MISERY

Real Name: Melissa Carsdale

Identity/Class: Extra-temporal (Alternate timeline, Earth-MC2) human technology user

Occupation: Former actress

Affiliations: Formerly Leonard Groote, the cast of "Everybody's Happy"

Enemies: Leonard Groote, Spider-Girl

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York City of Earth-MC2
Formerly the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane, Earth-MC2

First Appearance: Spider-Girl Annual 1999 (July, 1999)

Powers/Abilities: Misery was armed with globes filled with acid and knockout gas. She used smoke grenades to hide her entrances and exits, and wore gloves that had an electric current running through them. Misery was originally unskilled at combat, but later learned martial arts from inmates at the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane.

History: (Spider-Girl Annual 1999 (fb) - BTS) - Melissa Carsdale was one of the stars of the sitcom "Everybody's Happy." Melissa and her co-star Leonard Groote became fast friends; they agreed to share screen time, and had plans for the future. This all changed when Leonard left the show. "Everybody's Happy" was forgotten, and Melissa faded into obscurity. Melissa adopted the persona of Misery, and was determined to torment Leonard and crush his spirit. She spent a fortune to acquire the Grief Machine.

(Spider-Girl Annual 1999) - Misery arrived on Leonard Groote's new movie set, throwing acid at him. Spider-Girl was in the crowd, and she leapt to Leonard's rescue. Misery ran off, but when confronted by Spider-Girl, she unleashed a barrage of knockout globes. She brought the unconscious Spider-Girl to her lair and placed the heroine into the Grief Machine, the fate she intended for Leonard. Spider-Girl eventually broke out, and Misery fled, not really keen on fighting. Spider-Girl caught up to her and downed Misery with one punch.

(Spider-Girl#90 (fb) - BTS) - Misery was sent to the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane. While there, she learned martial arts from her fellow inmates. Misery eventually escaped the facility, and made a deal with her agent to publish her autobiography. However, the agent insisted on a bigger ending for the book. Misery decided to set up another battle with Spider-Girl, and once again managed to capture her and place her under the influence of the Grief Machine.

(Spider-Girl#90) - Spider-Girl was once more placed through visions of her fears within the Grief Machine, but inspired by the apparent spirit of her great-aunt May Parker, she fought back and once again broke free from the device. Spider-Girl quickly webbed Misery to the wall with her webbing.

Comments: Created by Ron Frenz, Tom DeFalco, Pat Olliffe and Sal Buscema.

It was never explained where Misery got her Grief Machine. Could the Tinkerer be alive and doing business on Earth-MC2?

PROFILE BY FUTURE and Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with:

• Emily Carstairs, generic flirt, @ Generic Comic Book. #1
• Mischief, of Earth-Nocturne, @ Nocturne #2
• Misery 2099, archfiends, @ Ghost Rider 2099 #18
• Misfit, Night Shift, @ West Coast Avengers II #40

Grief Machine

A victim placed in the Grief Machine experienced completely lifelike hallucinations. Misery couldn't control the exact nature of the hallucinations, but they tormented a victim with their worst fears. Spider-Girl experienced visions of the Green Goblin (Normie Osborne) killing her parents and her Midtown High friends. It was only Spider-Girl's spider-sense that allowed her to shake off these hallucinations and destroy the Grief Machine. Misery later rebuilt the device after her release from Ravencroft.

--Spider-Girl Annual 1999 (Spider-Girl#90

Leonard Groote

Groote was a star on the sitcom "Everybody's Happy." He became a close friend and more with his co-star Melissa Carsdale. He promised they would have a future together, but he soon convinced the producer to make the show focus on him. He left Melissa and the show behind when he was offered the starring role in the film "Portrait of the Young Artist." He later starred in "The Sensitive Man." Leonard was in New York filming a new movie when Misery attacked him. He was deathly afraid she would hurt his face, but Spider-Girl swung to his rescue.

--Spider-Girl Annual 1999

images:
Spider-Girl Annual 1999, p3, pan5;
Spider-Girl Annual 1999, p23, pan4;
(Grief Machine) Spider-Girl Annual 1999, p23, pan6;
(Leonard Groote) Spider-Girl Annual 1999, p2, pan5