Blink (comics)
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Template:Superherobox Blink (Clarice Ferguson) is a Marvel Comics superheroine featured in various X-Men-related series. Created by Scott Lobdell and Joe Madureira, she first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #317 (1994).
Blink has made one of the most impressive transitions from throwaway character to star heroine in comic book history.
A mysterious, unstable mutant with the ability to teleport, Blink died within months of her first appearance in 1994. However Lobdell and Madureira, redefined Blink as a more confident and assertive character in the parallel universe storyline "Age of Apocalypse" (1995). After that storyline, Blink became a fan favorite and readers wrote thousands of letters, requesting that the character return.
Eventually, Marvel launched the outlandish parallel world series Exiles in 2001, which has featured Blink prominently.
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Original Blink
In the primary Earth-616 continuity of the Marvel Universe, Blink was first introduced in the "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, in which the extraterrestrially-derived techno-organic beings called the Phalanx captured her and several other young mutants to assimilate their powers. This version of Blink was tense and panicky and frightened of her powers (having "woken up in a pool of blood" after her first use of them). She eventually used her abilities to “cut-up” Harvest, a Phalanx entity guarding her and her peers but apparently died in the process. Because of her sacrifice, the remaining captives were set free and became the X-Men junior team Generation X.
Age of Apocalypse/Exiles Blink
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In the Age of Apocalypse storyline, Professor X was killed years before he ever formed the X-Men. An alternate reality unfolded into which the 2,000-year old super mutant Apocalypse gained control of North America and implemented a mass murder campaign against regular humans.
Clarise Ferguson was born in Cartusia, Bahamas. Her purple skin complexion revealed her to be a mutant at birth. Her parents accepted this fact but feared their daughter would not be accepted by the local population. When Clarice was four, the Fergusons moved to Miami, Florida, United States. They hoped Miami would be home to a mutant population where an older Clarice would be able to socialize.
Clarice was a child when Apocalypse took over Miami. Blink was discovered by one of Apocalypse's scientists, Beast, who experimented on her, refining her powers (thus explaining the differences in the abilities of the regular Marvel Universe Blink and her Age of Apocalypse counterpart).
However, Sabretooth and Weapon X, of the resistance force, the X-Men, raided Beast's laboratories and rescued Blink. She then became the adopted daughter of Sabretooth (This relationship may explain why the Age of Apocalypse version of Sabretooth is much less villainous than the regular Marvel Universe version).
Blink grew into adulthood with the X-Men. She was impulsive and not always willing to follow orders, but became an important X-Man.
Eventually, the X-Men encountered the time traveling X-Man Bishop, who set a course of events that prevented the death of Professor X, eliminating the Age of Apocalypse reality.
Before it ended, however, Blink was mysteriously transported to a strange desert plateau, where she met a group of other mutants from various realities who had been unstuck in time. A comic monitor called the Timebroker explained that each had become "unstuck" in reality and their new mission was to visit various parallel worlds and "correct wrongs."
Blink became the leader of this group of Exiles and has formed a relationship with her teammate Mimic. They went to many worlds, fighting the Hulk, Galactus, Weapon X, Mojo, and the Vi-Locks. On the world where the Legacy Virus was taking over, Blink was infected by it. She was later cured, however. They were celebrating when the Timebroker appeared, saying that Blink was going home. She was replaced by Magik. When Sunfire was killed, Blink came back. In that reality, they fought Hyperion and Weapon X. While fighting Hyperion, Blink teleported Hyperion's laser attack back at him. Then, Gambit blew himself and Hyperion up, thus completing the mission.
Powers and abilities
Blink has the ability to teleport herself and others at will. While the regular Marvel Universe version of Blink had little control over her abilities, the Age of Apocalypse/Exiles Blink had mastered several methods of utilizing her powers.
Blink can teleport large masses, including sizable groups of people. She can also teleport only parts of objects. She can open portals that displace projectiles and even enemies that threaten her. She can focus her ability into short, transparent, crystal-like javelins, which teleport whatever people or objects they touch. She usually keeps a supply of these in a quiver around her back. Her teleportations are always accompanied by a "blink!" sound, from which she takes her codename.
Blink also has a somewhat unusual appearance with lilac skin, dark pink hair and glowing green eyes (this was a change in Exiles: both MU and AoA Blink had white eyes with a blue sheen). She also has pink marks across her face.
External links
- UncannyXmen.net Spotlight on Blink (http://uncannyxmen.net/db/spotlight/showquestion.asp?faq=10&fldAuto=104)