Gloss is a
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
published by
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
created by
Steve Engelhart
Steve Englehart (; born April 22, 1947) is an American writer of comic books and novels. He is best known for his work at Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s and 1980s. His pseudonyms have included John Harkness and Cliff Garnett.
Early lif ...
and
Joe Staton
Joe Staton ( born January 19, 1948) is an American comics artist and writer. He co-created the Bronze Age Huntress (Helena Wayne), as well as the third Huntress (Helena Bertinelli), Kilowog and the Omega Men for DC Comics. He was the artist of t ...
who first appeared in ''
Millennium
A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
'' #2 (January 1988).
Fictional character biography
The creators of the
Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic law enforcement organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residin ...
, the
Guardians
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Uni ...
, had planned to create their successors, a race of new Guardians on Earth, so one of their number met a female alien called a Zamaron. The two channeled their powers into the "
Millennium Project", gathering ten individuals together, teaching them about the nature of the cosmos, and endowing them with immortality and metahuman powers. One of these was a young woman from
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
named Xiang Po, to whom the Guardians gave the power to draw energy from the Earth's "Dragon Lines" (or
ley line
Ley lines () are straight alignments drawn between various historic structures and prominent landmarks. The idea was developed in early 20th-century Europe, with ley line believers arguing that these alignments were recognised by ancient soci ...
s).
She became Gloss (and a redhead), and joined the other heroes the Guardians had made in the team named the
New Guardians
The New Guardians were a DC Comics superhero team featured in the short-lived eponymous series ''The New Guardians''. It was a spin-off from the ''Millennium'' event and ran for twelve issues, from 1988 through 1989, before being canceled. It is ...
. When the then powerless
Guy Gardner Guy Gardner may refer to:
* Guy Gardner (astronaut) (born 1948), United States Air Force officer and former astronaut
* Guy Gardner (character)
Guy Gardner, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic ...
comes to the team's island home in order to take over, she becomes so disgusted with his crass ways she ends up throwing him far into the ocean.
Gloss was originally on a mission to pass on her enhanced DNA to her offspring, and was seeking a suitable mate, but she abandoned her quest when the team disbanded.
Gloss is briefly seen in issue number 50 of the maxi-series "
52". Gloss, along with other superpowered beings including Manticore and Tasmanian Devil, are seen knocked down after a battle with the rage maddened Black Adam.
One Year Later
In the events of
One Year Later
"One Year Later" is a 2006 comic book storyline running through books published by DC Comics. It involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Universe following the events of the ''Infinite Crisis'' storyline, to explore ...
, Gloss is now a Global Guardian, and follows her former teammate
Jet, who is now team leader.
She is killed by
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titan god of fire. Prometheus is best known for defying the gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, know ...
, who slew her along with several of her fellow Global Guardians.
Following the reboot of the DC Universe with the ''
New 52
The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new series ...
'', Gloss was restored to life. She was seen as part of the
Great Twenty, China's new team of superheroes.
[''Doomsday Clock'' #12]
Powers and abilities
* Gloss has immortality and the power to draw energy from the Dragon Lines (
Ley Lines
Ley lines () are straight alignments drawn between various historic structures and prominent landmarks. The idea was developed in early 20th-century Europe, with ley line believers arguing that these alignments were recognised by ancient socie ...
) of the Earth.
* These lines of mystic power infuse her with incredible strength and make her incredibly durable.
* She can command the Dragon Lines, manipulating the Earth's energy to create earthquakes and affect local ecosystems. Xiang can also manipulate the elements at will.
References
{{reflist
External links
DCU Guide: Gloss
Characters created by Steve Englehart
DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
DC Comics female superheroes
DC Comics metahumans
Comics characters introduced in 1988
Chinese superheroes