DARLA

Real Name: Darla (last name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Human; former human mutate

Occupation: Student

Group Membership: Fatboys (Billy, Butch, Eightball, Freddie, Max, Ralf);
formerly Bratpack (Cannonball/Sam Guthrie, Magik/Illyana Rasputin, Magma/Amara Aquilla, Mirage/Danielle Moonstar, Snitch/Butch, Straight-Arrow/Alfie, Sunspot/Roberto Da Costa, Template/Leong Coy Manh & Nga Coy Manh, Wolfsbane/Rahne Sinclair)

Affiliations: Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Captain Britain (Brian Braddock), Daniel, Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Hilda, Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Bucko Leary, Longshot, New Mutants (Cannonball/Sam Guthrie, Cypher/Doug Ramsey, Magik/Illyana Rasputin, Magma/Amara Aquilla, Mirage/Danielle Moonstar, Sunspot/Roberto Da Costa, Wolfsbane/Rahne Sinclair), Karen Page, Quark, X-Men (Colossus/Piotr Rasputin, Magneto/Max Eisenhardt, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Psylocke/Elizabeth Braddock, Rogue/Anna Marie, Shadowcat/Kitty Pryde, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/James "Logan" Howlett);
formerly Tommy

Enemies: Baby Elmo, demons, Mr. Fasolino, Gog'N'Magog, Guice, Lifeform (George Prufrock), Mojo, Raphael, Sabretooth (Victor Creed), Sanders, Spiral (Rita Wayword), Tunnel Teens (Jerry, Joey, Johnny), Tommy, Williams

Known Relatives: Unidentified parents

Aliases: Jubilee

Base of Operations: New York City, New York

First Appearance: Longshot I#4 (December, 1985)

Powers/Abilities: Darla is a scrappy youth who has some skill at riding a skateboard. She was briefly transformed by Mojo into Jubilee, and was capable of flight and manipulating light. She was also briefly turned demonic after being bit by a demon-possessed soda machine.

Height: 4' (by approximation)
Weight: 80 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde

History:
(Longshot I#4) - Butch, Alfie, and Darla, as well as other kids, wore home-made super hero masks and pretended they were space fighters. As the kids argued, Longshot gave them diamonds, and they planned to trade them in for comic books. The boys teased Darla for having a crush on Longshot.

(Longshot I#4 - BTS) - Butch, thinking he'd seen monsters, traded the diamonds for a gun, although Darla and Alfie didn't believe he'd seen monsters.

(Longshot I#4) - When Longshot asked, Butch handed Longshot his gun. Longshot, struggling with his own memories, caused the kids to worry, but he asked Butch to take him to the monster, and they found the mutated Gog'N'Magog. As the kids debated whether the monster was real, it attacked Longshot.

(Longshot I#5) - Butch tried drawing his gun on the monster, but Gog'N'Magog pushed him, inspiring Longshot to fight for the kids. Darla felt love for Longshot as he fought, which grossed Butch out. Soon a goat-man named Quark joined the fight, and the kids couldn't tell who the heroes or villains were. The kids got worked up during the battle, but dissipated and went home when Longshot took the fight elsewhere.

(New Mutants Annual I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The extradimensional sorceress Spiral kidnapped Darla, Alfie, and Butch of the Bratpack, along with Wolfsbane of the New Mutants, and Leong and Nga Coy Manh, and delivered them to Mojo.

(New Mutants Annual I#2) - In a plot against the X-Men, Mojo transformed each of the kidnapped kids (with Mojoworld technology) into super-powered adults, using his captive Psylocke's powers to keep them under mental control. Butch was transformed into Snitch and given the power to manipulate emotions. Darla was changed into Jubilee, given the powers of flight and light manipulation. Alfie was changed into Straight-Arrow, given the power to throw large arrows. The team attacked the New Mutants (Cannonball, Cypher, Magik, Magma, Mirage, Sunspot, Wolfsbane), causing the team to fight, then Template changed Cannonball, Magik, Magma, Sunspot, and Mirage into members of the Bratpack. When Magma rebelled, she was changed into a child, and the team pursued her, but a child Captain Britain (similarly transformed) helped her escape. Warlock and Cypher managed to free Psylocke and take the fight to Spiral, reverting everyone to their true forms.

(Uncanny X-Men Annual I#10) - Butch, Darla, and Alfie were watching a movie when the New Mutants and X-Men passed through, battling Spiral. Spiral cast a spell that turned some in the crowd, including the kids, into frogs, but the spell later wore off.

(Daredevil I#238) - Butch and Darla were watching a scary movie, featuring scary werewolf Harry, and Butch scared Darla with the cat, making her furious. Butch's father screamed, telling him to turn off the television and go study at the library, ordering him not to play with Raphael and his gang. Instead, Butch and Darla went with Raphael's gang into the Morlock Tunnels, where Sabretooth was awakened and growled at the intruders. Butch told Sabretooth that Daredevil protected the city, and Sabretooth went to find the hero, and they battled, scaring civilians like Daniel. Later, Butch was disgusted when his cat brought in a mouse and didn't kill it.

(Daredevil I#248) - The Fat Boys (Butch, Darla, Eightball) raced Daredevil in the streets, briefly meeting Molly the cart-horse.

(Daredevil I#253) - Eightball ran into Darla and Ralf. Eightball teased Darla for having a junkie mom and an alcoholic dad for parents, as she admired his nice skateboard as hers had been stolen. Ralf and Eightball rode off, saying they were going to steal their own Christmas presents. Later, Eightball teased Darla and then gave her his own skateboard. Then, Matt Murdock gave Eightball a new skateboard, wrapped up.

(Daredevil I#261) - At the hotline, the Fat Boys (Butch, Darla, Eightball) watched the Human Torch do tricks. When Karen Page said that Daredevil was missing, the kids wondered where Matt was. Later, the Fat Boys and Karen saw Human Torch lose a fight to Baby Elmo before accidentally burning down the Last Exit Bar.

(Daredevil I#262) - Butch and Darla were in the streets with Karen and Black Widow when several stone statues hit the sidewalk, nearly killing them. Darla wondered if they had come to life. They headed to the subway and Karen noticed how inanimate things seemed to be getting a mind of their own, but she was determined to pressure Bucko Leary to look harder for Daredevil. They went with Karen to the police station. They went to the clinic and found it trashed, and Black Widow narrowly saved the Fat Boys from being crushed in a sentient elevator.

(Daredevil I#265 (fb) - BTS) - Darla put her hand in a soda machine and was bit, releasing her demonic nature.

(Daredevil I#265) - Darla, her demonic side unleashed, and Butch watched Daredevil fight demons. Just as Butch had given up hope, Daredevil started inspiring civilians to clean up garbage around them.

(Daredevil Annual I#4B/4) - Butch, Eightball, and Ralf were showing off their skateboard skills when Darla was grabbed and kidnapped by villains. When they called out after them, the criminals fired a gun at them, then put Darla in a basement, saying her whole life was about to change. The three boys hit the streets, looking for Daredevil.

   Guice and Williams, waiting for their colleague Sanders, kept Darla tied up until the three Fat Boys burst through the window and tried to grab their guns. The criminals got the upper hand and nearly killed the kids before Daredevil attacked, leaving the men unconscious. Daredevil yelled at the kids, telling them they should have called the police instead of seeking to play heroes.

(Daredevil Annual I#6/2) - As the Fat Boys (Butch, Ralf, Darla) laughed, Darla didn't believe Eightball's story that he'd seen a monster. She dared Eightball to steal a skateboard from the Tunnel Teens to prove his bravery, and he accepted, challenging her back. They found the Tunnel Teens (Jerry, Joey, and Johnny) trying to impress girls and stole a skateboard. When the Tunnel Teens realized it, they chased the Fat Boys through the streets. The Fat Boys initially escaped until the Lifeform snuck up on them and scared them again, then the Tunnel Teens caught up with the kids and cornered them, drawing knives and tasers, but the kids fought back. Daredevil arrived to intervene, telling the kids to return the stolen skateboard and teasing Eightball for having a crush on Darla, which delighted her.

(Daredevil Annual I#7/5) - Eightball showed Darla and Butch his new gun, having worked to earn it. Darla and Butch were disturbed at Eightball's ideas of wanting to protect the streets, and they screamed as he pointed it at others and then himself, as he said there were no bullets in it.

(Daredevil Annual I#8/4) - Ralf, Butch, and Eightball raced with Daredevil, and Ralf teased Eightball for being jealous of Tommy. Daredevil said he'd race them to find Darla, and they soon found her kissing and holding hands with Tommy. Daredevil hugged Darla then rushed off to fight crime. Eightball insulted Darla, but when he came around the corner, he saw Tommy flirting with other girls and he confronted him. Tommy hit Eightball, but Darla saw it and broke up with him, then she kissed Eightball herself.

(Daredevil II#8) - Butch and Darla attended the funeral of Karen Page.

Comments: Created by Ann Nocenti (writer), Arthur Adams (penciler), Whilce Portacio & Scott Williams (inkers).

The original Bratpack was seemingly heavily based on Our Gang, better known as the Little Rascals, and Darla was clearly based on the character Darla.

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Darla should not be confused with:

Guice, Williams, and Sanders

(Daredevil Annual I#4B/4 (fb) - BTS) - Guice and Williams kidnapped kids of the streets and sold some of them to their ally, Sanders.

(Daredevil Annual I#4B/4) - Guice and Williams kidnapped young Darla, scaring off her skate-boarding gang, the Fat Boys. Later, the Fat Boys burst through the window and tried to grab their guns, but the criminals got the upper hand on them and prepared to kill the boys. Daredevil burst in and knocked the men unconscious, saving Darla and the Fat Boys.

--Daredevil Annual I#4B ([Daredevil Annual I#4B (fb)], 4B

images: (without ads)
Daredevil Annual I#8/4, p54, pan6 (older group, Darla in dress)
Daredevil Annual I#6, p27, pan2 (Darla on skateboard)
New Mutants Annual I#22, p22, pan3 (Darla as Jubilee)
Daredevil I#265, p6, pan4 (demonic Darla)
Daredevil Annual I#4B/4, p35, pan1 (Guice and Williams)

Appearances:
Longshot I#4-5 (December, 1985-January, 1986) - Ann Nocenti (writer), Arthur Adams (penciler), Whilce Portacio, Scott Williams (inkers), Louise Jones (editor)
New Mutants Annual I#2 (October, 1986) - Chris Claremont (writer), Alan Davis (artist), Ann Nocenti (editor)
Uncanny X-Men Annual I#10 (January, 1987) - Chris Claremont (writer), Art Adams (penciler), Bob Wiacek (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Daredevil I#238 (January, 1987) - Ann Nocenti (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Steve Leialoha (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#248 (November, 1987) - Ann Nocenti (writer), Rick Leonardi (penciler), Al Williamson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#253 (April, 1988) - Ann Nocenti (writer), John Romita Jr (penciler), Al Williamson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#261-262 (December, 1988-January, 1989) - Ann Nocenti (writer), John Romita Jr (penciler), Al Williamson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#265 (March, 1989) - Ann Nocenti (writer), Steve Ditko (penciler), Mike Manley, Al Williamson (inkers), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil Annual I#4B/4 (September, 1989) - Gregory Wright (writer), John Romita Jr (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil Annual I#6/2 (June, 1990) - Gregory Wright (writer), Gary Hartle (penciler), Mike DeCarlo (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil Annual I#7/3 (May, 1991) - Gregory Wright (writer), June Brigman (penciler), Roy Richardson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil Annual I#8/4 (September, 1992) - Gregory Wright (writer), Une Brigman (penciler), Roy Richardson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil II#8 (June, 1999) - Kevin Smith (writer), Joe Quesada (penciler), Jimmy Palmiotti (inker), Nanci Dakesian (editor)

First Posted: 05/22/2019
Last updated: 05/22/2019

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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