DIANE CUMMINGS

Real Name: Diane Cummings

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Journalist, actress

Group Membership: It's Amazing crew

Affiliations: Beast, Dorian Delazny, Alex Flores, Hellcat, It the Living Colossus, Magnor, Grant Marshall, Mac Sanders, Felix Simon, Tony Stark, Hedy Wolfe, Wonder Man

Enemies: Cancriusians, Granitor, Lotus Newmark, Stonians

Known Relatives: Robert O'Bryan (husband)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Los Angeles, California

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense I#20 (August, 1961)

Powers/Abilities: Diane is an ordinary human trained in performance.

History: (Tales of Suspense I#20) - Diane was an actress in Hollywood who often appeared in romantic roles opposite Grant Marshall. Special effects man Bob O'Bryan was taken with Diane, but she spurned him, preferring Grant. When the Living Colossus statute was animated by creatures from Cancius III, it rampaged through Hollywood and reached the lot where Diane and Grant were. Diane's dress was caught on a piece of equipment and she asked Grant to save her, but he cowardly abandoned her. However, Bob came to her rescue, having built a giant statue larger than the Colossus; when the aliens possessing the Colossus saw O'Bryan's creation, they went to take possession of it and Bob destroyed it with explosions. Diane realized she had been wrong to love Grant and turned her affections to Bob.

(Astonishing Tales I#21) - Diane and Bob were engaged and Bob's fortunes rose as he helped salvage the program "Star Lords" (in which Diane and Grant appeared) by utilizing the Living Colossus as a special effect, but Grant was outraged by Bob's success and caused a light fixture to fall on him, crippling him. Diane promised to stay with Bob, but he spurned her, unwilling to have her care for an invalid.

(Astonishing Tales I#22) - When Magnor came to Delazny Studios, pursued by Stonian agents of Granitor, he told Diane, Grant and Bob the story of Gorgolla. The Stonians captured Diane and Bob, but Bob escaped them and sent his mind into the Living Colossus, then pursued Granitor and the men holding Magnor and Diane.

(Astonishing Tales I#23) - Magnor and Diane remained in Granitor's captivity while Fin Fang Foom came to aid It. Diane witnessed the deaths of most of the Stonians when It destroyed the device transmitting them back to their homeworld.

(Astonishing Tales I#24) - Diane watched as Fin Fang Foom and the Colossus fought. Diane fled find Bob at a hospital where he had been mistaken for dead, but he tried once again to drive Diane out of his life. This time she refused to let him and kissed him.

(Incredible Hulk II#244 (fb) - BTS) - Diane and Bob were finally married.

(Incredible Hulk II#244) - Diane and Bob returned to Los Angeles after their honeymoon and were reunited with Felix, Delazny and Grant. Grant was set to have his footprints added to Graumann's Chinese Theater and invited all of his old co-workers to accompany him. When the Hulk appeared at the event and threatened Grant, Bob became the Colossus to fight him but lost control of the statue to Dr. Vault. After the Hulk destroyed the statue (killing Vault), Bob realized how fortunate he was to have Diane.

(Wonder Man Annual#2/3) - When O'Bryan lost control of his new Living Colossus robot, Diane was performing elsewhere on the same studio lot, appearing at the love interest in Ratman. As the robot smashed into the set, she recognized it as O'Bryan's. Wonder Man and O'Bryan intervened in time to save Diane from the robot.

(Marvel Comics Presents I#169/4) - Bob told Diane about his confrontation with Otto Ranetti, who had ripped off the Living Colossus to create Karrg; Diane was proud of Bob for ultimately leaving Otto be, acknowledging that most creative people borrow from each other.

(Avengers III#0 (fb) - BTS) - Diane went on to appear in Star Kings, Star Kings: A New Dynasty, Star Kings: Border Outpost, and Star Kings: the Lost Crusade, then received a gig as co-host to Mac Sanders on the All-New It's Amazing.

(Avengers III#0) - Diane and Mac hosted a special on the Avengers, discussing the team's recent history and their controversial new members. By special permission from the Maria Stark foundation, their crew got to follow the Avengers (Captain America, Firestar, Iron Man, Justice, Scarlet Witch, Thor, Vision, Wonder Man) into battle against Firebrand and the Flaming Sword gang.

(Iron Man III#21) - Diane later interviewed Anthony Stark as he was going to join an archaeological dig in Canada's Nunavut Territory.

(Avengers Annual 2000) – Mac Sanders and Diane Cummings interviewed Patsy Walker about her new book, Gidget Goes to Hell, asking poignant questions about her famous past. Then they reunited her with Hedy Wolfe.

(Avengers Two: Wonder Man and the Beast#2-3) - When Wonder Man returned to Los Angeles after a lengthy period of being dead, Diane and Felix met him and the Beast as he was reunited with Alex Flores, his one-time fiancee who had married Felix in the interim. The Beast was excited to meet Diane and Felix and began raving about their careers in Star Kings. Later, Diane and Bob went to a gala event at the Maria Stark Pavillion along with Wonder Man and Beast, but Bob had been mind controlled by Lotus Newmark and forced to turn It against the two heroes. Diane tried to break Bob free from Lotus' control, but Lotus struck Diane unconscious from behind. Reviving, Diane explained the situation to Wonder Man and the Beast then helped Beast commandeer an "It's Amazing" helicopter so that they could follow the action. Bob was eventually released from Lotus' control and safely reunited with Diane.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.

Thanks to Doug Stone for adding her Iron Man III#21 appearance.

Profile by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Diane Cummings should not be confused with:

Images taken from:
Astonishing Tales I#24, page 1
Astonishing Tales I#24, pg. 2-3(spread) - Diane Cumming witnessing a fight between It and Fing Fang Foom -

Astonishing Tales I#21-24 (December, 1973-June, 1974) - Tony Isabella (writer), Dick Ayers (artist), Roy Thomas (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#244 (February, 1980) - Steven Grant (writer), Carmine Infantino (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Wonder Man Annual#2/3 (1993) - Barry Dutter (writer), Stephen B. Jones (penciler), Bob Dvorak (inker), Fabian Nicieza (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#169/4 (December, 1994) - Barry Dutter (writer), Jose Fonteriz (artist), Richard Ashford (editor)
Avengers III#0 (1999) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Stuart Immonen (penciler), Wade Von Grawbadger (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Iron Man III#21 (October, 1999) - Kurt Busiek (co-plot), Roger Stern (co-plot/witer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Eric Cannon (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Avengers Annual 2000 (2000) – Kurt Busiek (writer), Norm Breyfogle (penciler/inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers Two: Wonder Man and the Beast#2-3 (June-July, 2000) - Roger Stern (writer), Mark Bagley (penciler), Greg Adams (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First posted: 04/12/2014
Last updated: 07/16/2014

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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