TRISH STARR

Real Name: Patricia Starr

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Unrevealed;
formerly community planner, artist, fashion model, musician, student

Group Membership: None;
formerly "Dune People"

Affiliations: David Anthony, Rhonda Barnett, Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell), Danny, Defenders (Clea, Dr. Stephen Strange, Hulk (Bruce Banner), Nighthawk, Red Guardian (Tanya Belinsky), Valkyrie (Brunnhilde)), Mike Douglas, Elysius, Rick Jones, Machine Man, Henry Pym (as Ant-Man, Yellowjacket), Betty Ross, Fred Sloan, Trust, James Wynter

Enemies: Corporation (Curtiss Jackson), Headmen, Shazana

Known Relatives: Parents (names unrevealed), Egghead (Elihas Starr, uncle, deceased)

Aliases: Trixie Starr

Base of Operations: Flagstaff, Arizona;
formerly New York City, New York; "Dune People" compound; Berkeley, California

First Appearance: Marvel Feature I#5 (September, 1971)

Powers/Abilities: Though Trish Starr has no known superhuman abilities, she has a keen mind and has been proclaimed as a child prodigy and a brilliant community planner. She briefly had her arm replaced with a prosthetic that had super-strength and equipment through which Egghead could control her mind.

History: (Marvel Feature I#5 (fb) - BTS) - As a child, Trixie Starr was proclaimed a prodigy and she was constantly hounded by her parents and teachers, but she always felt loved and understood by her uncle Elihas, who later turned to crime. Trixie eventually ran away from home.

(Incredible Hulk I#234 (fb) - BTS) - Trixie attended school in Berkeley, California alongside Fred Sloan, and many other close friends.

(Marvel Feature I#5) - Egghead put together a plan to drain his niece's brain and apply her memories to a robot that would also house his consciousness, figuring this would be an unstoppable combination. While Egghead tried to force Trixie into his machines, he was subdued by Pym, who was trapped at ant-size. Egghead tried to kill Pym, but Trixie knocked him out with a blow to the head. Trixie and Pym bonded over the next few hours, and she sewed him a new tiny costume, regretting that she hadn't had much chance to sew lately. Hours later, Egghead tracked Trixie and Pym and captured them both. After killing Pym, Egghead forced Trixie into his Hypno-Kon and slowly broke through her mental barriers. Just as he was about to drain her mind, the power overloaded (due to Pym, who was still alive), and Egghead's van blew up, leaving Trixie and Pym to think him dead. She reminisced about her happy memories with her uncle.

(Giant-Size Defenders#4 (fb) - BTS) - Trish Starr avidly played the piano, guitar, flute, and violin. She achieved her masters in Social Psychology.

(Defenders I#21 (fb) - BTS) - Trixie Starr dated Kyle Richmond for a time. She professed herself to be a hippie and worked as a fashion model, though she hated her job. She planned to save up enough money to buy a farm and open an artists' commune.

(Defenders I#21) - Now calling herself Trish, she used her key to get into Kyle's penthouse and waited for him to return. She was shocked when he returned in a super-hero costume and discovered he was now acting as the Defender Nighthawk. Kyle told about his origins and the two had an all-night talk until Trish fell asleep. She was driven briefly mad, like all those sleeping in New York when the Headmen's black rain struck, causing Nighthawk to subdue her and leave her in his penthouse.

(Giant-Size Defenders#4 (fb) - BTS) - Trish took a call from Egghead, who was living in the Bowery, begging for money, but she refused to give him any.

(Giant-Size Defenders#4) - Trish and Kyle began dating seriously, attracting a lot of media attention, and Trish's modeling career got more attention. While being questioned by the media one night, Trish and Kyle were caught in a car explosion, and Trish was rushed to the hospital. Hours later, Trish, all bandaged and afraid she may lose an arm, was surprised to get a visit from Henry Pym, now costumed as Yellowjacket, who'd heard about the incident and suspected Egghead. Yellowjacket discovered Egghead had been responsible and had the villain arrested. Trish went into surgery and had her left arm amputated, but asked the doctor to have Yellowjacket check in on Kyle as well. After her release, Trish chose to leave Kyle rather than have him be loyal out of pity.

(Defenders I#41 (fb)) - Trish moved to the southwest and aided the "Dune People" colony in expanding their borders, impressing David Anthony and others with her designs for everything from educational to irrigation systems and her keen ability to see the big picture. The colony grew, but Trish eventually grew weary of the day-to-day grind that her involvement required. She turned to her spiritual side and immersed herself in mysticism and meditation, seeking enlightenment from all types of mystic sources.  She became more stand-offish, brusque, and self-absorbed, until finding an outside source that unintentionally allowed her to become a familiar to the extra-dimensional sorceress, Shazana, and causing her to be more irritable and even to see time passing slower. She left for the desert and was brought to Shazana's realm.

(Defenders I#41) - Dr. Strange entered Shazana's realm pursuing Trish and brought her back to Earth, not realizing that this would allow Shazana to follow. Trish was briefly reunited with Nighthawk, but Shazana's forces took over the compound until the Defenders managed to repel the sorceress. Trish took time to briefly reconcile with Nighthawk.

(Incredible Hulk I#234 (fb) - BTS) - Trish moved back to the Berkeley commune alongside Fred Sloan and other friends, including Gunther Mallory, Danny, and Trust.

(Incredible Hulk I#233) - Fred brought Hulk back to the commune and introduced him to Trish, shocked that they already knew each other.

(Incredible Hulk I#234) - Hulk entered the compound and ate as Trish told the others about her past. He quickly grew agitated when the others were shocked by his presence. She convinced the Hulk to relax, but the room was soon gassed and Trish kidnapped by the evil Corporation, who hoped to turn Hulk against Machine Man, their other foe.

(Incredible Hulk I#235) - Trish sat before the Committee director, Curtiss Jackson, who received a report about Machine Man and Hulk's battle. Trish questioned them why they were doing this, and wondered if she would be responsible if either of the heroes perished.

(Incredible Hulk I#236) - Trish tried making Jackson feel guilty for his schemes, but Jackson informed her that there may be a place for her in the Corporation because of her talents.

(Incredible Hulk I#237) - While watching the damage caused by the Hulk's battle with Machine Man, Trish and Jackson saw the Hulk coming towards them. Jackson attempted to escape with Trish on a helicopter, but the Hulk crashed it. Jackson held Trish hostage until Hulk and Machine Man stopped Jackson and Hulk destroyed the building they were in.

(Incredible Hulk I#240) - In San Francisco, Trish checked in with Fred Sloan about how his novel on the Hulk was coming. She had provided him Nighthawk's phone number for a personal interview, but the number proved to be disconnected. They discussed Fred's frustrations, and wondered how life was treating the Hulk.

(Incredible Hulk I#243) - Fred interviewed Betty Ross, the Hulk's former love, for his book, then Trish arranged for Fred to interview Rick Jones on the Mike Douglas Show.

(Incredible Hulk I#245) - After Fred's TV appearance, he hugged Trish, and the two of them met Captain Marvel and Elysius just before Captain Marvel rushed off to aid the Hulk in battle.

(Avengers I#217) - Trish Starr, at her home in Flagstaff, Arizona, answered her door and saw Pym, now guised as Yellowjacket, outside. He presented her with a cybernetic arm that Egghead had given him, Egghead now claiming to be repentant. She was reluctant to try the arm out, but Pym assured her that he’d looked it over and that it was legit. He attached the arm to her and Egghead quickly used it to take cybernetic control of Trish. He forced Trish to accompany Pym to Nebraska and had Pym steal a stockpile of Adamantium resins, threatening to kill Trish unless Pym complied. Egghead had Trish meet Pym inside, knocking out some guards along her way, and she and Pym drove away with the stockpile until the Avengers (Captain America (Rogers), Iron Man (Stark), Thor (Odinson), Wasp). Egghead forced Pym to battle the Avengers, but Pym was soon defeated. Egghead altered Trish’s memories so she’d think he forced him to help commit the crime, then let her mid go free. The Avengers soon detached the arm.

(Avengers I#230 (fb)) - Trish’s brainwashing was later reversed, and she testified in Pym’s favor, helping to exonerate him.

(Avengers I#230) - After Egghead was killed in battle, Trish met Fred Sloan in New York, and the two of them boarded a boat with Pym and scattered Egghead’s ashes at sea. Trish found herself glad that her uncle was gone. She and Fred later picked up Pym at Avengers mansion and gave him a ride to the airport.

Comments: Created by Mike Friedrich and Herb Trimpe.

An apparition of Trish Starr appeared to Nighthawk in a nightmare in Defenders I#31; this later turned out to be an attack by the Headmen.

Rhonda Barnett is based on Lola Barnett from over in the DC Universe.
--Per Degaton

Actually, both characters are based on real-life gossip columnist Rona Barrett.
--A.J. Lewis

Thank you to John Kaminski for help with Incredible Hulk II#237.

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Trish Starr has no known connections to


Rhonda Barnett

(Giant-Size Defenders#4) - Rhonda Barnett, a gossip columnist, was among many reporters following the Kyle Richmond and Trish Starr romance. She was present when Trish's car exploded, an incident that cost Trish her arm.

--Giant-Size Defenders#4

 

 

 

 


James Wynter

(Giant-Size Defenders#4 (fb) - BTS) - A renowned surgeon in New York City, James Wynter was a colleague of Stephen Strange, a well-known doctor who disappeared from the medical scene for years.

(Giant-Size Defenders#4) - Wynter responded to an emergency call at the hospital and agreed to operate on Kyle Richmond, who'd survived a car explosion. When he saw Strange there, he asked him to help guide the surgery. Hours passed and the surgery was successful. Strange's friends, Valkyrie and Hulk, and was shocked by their presence.

--Giant-Size Defenders#4 (Giant-Size Defenders#4 (fb) - BTS, 4

 

 


David Anthony

(Defenders I#41 (fb)) - David Anthony lived on the "Dune People" compound, which was expanded and enhanced by Trish Starr when she arrived. Trish turned to mysticism and grew more angry and brash with people. When Trish left for the desert, David contacted first the police, then Trish's old ally, Kyle Richmond.

(Defenders I#41) - David greeted visitors Dr. Strange and Kyle Richmond (Nighthawk) and took them around the compound, explaining what had happened to Trish. They brought Trish back to Earth, but she'd become the familiar for the extra-dimensional sorceress, Shazana. The Defenders arrived and defeated Shazana.

--Defenders I#41 (Defenders I#41 (fb), 41

 

 

 


images:

Defenders I#41, p2, pan5 (main image)
Marvel Feature I#5, p19, pan1 (head shot)
Giant-Size Defenders#4, p2, pan1 (Rhonda Barnett)
Giant-Size Defenders#4, p4, pan4 (James Wynter)
Defenders I#41, p2, pan1 (David Anthony)


Appearances:
Marvel Feature I#5 (September, 1971) - Mike Friedrich (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler/inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Defenders I#21 (March, 1975) -  Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Sal Trapani (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Giant-Size Defenders#4 (April, 1975) - Steve Gerber, Don McGregor, Roger Slifer (writers), Don Heck (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Len Wein (editor)
Defenders I#31 (January, 1976) - Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Jim Mooney (penciler/inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Defenders I#41 (November, 1976) - Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Klaus Janson (penciler/inker), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#233 (March, 1979) - Roger Stern (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Chic Stone (inker), Allen Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#235-236 (May-June, 1979) - Roger Stern (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Allen Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#237 (July, 1979) - Roger Stern (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Jack Abel (inker), Allen Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk I#240 (October, 1979) - Roger Stern (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker), Allen Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk I#243 (January, 1980) - Roger Stern (writer), Steven Grant (penciler), Sal Buscema (inker), Allen Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#245 (March, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (writer/penciler/inker), Allen Milgrom (editor)
Avengers I#217 (March, 1982) - Jim Shooter (writer), Bob Hall (writer/penciler), Dan Green and Al Milgrom (inkers), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Avengers I#230 (April, 1983) - Roger Stern (writer), Al Milgrom (penciler), Joe Sinnott (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)


First Posted: 02/18/2007
Last updated: 03/25/2013

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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