DAHLIA

Real Name: Dahlia (last name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Normal Human

Occupation: Would-be Singer/Entertainer

Group Membership: Former member of the Band

Affiliations: Simon Edwards;
formerly Dr. Johnathan Daniel Ridge Sr.

Enemies: Dr. Daniel Ridge Sr., Jennifer Walters

Known Relatives: Unidentified father, unidentified mother (deceased)

Aliases: "Dahlia the Demon"

Base of Operations: Los Angeles, California

First Appearance: Savage She-Hulk#15 (April 1981)

Powers/Abilities: Dahlia possesses the normal human strength level of a woman of her size, height and build who engages in extensive regular exercises. She has no superhuman powers and much less singing ability.

Limitations: Dahlia is diabetic.

History: (Savage She-Hulk#15 (fb)) - Dahlia grew up in the Watts District of Los Angeles where she spent her time singing in the streets for spending money. Her father didn't support her singing, realizing she had no possible talent, but her over-indulging mother worked hard to sacrifice and save money to send her to the Academy of Music. Dahlia met a band there where she ended up singing back-up for them, thinking she was their lead singer.

(Savage She-Hulk#15 (fb)) - At the Watts Free Clinic, Dahlia was diagnosed as diabetic by Dr. Daniel Ridge Sr., but she did little to follow her doctor's advice by drinking and consuming alcohol. Her resulting mood swings soon antagonized them and they began calling her "Dahlia the Demon." Dahlia began accusing them of playing poorly to ruin her voice. She blamed her instructors for trying to ruin her voice and was eventually tossed out of school for being difficult, taking their criticism as attacks on her supposed talent. While her life was falling apart, her mother passed away, and Dahlia was briefly committed from a nervous breakdown. When she was released, she learned her band had gone on to great success without her, and her father had cut off out of her life.

(Savage She-Hulk#15) - Dahlia finally met "Smiling Simon" Edwards, owner of the "Opening Act" night club, and opened up her past to him, and he gave her a chance in his club. He also further convinced her to sue her Dr. Daniel Ridge for malpractice. In the nightclub, Dahlia's singing is not what he expected and he gets her off the stage, but she accuses him of using her. When Jen Walters confronts her at the club about the lawsuit against Dr. Ridge, Dahlia's insulin is discovered. She passes it off as her mother's and storms out, accusing Jen of trying to get her drunk.

Dahlia is later confronted by Jen over the truth of how she was avoiding responsibility of her life, but Dahlia turned her confrontation into a race issue and tossed her out of her apartment. When Edwards backs out of her lawsuit against her doctor, Dahlia calls Jen up confessing she about to take her own life. As the She-Hulk, Jen races across Los Angeles to reach Dahlia and discovers her in insulin shock, rushing her just in the nick of time to the hospital.

Comments: Created by David Anthony Wright, Mike Vosburgh and Frank Springer

Dahlia is one of the most minor supporting characters in the history of the She-Hulk. Her entire appearance is practically an homage storyline to the old Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno "Incredible Hulk" TV-Series (1978-1982).

Profile by Thor2000

CLARIFICATIONS: Dahlia is not to be confused with:  

• The Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short, famous unsolved murder victim (1925-1947) 

Dahlia's father is not to be confused with:

• Father Adam, priest, @ Ghost Rider V#3
• Father Abbott, leader of the Order @ St. George#1
• Father Artemis, mentor of Gabriel, @ Haunt of Horror#2
• Father Blood, X-Series Robot @ Nextwave#2
• Father Darklyte, leader of the Legion of Nihilists, @ Marvel Spotlight I#23
• Father Gorm, Lemurian god worshipped by Thongor, @ Creatures on the Loose#26
• Father Gregori, creator of the Cadre, @ Web of Spiderman Annual#9
• Father Kevin Grass, head of sanctuary movement, @ Avengers Spotlight#31
• Father Nicholas, ally of Blade, deceased, @ Marvel: Shadows & Light#1
• Father Nigel, agent of the Brothers Grace, @ Marvel Knights II#1
• Father Pain, member of the Vestry, @ Nextwave#9
• The Fathers, South African extremist group @ Marvel Comics Presents I#27
• Fathers of la Hacienda, founders of la Hacienda @ Man-Thing I#7
• Father Sky, agent of the Brothers Grace, @ Marvel Knights II#1
• Father Spider, senior member of the Galactic Alliance of Spider-Man @ Marvel Comics Presents II#1
• Father Time, Larry Scott, wartime costumed adventurer, @ Captain America Comics#6
• Father Time, one of the Elders of the Universe, @ Captain America I#383
• or any other "father" in the Marvel Universe

The Band is not to be confused with:

• Band of Baddies, mutant street gang, @ Marvel Comics Presents I#48
• Band of the Bland, team of villainous rejects, @ Marvel Treasury Edition#12
• Night People, also known as the Band of Brothers and Sisters @ Captain America I#201
• or any other "band" in the Marvel Universe

Simon Edwards is not to be confused with:

• Edwards, employee of the Daily Bugle, @ Tangled Web of Spider-Man#1
• Bob Edwards, newspaper reporter @ X-Treme X-Men#46
• Curtis Edwards, pawn of Iktomi, @ Marvel Frontier Comics Special#1
• Ethan Edwards, member of the extra-terrestrial Skrull race, @ Marvel Knights Spider-Man#13
• Ginny Edwards, publicist for Peter Parker, @ Amazing Spider-Man I#304
• Sebastian Edwards, member of FI-6, deceased, @ Excalibur I#49
• or and other "edwards" in the Marvel Universe

Dahlia's father described her singing as a "buzzsaw ripping through metal." He never approved of his late wife giving Dahlia false hopes and was barely surprised when Jen Walters came to him to reveal that Dahlia was blaming Dr. Ridge for all of her problems.
--Savage She-Hulk#15

The Band met Dahlia at the Academy of Music and invited her to sing in her band as a back-up singer, but her lack of singing ability compounded with her inability to follow doctor's instructions gave her wild mood swings. They would play louder to try and tone out her caterwauling, but the act only exacerbated the incident when she walked out on them, leading them open to head onward to great success.
--Savage She Hulk#15

"Smiling Simon" Edwards invited Dahlia to entertain at his "Opening Act" night club based on her looks without hearing her sing. After hearing her woes, he encouraged her to sue Dr. Ridge for malpractice, but when she started performing, he asked her to take a break to figure out what to do with her. Dahlia took his confrontation as an attack on her and walked out on him. Based on her reaction, he pulled out support on her malpractice suit.
--Savage She Hulk#15

Images:
Savage She Hulk#15, cover (Dahlia)
Savage She Hulk#15, page 19, top panel (Father)
Savage She Hulk#15, page 8, bottom right panel (the Band)
Savage She Hulk#15, page 7, bottom right panel ("Smiling Simon" Edwards)

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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