Hellion

HELLION

Real Name: Helen Beleanto

Class: Human magic-user

Occupation: Literary agent, spirit of vengeance

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Boston, MA

First Appearance: Spectre III #43 (July, 1996)

Powers: Helen Beleantro could project the entity Hellion from her body. Hellion could fly, generated flames from her body that could scorch souls, and wielded flaming whips.

History: (Spectre III #43, 44) - Helen Beleanto was hired by Friction House to fulfill their quota of women and minorities. She had tremendous success as a literary agent despite being sexually harassed by her co-workers, and being kept from getting merit-based promotions. She went to visit her favorite writer Denise Debrun, who'd come into possession of a piece of the American talisman, a mystic embodiment of America. It gave flesh to different aspects of American life, and Denise left a letter pondering what the embodiment of female rage at oppression in a patriarchal society would look like. The talisman transformed Helen into just such an avatar, Hellion, bathed in flames, and bearing chains representing the oppression of women. She flew to Friction House and immolated the souls of the company men that kept her down, but was confronted by the Spectre, who was chasing pueces of the talisman. Spectre agreed that there was injustice in how women were treated, but it was not her place to deal vengeance as he did. Madame Xanadu arrived, and told Hellion that in a previous life ages ago she was her magician's apprentice. She'd been consumed by overreaching her grasp, and Xanadu had tried and failed to complete her training each time she was reincarnated. Hellion's new power sent ripples across reality, the present turned into the past, and past horrors perpetrated against women such as with-burning were replicated. Spectre reached out to Nate Kane, and told him to find her apartment. Once Kane arrived he found Hellion's mortal body, and Hellion returned to her home to protect it. Spectre warned her that she was warping reality, but Xanadu would not let him attack her, seeing her as a daughter. Madame Xanadu said Hellion was free to choose what she did with her power, but warned that rage and violence directed against all would make her as oppressive as the patriarchy she hated. Hellion saw the wisdom in Xanadu's words, and gave up her power, handing the American talisman that created her to Spectre. Xanadu asked Helen to come with her and take on the mantle of apprentice again.

Hellion (Spectre III #50) - The Spirit of America called forth the rest of his chosen ones, including Hellion, meaning to incorporate all the disenfranchised and dissident members of America to create a new avatar before the National Interest could manipulate him. Sam Wilson and his extraterrestrial armor served as a template for a new, powerful body, and Native American brothers Victorio and Tahzey served as a personality template. The reborn spirit of America was called the Patriot, and when the National Interest tried to create their avatar, something went wrong, and they brought forth the American Scream, the dark side of the American dream. Spectre emerged to fight him, and was backed up by the Patriot, the new avatar of America that the Spirit of America created itself. The heroes were victorious, and the Scream was banished after leaving its followers in the Interest mad.

Comments: Created by John Ostrander & Tom Mandrake.