children were fascinated by Captain Manhattan and hung on his every word. Dave arrived at the party dressed as Santa Claus and gave presents to the children, then gave Stephanie a trip back to Sheyboygan, with himself as chauffeur. Stephanie kissed Dave in response.
(D.P.7 I#31 (fb)) - Dave drove Stephanie and her children back to their home in Sheboygan. He wanted to finally tell her how much he loved her but couldn't get the words out.
(D.P.7 I#32 (fb) - BTS) - Stephanie tried to resume her life in Sheboygan but no one would hire her because of her parability and her children were taunted and bullied at school for being a paranormal's offspring. She decided to return to Manhattan.
(D.P.7 I#32) - On February 23, 1989, Stephanie and the children returned to Manhattan and discovered Dave had become romantically involved with Merriam during the interval. As Stephanie and the children unpacked, Merriam confronted Stephanie in private and suggested she visit the Cure, a paranormal who could remove people's parabilities, then go back to Sheboygan. Stephanie doubted that would help her since her neighbors would never treat her normally again. Merriam finally exploded at Stephanie, accusing her of coming back to come between her and Dave. Stephanie insisted she hadn't but agreed to leave again for Merriam's sake. Stephanie moved herself and the children to a hotel but Dave came in search of her. Dave finally admitted how he felt about her and that he'd only begun a relationship with Merriam because he thought he'd missed his chance with Stephanie. Stephanie had likewise come to love Dave and kissed him, her sparkles glowing with a higher intensity than normal.
Stephanie, Dave, Randy and Charlotte went to Jacob Isaacsen Middle School, where the Cure was offering to remove parabilities through a lottery system; Merriam was the first person cured. When Randy ultimately chose not to lose his parability because he couldn't part with his Anti-Bodies, Stephanie sympathized with him, saying his Anti-Bodies were like his children. When Scuzz attacked and tried to kill the Cure, instead losing his parability, Stephanie healed the Cure's burns. With Charlotte, Dave and Randy, Stephanie took stock of their situation, noting Scuzz and Merriam were cured, Jeff was in the Army and Lenore was "lost." When she asked what they'd do next, Dave suggested ice cream: "My treat."
(The War I#4) - When the entity Starchild used its power to prevent World War III, it spoke to all the people of Earth to explain the Star Brand was responsible for both the White Event and the Pitt and that this would be the last time it used its power to save the Earth, telling people they had to learn to trust the paranormals. Stephanie heard the Starchild's message.
(Quasar I#31 (fb) - BTS) - With the war averted, Jeff reunited with Stephanie and the others in Manhattan, bringing home his army pal Chris Barnett, alias Metallurge. In time, Randy taught Stephanie first aid so she could better wield her healing power on others.
(Quasar I#31) - In 1992, Stephanie met Quasar, a hero from Earth-616 who had been stranded in the omniverse. Stephanie treated his injuries and when he informed them he was from another dimension they dismissed him as a lunatic. When Quasar realized he couldn't return to his own universe he turned to Stephanie and the others for help. Jeff and Captain Manhattan told Quasar about the Star Brand and he resolved to locate its wielder in the hopes of returning to his own reality.
Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Paul Ryan and Romeo Tanghal.
Stephanie received a Marvel Handbook-style profile in D.P.7 I#24.
"D.P.7" was the name of the series the characters from Therapy Group C appeared in but their informal group never went by that name. For that matter, after Lenore gave her the alias "Viva," Stephanie never used it. "Glitter" first appeared as her alias in the profile on the Clinic in D.P.7 I#19 but it wasn't used in a story until Star Brand I#18 when Voigt referred to her by that codename (and she wasn't even in the room at the time!). She finally used the alias on her own in Quasar I#31. Untold Tales of the New Universe: D.P.7 I#1 also used "Glitter," even though the story was set about 2 years before the profile.
Stephanie appeared in D.P.7 I#9 only as a character in Randy O'Brien's mind while he was being reconditioned by Receptor and Reinforcer.
Shortly after D.P.7 was cancelled, Paul Ryan drew two women in Quasar I#4 who looked just like Charlotte and Stephanie. The "Stephanie" character was even wearing a top with a row of stars like the image at the top of this profile!
Stephanie's Earth-15731 counterpart appeared in Exiles I#72.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Stephanie Harrington should not be confused with:
Benjamin ("Ben") was Stephanie and Chuck's eldest child, born in 1978. When Stephanie was sent to the Clinic, Chuck sent all three children to be cared for by his mother, Helen. After Stephanie escaped the Clinic, Ben saw a Kickers, Inc. advertisement on television and contacted them, asking them to help his mother. Although the Kickers were manipulated by the Clinic to see Stephanie and her friends as threats, Darlene Magniconte met with Ben and his siblings to let them know their mother was fine and would come back to them. When the DDTeens came to stay with the Harringtons Ben was interested in them but Chuck ordered Ben to keep away from them. Ben moved with his family to Camp Peary when Stephanie joined the C.I.A. but Chuck kidnapped the children in an attempt to spite Stephanie. Stephanie recovered the children and brought them to Manhattan. When Dave Landers and Randy O'Brien came to stay in the same building, Ben disliked them. When the assassin Deadweight attempted to kill Stephanie, Charlotte, Jenny and Merriam, Ben took Deadweight's sniper rifle and shot him, ending the threat.
--Kickers, Inc. I#4 (Kickers, Inc. I#5 (fb), 4-5, D.P.7 I#7, 8, 11, 21, 24, 28, 29, Star Brand I#18, D.P.7 I#30, 31 (fb), 32
Emily was Stephanie and Chuck's second child, born in 1982. When Stephanie was sent to the Clinic, Chuck sent all three children to be cared for by his mother, Helen. Emily was reunited with her mother when Chuck attempted to reconile with her and joined her parents at Camp Peary when Stephanie joined the C.I.A. Chuck kidnapped Emily and the other children in an attempt to spite Stephanie but Stephanie recovered the children and brought them to Manhattan. When Dave Landers and Randy O'Brien came to stay in the same building, Emily disliked them. Emily was once threatened by a Skeevo gang member who held a knife at her but Captain Manhattan rescued Emily.
--Kickers, Inc. I#5 (Kickers, Inc. I#5 (fb), 5, D.P.7 I#7, 8, 11, 21, 24, 28, 29, Star Brand I#18, D.P.7 I#30, 31 (fb), 32
Jill (nicknamed "Jilly") was Stephanie and Chuck's youngest child, born in 1984. Jill was present on August 2, 1986 when her mother first exhibited her paranormal power to generate invigorating sparks. The energy Jill received from her mother gave her so much energy that she jumped on top of a bookcase. When the sparks wore off, Jill was frightened and her mother had to help her down. When Stephanie was sent to the Clinic, Chuck sent all three children to be cared for by his mother, Helen. Jill was reunited with her mother when Chuck attempted to reconile with her and joined her parents at Camp Peary when Stephanie joined the C.I.A. Chuck kidnapped Jill and the other children in an attempt to spite Stephanie but Stephanie recovered the children and brought them to Manhattan. When Dave Landers and Randy O'Brien came to stay in the same building, Jill disliked them.
--Kickers, Inc. I#5 (D.P.7 Annual I#1, Kickers, Inc. I#5 (fb), 5, D.P.7 I#7, 8, 11, 21, 24, 28, 29, Star Brand I#18, D.P.7 I#30, 31 (fb), 32
images: (without ads)
D.P.7 I#24, Glitter profile (main)
D.P.7 I#24, page 12, panel 2 (face)
D.P.7 I#3, page 5, panel 2-3 (healing sparks)
D.P.7 I#24, page 4, panel 6 (in action)
D.P.7 I#32, page 22, panel 1 (with Dave)
D.P.7 I#7, page 7, panel 4 (Ben)
D.P.7 I#30, page 27, panel 3 (Emily)
D.P.7 I#28, page 2, panel 3 (Jill)
Appearances:
D.P.7 I#1-6 (November, 1986-April, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Romeo Tanghal (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Kickers, Inc. I#4 (February, 1987) - Tom DeFalco (plot), Terry Kavanagh (script), Ron Altaville (plot assist), Howard Bender (layouts), Art Nichols (finishes), Michael Higgins (editor)
Kickers, Inc. I#5 (March, 1987) - Tom DeFalco (plot), Mark Gruenwald (script), Paul Ryan (pencils), Sam DeLarosa (inks), Michael Higgins (editor)
D.P.7 I#7 (May, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils, inks), Romeo Tanghal (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
D.P.7 I#8 (June, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Al Williamson (inks), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
D.P.7 I#10 (August, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
D.P.7 I#11 (September, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Al Williamson (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
D.P.7 I#12-13 (October-November, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
D.P.7 Annual I#1 (1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Lee Weeks (pencils), Tony DeZuniga (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
D.P.7 I#16-19 (February-May, 1988) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
D.P.7 I#21 (July, 1988) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
D.P.7 I#23-24 (September-October, 1988) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
D.P.7. I#26-32 (December, 1988-June, 1989) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Howard Mackie (editor)
Star Brand I#18 (March, 1989) - John Byrne (writer, breakdowns), Tom Morgan (finishes), Howard Mackie (editor)
The War I#4 (1989) - Doug Murray (writer), Tom Morgan (artist), Howard Mackie (editor)
Quasar I#31 (February, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Greg Capullo (pencils), Harry Candelario (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Untold Tales of the New Universe: D.P.7 I#1 (May, 2006) - C. B. Cebulski (writer), Mark Bright (pencils), John Stanisci (inks), Mark Paniccia (editor)
First posted: 09/09/2025
Last updated:
09/09/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel
Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you
should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to http://www.g-mart.com/ for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!