Willow

Continuity-Related Comic Book Character
Willow
Information
AKA:	The Promise of Life
Species:	Human (formerly)
Homeworld:	Earth
Universe:	Earth-1A Earth-One Earth-616 (conjecture)

Willow's Ship
Image from Justice League of America, #142 (May 1977).

This enigmatic alien beauty had only recently arrived on Earth when she sought out the Justice League, and asked them to help her escape the powerful robotic being known as the Construct. The villain was defeated by the Leaguers, and Willow then took refuge on a hidden island where she would give birth to a child represented the promise of life, something the Construct opposed. Only the Atom got to know Willow's secret mission and destination, and promised to keep it a secret. She has not been seen since.

Background Information

In the parallel universe of Earth-One, Green Lantern, Green Arrow and Black Canary are in battle against the Manhunters. Needing help, they put out a distress call for fellow JLAers, but no one can come. The Atom, Aquaman, and Elongated Man hear the call but are experiencing weapon fire over their heads at that very moment. Two space-crafts are having as shoot-out. And right before their eyes, one of the crafts crashes into the ocean. Aquaman boards the space craft, and discovers a single alien pilot, a woman who calls herself "Willow". Aquaman returns to his teammates with Willow. She explains that she is on the run from something called the Construct and would like asylum in Atlantis. In the war room, the Justice League interrogate Willow, who provides no answers. The Construct makes contact with the JLA, and Willow. The Construct issues an ultimatum, turn Willow over to the Construct in one hour, or the Construct will murder the entire population of Miami, Florida. He sends his robot henchmen, called Cannons, to apprehend Willow. Forced to surface, to refill the air tanks on their Atlantean craft, the Atom, and Willow are attacked by Cannons. The Atom leaps to Willow's defense, but Willow, using her artial arts prowess, destroys the Cannons. The Atom is outraged that Willow would conceal such abilities from him. Meanwhile, the Aquaman and Elongated Man overcome the threat to the city of Miami. The Construct however, is unconcerned. As the battle progresses, the Atom shrinks down to sub-atomic size at the suggestion of Willow and enters the Construct. The Atom begins to enlarge, causing the Construct to expand, and then explode. The Atom finally realizes why Willow selected him to protect her. Only the Atom could have defeated the Construct. At the Atom’s behest, Willow reveals a few details of her past. She tells him that she has been in space with the man she fell in love with for an extended period and has just returned home to Earth. While in space her and her man become one entity and that through that union she is now pregnant. She has returned to Earth give birth to her child. She believes him to be the first of a new race – the bringer of life renewed! Life that will bring them to the stars. She asks the Atom to keep her secret and she agrees.

Appearances

Willow did not appear in any episode of the Superfriends TV Show.

Earth-1A Appearance:

• Super Friends, #8 (November 1, 1977):
  • In this SuperFriends issue, we are told that the Red Tornado's appearance follows the events in Justice League of America, #146 (September, 1977). In the JLA #146 we are introduced to Willow.

Notes

• Willow’s first and only appearance was in Justice League of America, #142 (May 1977).
• He was created by Steve Englehart. Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin
• She is the Marvel's "Mantis" character brought to the DC Universe by Steve Englehart.

Trivia

• Steve Englehart used the character of Willow to continue the "Celestial Madonna" storyline he had written for the Marvel character Mantis. Englehart would later write a further continuation in his Eclipse Comics title Scorpio Rose, this time using the name "Lorelei". Both "Willow" and "Lorelei" are listed as aliases of Mantis in that character's Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe listing, which also gives brief descriptions of the events from the DC and Eclipse issues (while not using any terms trademarked to those companies).