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Bluebird (Marvel Comics)

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Bluebird
Bluebird as depicted in Marvel Legacy: The 1990s Handbook #1 (February 2007). Art by Pat Olliffe.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceAmazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)
Created by
In-story information
Full nameSally Avril
SpeciesHuman
PartnershipsSpider-Man
Abilities
  • Equipments include insulated boots against electricity, ether-filled "eggs", paint pellets, and a retractable rope line
  • Accomplished gymnast

Bluebird (Sally Avril), sometimes rendered Blue Bird, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is usually depicted as a supporting character in the Spider-Man series.

In other media, Sally Avril has appeared in the animated series The Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced by Grey DeLisle; in the film The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), portrayed by Kelsey Asbille; and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), played by Isabella Amara.

Publication history

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Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Sally Avril first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962).[1] Sally was a minor member of Flash Thompson's entourage, appearing in only one issue during the Silver Age. Her "Bluebird" career was created by Kurt Busiek (scripts) and Pat Olliffe (pencils) in 1996.

Fictional character biography

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Sally Avril[2] was a fellow student of Peter Parker's at Midtown High who turned him down for a date, preferring Flash Thompson.[3][4]

Thirty years later, writing for Untold Tales of Spider-Man, Busiek resurrected the one-note brunette from obscurity and gave her a background. She was an ambitious, thrill-loving girl who took blue ribbons in gymnastics. With fellow popular kid Jason Ionello, she attempted to cash in on a Daily Bugle contest offering a thousand dollars to a reader who brought in pictures of Spider-Man. Although their mission was a bust, Sally loved the thrill and became smitten with the web-slinger when he touched her cheek just before leaving her and Jason with a warning to give it up.[5]

Sally and Jason tailed Spidey again, who was (unwillingly) working for Electro. The flash from Sally's camera roused Spidey from his hypnotic state, and a well-placed kick by Sally took Electro by surprise long enough for Spidey to readjust his mask — which Electro had been preparing to remove — and defeat him. Spider-Man posed for a shot with an ecstatic Sally and Jason that the Bugle ran.[6]

Suffused with glee, Sally tried to get a permanent gig on the Bugle, but was told the photographer's job was filled — by Peter Parker.[7] Peter admitted this but asked her not to tell their fellow Midtowners. Sally donned an eccentric blue-and-white costume and decided, with her aerobic skills, to become a superheroine. She asked Peter to take some Bugle pics of her doing some stunts, but Peter refused. Angered, she threatened to blackmail him by revealing that he took Spider-Man pictures, but he undercut her by telling them himself.[8]

Bluebird's zeal but lack of experience caused trouble for Spider-Man during fights with Scarlet Beetle and Electro. Her "ether egg" weapons would detonate prematurely or have little effect, once even allowing the villain to escape.[8][9] Considering her more trouble than she was worth, Spider-Man allowed the Black Knight's men to hurt her to dissuade her from interfering in his fights again, although he later felt remorseful.

Bruised but undaunted, Sally and Jason headed to an area where Spider-Man was fighting the Black Knight, with Sally's camera.[10] She intended to capture some shots of the fight. However, Sally's zeal ended up costing her her life when she begged Jason to speed in his car, and the two ran a red light. Their car struck an oncoming bus, with Jason incurring mild head trauma, and Sally being killed.[11] Spider-Man felt horrible about this, blaming himself for her death.[11]

In Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy, Sally Avril is resurrected by Ben Reilly posing as Jackal.[12][13]

Powers and abilities

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Bluebird has no superpowers. However, she uses a retractable rope line, insulated boots for protection against electricity, blue paint pellets, and ether-filled "eggs."[14] Additionally, Bluebird is a skilled gymnast.[15]

Reception

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In 2022, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Sally Avril 2nd in their "10 Best Comic Book Characters Grey DeLisle Has Played" list.[16]

In other media

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Television

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Sally Avril appears in The Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced by Grey DeLisle.[17] This version is a cheerleader at Midtown High School, Randy Robertson's girlfriend, and a member of the school's popular clique who displays "mean girl" traits. As a result, she is unkind to her peers and bears particular animosity towards Peter Parker, though she gradually softens up to him during the second season.

Film

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References

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  1. ^ Gramuglia, Anthony (September 23, 2020). "How Untold Tales of Spider-Man Filled in Peter Parker's History". CBR. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  2. ^ Her surname "Avril" is revealed in Untold Tales of Spider-Man #6 (February 1996).
  3. ^ Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)
  4. ^ Jung, Michael (April 21, 2020). "10 Background Characters In Spider-Man's Origin Who Got Their Own Stories". CBR. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  5. ^ Untold Tales of Spider-Man #6 (February 1996)
  6. ^ Untold Tales of Spider-Man #7 (March 1996)
  7. ^ Untold Tales of Spider-Man #10 (June 1996)
  8. ^ a b Untold Tales of Spider-Man #11 (July 1996)
  9. ^ Untold Tales of Spider-Man #12 (August 1996)
  10. ^ Cronin, Brian (May 7, 2022). "Spider-Man: Was One of Peter Parker's Untold Tales Classmates Always Meant to Die?". CBR. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Untold Tales of Spider-Man #13 (September 1996)
  12. ^ The Clone Conspiracy #4
  13. ^ The Clone Conspiracy #5
  14. ^ Gaber, Nabeel (November 9, 2020). "Spider-Man: Bluebird is Peter Parker's Most Unforgivable Mistake". CBR. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  15. ^ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 #2 (May 2008)
  16. ^ Meenan, Devin (January 15, 2022). "10 Best Comic Book Characters Grey DeLisle Has Played, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  17. ^ "Sally Avril Voice - The Spectacular Spider-Man (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 20, 2017. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  18. ^ Ngwije Americ (August 17, 2011). "Exclusive Interview: Pair of Kings' Kelsey Chow Talks Fight Scenes, Spider-Man and True Blood". TV Equals. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  19. ^ Lee, Ben (October 7, 2017). "This super-random character from Spider-Man: Homecoming is somehow in Avengers: Infinity War". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on May 20, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  20. ^ Dumaraog, Ana (July 10, 2017). "One Of Spider-Man's Classmates Is In Avengers: Infinity War". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  21. ^ Hood, Cooper (September 2, 2022). "Everything Added In Spider-Man: No Way Home's "More Fun Stuff" Version". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
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