Phantom Girl

+ Phase + Apparition

Created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney

+ History

Phantom Girl meets Phantom Zone.
From Adventure #323 (1964). Art by John Forte.

Brother Gmya visits. From Superboy &
the Legion #215 (1976). Art by Mike Grell.

Bgztl is a world separated from Earth's dimension by a "buffer zone", also sometimes called the Phantom Zone. Every inhabitant of the planet is able, to some extent, to mentally shift part or all of his or her bodily mass into this dimension, enabling that native to pass through solid objects. For this reason, the most important laws on Bgztl are the privacy laws.

Tinya Wazzo, though, was not a girl who enjoyed restriction. Her mother brought her up by a very strict code of conduct, which she rebelled against at every opportunity. When her father died, she was told that it was from a broken heart over her indiscretions. This was the last straw for Tinya. With the help of a boyfriend who worked on (and sometimes over) the edge of the law, she stowed away on a freighter bound for Earth, where she was told she would be able to find employment. While most Bgztlrs require a special adaptor to get them through the dimensional transition, Tinya's "phasing" ability was stronger than that of most, and she was able to manage it by herself. When she discovered that her promised employment was with a spy ring, one run by Doctor Landro and Meglaro, she decided to turn her would-be employers over to the authorities rather than join them. Flushed with this success, she decided to try and join the newly formed law-enforcement group, the Legion of Super-Heroes. She was easily able to penetrate their defenses, and this plus her spy bust won her admission as Phantom Girl. (Action Comics #276)

Since then she has served an unbroken term, and met her soulmate in fellow Legionnaire, Ultra Boy. Their attraction was so strong that Jo Nah left his own girlfriend, An Ryd, to join the Legion (and in hopes of growing closer to Tinya). (Superboy v.1 #98) Though the couple have never married, they did once pretend to. This was part of a ruse to lure some alien spies into joining the Legion's as members. (Adventure #337)

She once teamed with her brother, Gmya Wazzo, on a visit home to Bgztl. There they witnessesed a murder committed by hitman Ron-Vizl. Tinya was stalked by one of the hitman's accomplices, but Gmya possessed the body of Sun Boy to protect his sister from assassination. (Superboy v.1 #215)

Phantom Girl's parents are Byzjn Wazzo and noted attorney Winema Tinya Wazzo. Her homeworld was first identified in a text feature in Adventure Comics #316 (2.64). Her real name was revealed in Adventure #354 (3.67).

The hero called Phase, who was active in Earth-0's 20th century L.E.G.I.O.N., is actually the Tinya Wazzo of Earth-247.

Jim Shooter on Phantom Girl: No wonder Ultra Boy worships her. She is bright, pretty, thoughtful, sensitive and charming. She also knows Ultra Boy well, she understands him better than he understands himself. She sees the good in him, but she surely knows he is unfaithful. I imagine she doesn't care, she accepts it as part of the price she pays—just as she accepts dealing with his negativism. I suspect she can manuever him pretty handily, and wind him around the finger of her choice, though he doubtless believes he is running the show and she isn't on to him yet. —Interlac (1976)

Tom & Mary Bierbaum on Phantom Girl: Strongly driven to rebel against her stuffy, disapproving elitist mother, but also has lots of tendencies to follow in her mother's footsteps. Sort of the snooty cheerleader who sneaks a smoke in the girls' room. —Interlac (2000)

Legion 1.5: Post-Crisis

In the history that unfolded after the first Crisis (no longer valid), Phantom Girl disappeared in an explosion and died. At the same time, her cousin, Enya Wazzo she was transported to the 20th century where she joined the L.E.G.I.O.N. as Phase…

Tinya served in the Legion longer than anyone else, being a key member of the espionage squad and showing remarkable leadership abilities (despite the odd fact that she was never actually elected Legion leader). Then tragedy struck. Jo finally proposed marriage to Tinya, and she, during their engagement, decided to return to Bgztl for a short visit and to buy a wedding dress. Neither she nor anyone else knew that the Legion's enemy, Glorith, harbored great animosity for Ultra Boy. For her revenge, Glorith plotted to complete an exchanging spell that had already brought the 20th ceutnry Durlan to the 30th century; that Durlan became R. J. Brande. Glorith destroyed the craft that brought Tinya back to Earth. Tinya died, but she was never recovered. Her cousin, Enya Wazzo was also on-board. Glorith sent Enya back to the 20th century, in the company of the L.E.G.I.O.N., where she lost her memory and became known as Phase. (L.E.G.I.O.N. #9) In current Earth-0 continuity, Brande's origin as the Durlan is uncertain.

In the 20th century, Enya built a life for herself as Phase. She eventually met Jo Nah amid the time fluctuations of Zero Hour. Upon meeting Phase, Jo realizezd that it was Enya, and not Tinya. (L.E.G.I.O.N. #68-69) Enya Wazzo first appeared (unnamed) in Legion v.4 Annual #1 (1990).

Tinya Wazzo died and was memorialized on Shanghalla. Ultra Boy quit the Legion in his grief soon afterward. But the two would yet have their reunion. When the Zero Hour struck, the Time Trapper snatched Tinya from just before her death and brought her to the end of time.

Tinya's duplicate in the SW6 Legion took the name Apparition. This Tinya was also very much in love with her Ultra Boy. She was there at the Zero Hour when this Legion's timeline ceased to exist.

Phase's origin was changed after the Legion's reboot following Zero Hour. See her full history below. She is now considered to be the Tinya Wazzo from Earth-247. The letter column of R.E.B.E.L.S. #1 explained that making her Enya Wazzo was the only way to keep Phase in the book. Of course, that changed after the Zero Hour….

Legion 2 (Earth-247): Apparition

Back to reality. From Legion v.4 #82 (1996).
Art by Lee Moder.

The Legion's first marriage.
From Legion #96 (1997). Art by Lee Moder.

Merging with Phase.
From Legion #99 (1997). Art by Derec Aucoin.

There is another Tinya Wazzo in the universe of Earth-247, which was destroyed in the Infinite Crisis. This Tinya goes by the codename Apparition…

Tinya Wazzo was an outgoing young girl, a typical teenager. This clashed nicesly with her mother, Winema's, role as a United Planets Ambassador. Tinya grew up feeling stifled, which led her to rebellion at an early age.

When Tinya saw the new Legion of Super-Heroes introduced to the galaxy, she used her native powers of intangibility to travel to Earth, and there helped the Legionnaires prevent a bombing by the White Triangle. Her mother reluctantly allowed Tinya to accept the Legion's invitation to join and she took the codename Apparition. (Legionnaires #0) But her mother grew more strict and Tinya made matters worse by falling in love with the young hero called Ultra Boy.

Tinya soon found herself fighting alongside Ultra Boy against four powerful White Triangle Daxamites. Once the heroes thought they'd achieved victory, one of the terrorists struck again and incinerated Tinya's body. (Legionnaires Annual #2) Unbeknownst to anyone, however, Apparition somehow managed to "hide" inside Ultra Boy's body, where she lay dormant. For a time, Ultra Boy experienced mysterious pains, and eventually she managed to extract herself. (Legion #82) Tinya's new lease on life was bittersweet; she could no longer become material.

This drama continued to play out in the 20th century, when Jo and Tinya were part of a group of Legionnaires displaced in time by the Emerald Eye. (Legion v.4 #84) There they would discover something mysterious about Tinya's past, a woman named…

+ Phase

Phase is one-third of Tinya Wazzo (Apparition). What Tinya never knew was that her father, Murl, was a Carggite. This means she was also born with the ability to split into three bodies (like her teammate, Triad).

In the 30th century, Murl Wazzo had racked up such significant gambling debts that he incurred the wrath of the Luck Lords. To appease his creditors, he gave up two of his daughter's bodies to them. The Luck Lords made one Tinya into their servant but ultimately sent her to the 20th century to spare her from an enemy's wrath. This Tinya knew nothing of her origins and eventually joined the L.E.G.I.O.N. as Phase. The second body was raised by their mother, Winema, on their native homeworld of Bgtzl. This Tinya joined the Legion as Apparition. The third has not been seen since.

One day at L.E.G.I.O.N. headquarters on Cairn, a mysterious woman appeared out of nowhere. Likewise, their teammate, the Durlan had disappeared forever. This dark-haired woman had no memory of anything prior to her appearance, but possessed the power to pass through solid objects. At first, she fled from the L.E.G.I.O.N.naires, but seeing as she wasn't going anywhere, they soon had no choice but to begin communicating with one another. (L.E.G.I.O.N. #9)

Medical tests by Vril Dox and Marij'n Bek and mental probes by the Telepath revealed no explanations for the woman's origins, but she exhibited a strong drive to stay active, even in an unfamiliar place. (#12) She soon began putting her talents to use as a member of the L.E.G.I.O.N. and took the name Phase. (#13)

While in the 20th century, Phase met another hero who would become her teammate in the 30th century—M'onel. In the 20th century, M'onel was known by his given hame, Lar Gand (and later, Valor). (#16, Legion v.4 #119)

Phase arrived just before the tragic loss of one of the team's founders and beloved friends, Lyrissa Mallor. To fill this void, Dox soon appointed Phase to Mallor's former post as second-in-command. She proved herself admirably and averted a major crisis within her first hours of taking the post. She also wasted no time in standing up to Dox. She defied his wishes by making Marij'n Bek and Captain Comet official members. (#29)

When the L.E.G.I.O.N. was infiltrated by a traitor named Ig'nea, Dox disbanded the team. It was Phase who decided to defy him once again as she rallied the troops to stay on even in Dox's absence. Good thing, because they saved Dox from death at Ig'nea's hands. (#30-39)

Her adventures with the team ultimately brought her into contact with a race of phantoms who kidnapped children on the planet Dexll. These thieves tried to trick Phase into believing she was one of them, a long-lost relative. (#59) Upon further investigation she discovered that these people were taking children in order to appease a demon called Bhargast.The demon had enslaved the phantom people by stealing their youth. Once Bhargast was gone, these people, led by Bgztl, chose to colonize his "phantom" dimension. Given their inherent abilities, they were perfectly suited for life there. (#60) This phantom dimension will eventually be known as Bgztl.

The L.E.G.I.O.N. was Phase's life, but when it fell under the thrall of Vril Dox's son, Lyrl, she and other core members were forced to flee to escape his mind-control. (#70) Phase and the other rebels ran from Lyrl's considerably persistent mind-slaves until Dox was able to fined a way to depose Lyrl. In the aftermath, Captain Comet assumed leadership of the L.E.G.I.O.N. Phase returned to active duty. (REBELS #1-17)

Just before she and the others were driven from Cairn by Lyrl, Phase met a strange man who called himself "Jo Nah." He appeared amid massive cosmic time fluctuations and claimed that they'd met in the past. (LEGION #69) It was suggested in Legion #105 that this Ultra Boy was from pocket universe created by the Time Trapper.

+ Sisters Reunited

In a blast from the Emerald Eye, Apparition and Ultra Boy had become trapped in the 20th century along with other Legionnaires. (Legion v.4 #85) During her stay then, Tinya met Deadman, who helped her regain some of her substance. (#87) Her state made Tinya insecure and to quell her fears, Ultra proposed to her and soon they were married. (#96)

During their honeymoon, she learned at last that she was half Carggite, and that one of her "sisters" had been given over to the Luck Lords as payment for her father's gambling debts. With two Wazzo sisters now living in the same era, their connection began to draw them back together. This began when the L.E.G.I.O.N. were rebel outlaws. Phase accompanied them on a trip to Earth where, apparently, she misplaced her "touchstone." (REBELS #13) This jewel was somehow connected to her powers, the only thing that she ever felt was a link to her past. When she finally noticed that it was missing, (Legion v.4 #87) Captain Comet sent her to Earth to try to find it. (#94, 97)

The touchstone was found on Earth by a young mystic, Tiffany Cross, who located Apparition. (Legion #87) When Phase arrived on Earth to search for the Touchstone, she met her twin. (#94, 97, 98) Phase re-merged with Apparition—as all Cargggites can—but due to the strange circumstances of Apparition being bodiless, their merge was permanent. They both eventually returned with Legion to the 30th Century. (#99-100) Although they were happy to be one again, the combination of Apparition and Phase's personalities led to some changes in attitudes for Apparition. Most significantly, they mourned the absence of their third sister.

The Legion eventually found its way back to the 30th century, but Ultra Boy was one of ten Legionnaires lost to a rift in space. (#125) In his year's absence, Tinya learned she was pregnant and bore a son named Cub. During her pregnancy, she traveled to Jo's homeworld of Rimbor to find Jo's mother, who was less than pleased to see her. Tinya went into labor just after learning that Jo was alive and the lost Legionnaires had returned. With the help of a gang leader, Timber Wolf, she headed back to Earth. (Legion Worlds #6)

It took some time before Tinya and Brin returned to Earth. (The Legion #11) And when they did, Tinya intercepted a misleading note from Ultra Boy to Saturn Girl, which caused a rift between Tinya and Jo. (#12) The once inseparable couple found that they had grown somewhat apart, which was made more awkward when Jo finally met his son, Cub. (#14) Cub continued to grow a week for every day, and Kid Quantum offered to erect a field around him to retard this aging. It worked, but the bubble needed to be renewed every 24 hours. When the Legion was possessed by Universo, the bubble expired and Cub instantly manifested some new kind of power. His mind reached out and took over Universo's. This gave the Legion the break they needed to defeat the villain. (#23)

Tinya's third body has never been recovered.

Apparition remains with the Legion of Earth-247, whose universe was destroyed in the Infinite Crisis. They now wander the multiverse.

Ambassador Winema Wazzo first appeared in Legionnaires #0 (October 1994). Tinya's father Murl Wazzo first appeared in Legionnaires #28.

Because of her life as Phase, Apparition was considered the Legion's resident expert on 21st century history.

Legion 3: Earth-Prime

Phantom Girl was born on Bgztl, a world occupying the same space as Earth, but in another dimension. Tinya was born with the ability to traverse the two dimenstions. When she "phases" herself into Earth's dimension, she gradually becomes more immaterial on Bgztl, and vice versa. This ability comes with its own inherent downfalls. She never becomes truly invisible in either world. Hence, whatever her actions in one plane, she is still visible in (if not connected to) the other.

She has trouble keeping romantic relationships because of these transitions. Karate Kid decided to stop dating her at the same time that she split up with her longtime boyfriend on Bgztl, Jarel. (#4)

She found her powers useful in another unexpected way while on a mission to Rokyn. When the Legion were sent to protect a Phantom Zone projector, she helped Saturn Girl make contact with Mon-El, who was trapped in the Zone. By merging her powers with Saturn Girl's, the two actually entered the Zone without the projector and rescued the legendary hero. (#24)

Her ethereal nature has also allowed Phantom Girl to communicate with Dream Girl, who existed only on the astral plane. (Brave & Bold v.2 #5)

Tinya became friends with fellow Legionnaire, Princess Projectra, and she was the first to recognize that Projectra might be unbalanced. By reading Projectra an ancient comic book about Superman and Brainiac, Phantom Girl unwittingly gave Projectra the idea to exact vengeance against the United Plantes for her planet's destruction. (#46)

Other Versions

Phantom Girl was a prominent member on TV's Legion of Super-Heroes cartoon.

+ Powers

Phantom Girl has the native Bgtzlian ability to phase her molecules between other molecules. She can also enter and leave the Phantom Zone at will.

Apparation has the native Bgtzlian ability to phase her molecules between other molecules. Originally, she also possessed the Carggite ability to split into three. However, her third body is missing and she cannot separate from her second body because of the physical death of her first body.

The Phantom Girl of Earth-Prime has the same powers, except that (a) she is unique on her world, and (b) she exists on Earth and on Bgztl at the same time. If she becomes a phantom on Earth, she appears in the same relative coordinates on Bgztl (although her consciousness resides only in one place at a time. She also has an affinity with the Phantom Zone, and can apparently enter it at will.