RICKY MARTIN
Real Name: Ricky Martin (full first name
unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Normal human
Occupation: Actor
Group Membership: Cast of the television show
"As the Cookie Crumbles"
Affiliations: Billy Active,
Misty Collins,
Anton DeCarlo, Darlene Dunderbeck, Lake Lovelock, R.J. Rittenhouse
Enemies: None
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Lance (TV role character)
Base of Operations: W.O.W. Television Studios,
(near) Shady Hollow, New York
State, USA
First Appearance: Misty#1 (December, 1985)
Powers/Abilities: Ricky Martin is a handsome
and fashion-conscious young man who is an actor capable enough of
being the male lead of a popular television drama show for the younger
audience.
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Eyes: Light green
Hair: Rusty brown
History:
(Misty#1) - Ricky Martin had the lead male role of Lance in the TV drama "As the Cookie Crumbles".
(Misty#4 letters pages (fb) - BTS) - The part of
Lance's fiancee Loretta was built up over six months, and each week
Lance would read out a scripted letter from Loretta.
(Misty#1) - Ricky joined the judging panel (alongside
TV show director Anton DeCarlo, producer R.J. Rittenhouse and teen
magazine editor Jane Fisher) for a
talent contest panel at the local Shady Hollow High School to find the
someone for the role of Loretta. Ricky endorsed the selection of Misty
Collins but subsequent manipulations saw Misty's rival Darlene
Dunderbeck slotted in and Misty sidelined into a minor role. Misty
initially berated Ricky, thinking him responsible, but he insisted
Darlene's father, the show's major advertiser, had forced the change.
Ricky believed in Misty's acting abilities and encouraged she show that
spark. Later, during filming, Darlene's attempt at sabotage backfired
and Misty's role was increased. Ricky was happy for her.
(Misty#2/1) - Ricky brought
script changes directly
to the high school to pass to Misty and they collided in a corridor by
accident as Misty was rushing to class. With Misty's books scattered,
Ricky spotted Misty had a copy the special Ricky Martin issue of Teen
Scene magazine (unbeknown to him, she also had a poster of him in her
bedroom). Ricky specially pointed out that, despite what the magazines
claimed, he was single and looked forward to seeing her soon.
(Misty#3/1) - A secret scene between Ricky and high
profile teenage actress Lake Lovelock had both Misty and especially
Darlene concerned. Darlene made various nasty attempts to oust Lake,
but Ricky and soon Misty made Lake feel welcome. After that day's
filming, Lake left with her beau, rock star Billy Active. Weeks later,
watching
the episode with her father and aunt Millie, Misty saw how trivial the
scene was.
(Misty#4/1) - Ricky spoke to
Misty on the phone,
encouraging her to come to the cast party already underway and which was also attended by
Lake and Billy, but Misty had to decline as she had committed to babysitting Miny and
Mo. Misty told the children a made-up fairytale where she was the
scullery maid rescued by Prince Charming (Ricky), whom she herself had
freed from a curse from a witch (Darlene). Ricky left the party
with a food hamper and they spent the evening together that way.
(Misty#6/1) - The TV show writers decided it was time
for Ricky's character to get married, but the plotline called for the
newlywed wife to be lost in the Amazon rainforest. Both Misty and
Darlene pushed to have the other marry Ricky's character so that they
could stay on the TV show with him, but the writers decided to make
Lake Lovelock's character return to be the bride, with Misty's and
Darlene's characters as
bridesmaids at the TV wedding.
Comments: Created by Trina Robbins.
As with the classic Millie the Model and similar
comics, the issues included full pages of paper dolls that could be cut
out and
preprinted clothes attached; the clothing designs were usually
submissions (really in Misty's case, in case you were skeptical like
me).
And even Ricky Martin scored one (see right) on the last page of #5
(even though he doesn't otherwise appear in that issue).
Let's Hear It For the Boy!
Creator Trina Robbins had much admiration for the
original Millie the Model comics, which became quite successful under artist Dan DeCarlo and
whose artwork included other Marvel comedy comics with female leads.
It's
very likely she named Anton DeCarlo after the artist. Rock star Billy
Active is a clear reference to superstar rocker Billy Idol, going
by his face and the short "Rebel Yell" lyrics cited in one issue.
Real-life singer Ricky Martin,
who initially began acting in Puerto Rican commercials as a child,
joined popular teen band
Menudo in late 1984, a year before Misty#1 was released. I've found no
evidence he was the name inspiration for this character.
In a mildly amusing coincidence, the song "She Bangs" by real-life singer Ricky Martin was part of Marvel's play-list of the Spider-Man Rocks! stage show held at Universal Studios Hollywood from 2002 to 2004.
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Ricky Martin has no known connections to:
Billy Active was an international rock star and was
dating actress Lake Lovelock. Misty Collins was surprised to see her
favorite rock star when he came to pick up Lake after her introductory
episode. Billy later provided the live music at a cast party; Ricky
Martin encouraged Misty to attend, but she was unable to, so Ricky took
a food hamper and a
Billy Active record to Misty's house to spend the evening with her that
way instead.
--Misty#3/1 (4/1
Anton DeCarlo was director of the TV show "As the Cookie Crumbles starring Ricky Martin. He joined the judging panel that selected Misty Collins as the winner in a contest to star opposite Ricky and was disappointed when Misty's rival Darlene Dunderbeck bullied her way into the role instead. DeCarlo kept Misty initially for a minor role, but seeing her acting aptitude and ability to cope under pressure, DeCarlo ordered the writers Bert and Harry give Misty a larger role as Darlene's character's sister. He appeared at the cast party and later spoke to both Misty and Darlene about script changes he had made alongside the main writers regarding who would be Ricky's character's bride for the TV wedding.
He first appeared with a brown beard but finished the
series with all white hair. Maybe it was stress or he got a shock from
a ratings drop (or maybe he'd been colored wrong the first couple of
issues?).
--Misty#1 (3/1,4/1,6/1
Lake Lovelock was dating popular international rock
star Billy Active. Lake was considered an international beauty star and
had been hired to costar in a one-off episode with a secret plot that
only key crew and Ricky Martin knew about and it was billed it would be
a "hot episode." Concerned that they would be forgotten, the love-lost
usual rivals, Darlene Dunderbeck and Misty Collins made a private pact
to get rid of Lake before filming started (although Misty quickly
reneged). Looking ragged from long travel, Lake took a shower, but
Darlene had put green dye in Lake's shampoo; however, director
DeCarlo liked that look more. Misty joined Lake and Ricky over coffee
before filming, but Darlene let off a smoke bomb that damaged much of
Lake's wardrobe. Feeling sorry, Misty offered her clothing. But the closed set scene actually involved
Ricky's and Lake's characters trapped in a fire-ravaged building. After
filming, Lake left with her beau but returned for an informal cast
party. Weeks later, the TV show's writers wanted Ricky's character to
get married and eventually decided on Lake's character Amelia return as
the bride, although the plotline would be that she would be forever
lost in the Amazon safari honeymoon. Darlene and Misty acted as
bridesmaids in the TV wedding.
--Misty#3/1 (4/1,6/1
R.J. Rittenhouse was producer of the TV show "As the
Cookie Crumbles starring Ricky Martin. He joined the judging panel that
selected Misty Collins as the winner in a contest to star opposite
Ricky. However, Misty's rival Darlene Dunderbeck was furious at missing
out and had her rich father, the prime sponsor of the TV show, approach
Rittenhouse and forced them to take Darlene on instead, much to
everyone's chagrin.
--Misty#1
images:
(without ads)
Misty#4/1, p7, pan6 (main image)
Misty#1, p11, pan3 (headshot)
Misty#2/1, p4, pan1 (crouching)
Misty#6/1, p7, pan2 (smiling, wedding suit)
Misty#5, last page (paper doll page)
Misty#3/1, p8, pan6 (Billy Active, main)
Misty#4/1, p1, pan2 (Billy Active, headshot)
Misty#6/1, p1 (Anton DeCarlo, main)
Misty#1, p13, pan2 (Anton DeCarlo, headshot)
Misty#3/1, p8, pan5 (Lake Lovelock, main)
Misty#6/1, p7, pan2 (Lake Lovelock, headshot)
Misty#1, p11, pan4 (R.J. Rittenhouse)
Appearances:
Misty#1 (December, 1985) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti
(editor)
Misty#2/1 (February, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti
(editor)
Misty#3/1 (April, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti
(editor)
Misty#4/1 (June, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti
(editor)
Misty#5 (August, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti
(editor)
Misty#6/1 (October, 1986) - Trina Robbins (writer, pencils, inks), Ann Nocenti
(editor)
First posted: 10/07/2024
Last updated:
10/07/2024
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
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