Since Hasbro announced the upcoming White Rabbit figure, there have been several fans thrilled by the news, and perhaps a few that feel like she's going to be a massive pegwarmer. Admittedly, she feels a bit more like a Batman villain, probably an associate of the Mad Hatter, and I do believe there has been a White Rabbit there since. But, I found this issue in my garage, and now I'm not 100% sure I've read it before! From 1983, Marvel Team-Up #131, "The Best Things in Life are Free...But Everything Else Costs Money!" Written by J.M. DeMatteis, breakdowns by Kerry Gammill, finishes by Mike Esposito.
It could be I may have put off reading this one because of the guest-star, the fabulous Frog-Man. I remembered his appearances in Amazing, building up to him teaming up with Toad and Spider-Kid. (That may have been one of Peter David's first credits. I don't hold that one against him.) But I think there's a bit of potential in the Rabbit: not unlike her fellow ginger super-villain Arcade, she has a bit of what the press would in recent years come to describe as affluenza. (Actually, looking it up, that term has been around longer!) The Rabbit had been born into and later married into more wealth; but kept sheltered and bored until she "set out to transform my life into the literary opus I'd always wanted it to be!" Her robberies are merely for the thrills; she's paying her goons far more than she made!
Interestingly, that Arcade link suggests the two of them may have dated; I'd suspect them of being related. Both from money and looking for kicks. Honestly, Arcade probably deserves a figure more than her; but would probably be too much sculpting. (Wasn't he a little shorter? And those platform shoes...)
Despite years as a joke or an also-ran--actually, despite that, White Rabbit was probably still the number-two female Spider-Man villain, behind the Black Cat. It's not a deep field...And her star may be on the rise: I'm not caught-up on recent Spidey, but she may have recruited a female Electro (Electra? That doesn't sound right...) to join a new Sinister Syndicate. Good for her, I guess.
Just checked it out, and sure 'nuff, she's getting her own figure. Wow. I'm definitely pleasantly surprised because she's a deep, obscure cut there. But I did have her on a possible contender for a future Spidey wave some months back, so she makes sense. Especially since she's reusing the Typhoid Mary vest, just like I suggested. Nice. Looking forward to.
ReplyDeleteI've always enjoyed the old school style villains- nothing wrong with having fun with your villainy. The Batman enemy version is pretty similar- guess there's only so much you can do with the concept but still odd that they're both women.
ReplyDeleteAnother Arcade connection- he came from Marvel Team-Up too.