Bette Noir

BETTE NOIR

Real Name: Bette Noir

Class: D.N.Alien

Occupation: Psionic vampire

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Project Cadmus

First Appearance: Martian Manhunter II #1,000,000 (November, 1998)

Powers: Noir was an immobile and grotesque husk capable of projecting an energy form having the appearance of a beautiful woman. Noir was a powerful telepath, telekinetic and pyrokinetic. She was a psionic vampire who drained mental energy from others, leaving them comatose and eventually dead.

History: (Martian Manhunter II #3) - Bette Noir was a D.N.Alien created at Project Cadmus and kept imprisoned because she was deemed dangerous. She leeched mental energy from Dubbilex, leaving him comatose, so Project Cadmus contacted Martian Manhunter, who determined that Noir was responsible. Noir’s energy projection and Manhunter fought, and she tried to get his pity when he tried to shut off her psionic powers. She told him the only way she could experience the world was by sending out her energy projection. Manhunter had sympathy for her, but couldn’t allow her to drain the minds of others, and shut off her powers, leaving her trapped in her true, monstrous form.

(Martian Manhunter II #36) - Dr. Trapp used his contacts to make an ally of Bette Noir. He had her deformed physical body destroyed and gave her a space in his brain for her mind to continue existing. At his parole hearing Martian Manhunter spoke against him, and Trapp sent Bette Noir into his head to make him relive his worst life experiences. Trapp escaped custody and started going after his enemies, starting with Cameron Chase. Manhunter won Bette Noir to his side and he had her force Trapp to relieve every trauma in his life, rendering him comatose.

Comments: Created by John Ostrander & Tom Mandrake

Bette Noir had a flashback cameo in Martian Manhunter II #1,000,000.