Classification: Extradimensional (Microverse) holographic disguise unit

Creator: Unknown

User/Possessors: Baron Karza, Diarmid, Princess Mari (Marionette)

First Appearance: Micronauts II#15 (December, 1985)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: An illusioner, the size of a cigarette box, provides the user/wearer with a moment-to-moment mapped hologram. It is thought-directed and can disguise the wearer to appear to be anyone he/she wishes, although the general size and shape stay approximately the same. It is unknown how long its internal power source would last for, but presumably at least 2 hours. It is also only visually altering and does not disguise the user's voice. It is presumably worn close to the head as it responds to the wearer mental commands. They are also relatively fragile.

History:
(Micronauts II#15 (fb) - BTS) - The extraterrestrial dancer, Diarmid, used an illusioner before she traveled to Homeworld with the Acroyear ambassador and met Princess Mari.

(Micronauts II#15) - In the frozen region of Homeworld, Eved's family had organized and paid for a grand excursion force field skating to impress the Royal Court. This was, however, an elaborate scheme by Eved to win the heart of Diarmid using Karza's duplicitous aid. Yet Eved instead found himself falling for Mari. Karza saw this an opportunity to remove the influence of Eved's family from the Royal Court.

    Unaware of all this, Diarmid and her best friend, Princess Mari, had spent many hours skating when a servant brought the two a present from Baron Karza. While she was polite, Mari was mistrusting of Karza's intentions, despite the fact that she and her brother had received gifts from him when they were children. Mari unwrapped the present and Diarmid recognized it almost immediately as an illusioner. She then grabbed the small unit and demonstrated its application to Mari by using it to mimic a spritely version of Karza and even the Acroyear ambassador who had brought her to Homeworld. Mari was delighted and asked Diarmid if she could use it to imitate Diarmid in a solo dance display scheduled later that day. Diarmid respectfully complied.

    Eved's plan called for a venomous ice hydra to burst from the ice, whereupon Eved would leap in and save the dancing damsel. However, Karza's influence changed things and it was Mari mimicking Diarmid, using the illusioner, who danced before the crowd. The ice hydra attacked and, in grabbing the dancer, damaged the illusioner, revealing to all that it was Mari in peril.

Comments: Created by Peter B. Gillis (writer), Kelley Jones (penciler) & Danny Bulandi (inker).

    It could be that the servant who brought the present to Mari and Diarmid was actually Karza in holographic disguise, but this is not substantiated. It is also not known if Karza used illusioners himself to secretly infiltrate the Royal Palace.

Profile by Grendel Prime

Clarifications:

An illusioner has no known connections to:

• Illusio of Eurth - X'Changelings of Simon Magnus, counterpart of Mastermind @ Avataars: Champions of the Realm#2
• Illusion (Ilya Zarkov) - mutant, husband of Glamor, acted as stage magician, slain by Hellphyr @ Vision & Scarlet Witch II#4
• Image Inducer - similar holographic disguising mechanisms used by various characters, including the Taskmaster and several X-Men, notably Nightcrawler @ X-Men II#97
• Image Projector - created by Tony Stark (Iron Man), could project image of user anywhere in world @ Avengers I#3
• Holo-Projector - given by Sersi to Sam Holden to assist in his lecture on Eternals and Deviants @ Eternals II#1
• Holo-Transmiter - allowed visual displays when communicating across a distance @ Eternals II#1
• Any other "Illusi-" characters/items

images:
Micronauts II#15, p15, panel 5 (in use)