Phantom Girl
	Name: Tinya Wazzo Home Planet: Bgztl (in the 4th dimension) Super-Power: Dematerialization Member Since: 2963

Origin | Super-Power | Personal Data | Membership Record

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"Phantom Girl came to Earth from the planet Bgztl, in the 4th dimension, which co-exists, unseen, in the same space Earth occupies." - Adventure Comics No. 316 (Jan. 1964) "The Origins and Powers of the Legion of Super-Heroes" First Appearance: Action Comics No. 276 (written by Jerry Siegel, drawn by Jim Mooney)

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Phantom Girl comes from the fourth dimension, and is herself four-dimensional, which - from the viewpoint of three dimensional beings - gives her the ability to dematerialize at will and pass through solid objects (Adventure Comics No. 365). It should be noted that the planet Bgztl is in the fourth physical dimension, which has nothing to do with the "time dimension" (371 "The Legion Outpost").

Through practice, Phantom Girl has learned to make only selective parts of her body immaterial (Adventure Comics No. 340). Conversely, when she is a phantom she can turn parts of herself solid, as when she makes her fist solid to punch opponents (360), a trick she learned in order to be more effectual in a fight. She can disable machines by turning her hands immaterial, reaching inside, and solidying her fingers to interfere with their wiring (373).

Whenever Phantom Girl becomes immaterial, an invisible aura of force around her body affects anything she wears or carries in the same way. She can only affect small objects that she can easily carry in one hand (Adventure Comics No. 334, 360, 337 "The Legion Outpost").

While in phantom form, Phantom Girl is not subject to three-dimensional lighting conditions, exemplified by both the time she walked into a boulder and was able to see a "metal tablet with strange writing inscribed on it" inside it (Adventure Comics No. 333), and when she stated she would have been unaffected by a flasher beast's dazzling light-rays had she been immaterial (339). In phantom form, she is able to see through three-dimensional objects (Lois Lane No. 50).

By concentrating strongly enough, Phantom Girl can do something that Phantom Zone prisoners can't - enter or leave the Zone at will. While in the Zone, she communicates telepathically like all phantoms do (Adventure Comics No. 323). Phantom Girl can also communicate telepathically to other phantoms or wraiths in this dimension, needing only to turn the top part of her body immaterial to do so (340).

Once, when her power was temporarily "beefed-up", she gained the ability to touch objects while in phantom form and turn other people into phantoms, as well (Adventure Comics No. 368).

Limitations and Weaknesses: While there are no solid objects Phantom Girl can't walk through, certain forms of energy can hold her back (Adventure Comics No. 372 "The Legion Outpost"). Similarly, she cannot pass through walls charged with anti-phantom energy (374, 376 "the Legion Outpost"). Phantom Girl charged the outer Legion clubhouse walls with such a radiation when she made it phantom-proof back when she first joined the team (Superboy No. 147, Adventure Comics No. 377 "The Legion Outpost"). She can walk through regular force-shields, however (328).

Her power can also be jammed, as a radio signal is distorted by static, which will shock her into unconsciousness (Action Comics No. 386/2).

Explosive blasts cannot harm Phantom Girl in her phantom form but shock waves from a sufficiently powerful explosion might, due to the vibrations it causes throughout the different planes. When knocked unconscious as a phantom, Phantom Girl reverts back to solid form (Adventure Comics No. 346).

Phantom Girl does not always take the precaution of turning into a phantom, and therefore can be physically hurt (Adventure Comics No. 367). Sometimes, a danger may occur so quickly that she does not react fast enough to turn into a phantom in time (319, 379).

Speculative Explaination of Power: All people and objects in the third dimension have length, height, and breadth. They are measured on the X, Y, and Z axes, with each at a right angle to the other two. In the fourth dimension, there is a fourth axis at a right angle to the other three, and just as length has "left and right", height has "up and down", and breadth has "backwards and forwards", the fourth axis equivalent is called "ana and kata" by scientists.

Three-dimensional beings can't see higher physical dimensions but they can be calculated mathematically and imagined just the same. It is like a two-dimensional circle that cannot look "up" at a sphere because it is not capable of motion in such an "impossible" direction. To the circle, a sphere appears as a circle because it can only see a two-dimensional cross-section of its true form. Similarly, when Phantom Girl's fellow Legionnaires look at her they can only see her "lower" three dimensions.

Conversely, a sphere can easily look down into a "topless" circle to see inside of it. This is how Phantom Girl is able to see inside objects, unimpeded by their apparent solidity. When she wants to pass through a three-dimensional object, she only has to "step over" or "slide under" it by moving in an ana or kata direction. This act of going "around" an object via the fourth dimension is perceived by three-dimensional beings as her passing through it.

For more details on Phantom Girl's power, see our essay entitled The Fourth Dimension.

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Physical Description: Tinya has long black hair, currently with bangs over her forehead. She has high cheekbones and a strong jaw.

Personality: Tinya has a strong, independent nature; she is very straightforward in relationships (Adventure Comics No. 379). She is proud to have been one of the first ten members to join the team, but sometimes this pride can provoke negative reactions to newer members, such as when she told Karate Kid: "I don't need a Legion tenderfoot to tell me my duty!" (346). The situation was probably made worse by her negative experiences with new members turned bad, such as Command Kid (328), but she always regrets it when her prejudices get the better of her (347).

Phantom Girl knows that being a Legionnaire is dangerous and has risks that must be accepted (Adventure Comics No. 379).

Tinya voted for Invisible Kid in the 5th term election (Adventure Comics No. 348), a decision she may have regretted later when the stern leader punched her rebellious boyfriend, Ultra Boy (350/351).

Tinya has her own apartment in Metropolis (Action Comics No. 381/2).

Skills: Tinya has knowledge in reflexology and massage therapy (Lois Lane No. 50).

Interests: Tinya is an avid learner, and is often found hooked up to the knowledge-condensotron in the Hall of Infinite Knowledge (Adventure Comics No. 326). She also attends Metro-Heights Educational Center, advanced level three, where she takes a science class with Sun Boy through the radical method of learning while awake instead of the old-fashioned sleep-learning (373). Her hobbies include fashion (362) and sewing (368). She keeps up with the latest dance crazes, such as the 2966 dance fad from Janda, "the shurg" (342), and her hairstyles designed by her hairdresser are always the height of fashion (350 "The Legion Outpost").

Nicknames: "P.G." (Adventure Comics No. 360)

Relationships: Tinya has long been a admirer (Adventure Comics No. 316) and supporter (375) of Ultra Boy, even in times of trouble (316), and worries for his safety (319). She cares for him very deeply, although sometimes she still feels a little shy and vulnerable while in her material form (316, 337). Tinya is also good friends with Legionnaires Duo Damsel, who she confides in (361), and Superboy, of whom she holds in very high opinion (347).

Known Relatives: Tinya's parents live on Bgztl but they visit her on Earth from time to time and she enjoys her mother's cooking (Action Comics No. 381/2).

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Application: After the Legion clubhouse was erected, Tinya Wazzo, from the 4th-dimensional world of Bgztl, entered through its walls.

Induction: Startled at how easy a phantom could infiltrate "the safest place on Earth", the charter members agreed to accept her on the condition that she help make the building impervious to all future phantom-like invaders. Upon her acceptance, Saturn Girl named her "Phantom Girl." She joined almost immediately after her friend Triplicate Girl (who later became Duo Damsel) (Superboy No. 147).

Positions Held: Permanent member of the Legion Espionage Squad (Adventure Comics No. 347 "The Legion Outpost")

Aliases Used: Phyllis Groves (Lois Lane No. 50)

Career Highlights:

Adventure Comics No. 316 (Jan. 1964) "The Renegade Super-Hero"

An admirer of Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl was the only Legionnaire to believe in him after the Legion of Super-Heroes discovered that he had a criminal past. She abstained from voting against him when the rest of the Legionnaires decided to expell him and, when his former teammates were tracking him down to turn him over to the police, she kept from them the location of his ultimate hiding place. Phantom Girl abandoned her Legion comrades to warn Ultra Boy that the team was close by, and as a consequence was with him when the alien raiders brought him into their ship and asked him to reveal to them the secrets of the Legion's weaponry. When he agreed, she didn't turn into a phantom to escape to warn the police because she trusted him not to be a traitor. After Ultra Boy captured the raiders using the Legion's freezing-force device, and revealed that his criminal past had only been a ruse to trick the alien raiders, the Legionnaires gave Phantom Girl the honor of restoring his costume's insignia.

Lois Lane No. 50 (July 1964) "Lois Lane's Luckiest Day"

When the Legion decided to compile a Superman Encyclopedia for the people of the future, Phantom Girl, Shrinking Violet, and Triplicate Girl were designated to write an article on the Lois Lane Fan Club. Posing as a fan club applicant named Phyllis Groves, Phantom Girl was able to help Lois during her time as a volunteer nurse at the Metropolis Hospital when a psychopathic patient, a veteran of Vietnam, trapped her in a locked room thinking she was the enemy. Phantom Girl dematerialized through the door and diagnosed the cause of the man's maniacal moods by seeing through his body. She then cured him by materializing her hand and massaging away the cause of the pressure on a nerve in his neck. When Lois deduced the real identity of her helper, Phantom Girl told her of the reason for their visit, but then used a hypnotic mirror to wipe the event from her memory, as there was no record of the visit in history.

Adventure Comics No. 326 (Nov. 1964) "The Revolt of the Girl Legionnaires"

Phantom Girl, along with the other girl members, was brainwashed by Queen Azura of Femnaz into attacking her male teammates. Star Boy was Phantom Girl's target, and she romanced him on the asteroid ZYX-IW, where she tricked him into sinking down into the earth to avoid the death-dealing pollen of an exploding Gowampi Trigoserus Lympodiary. She avoided the pollen in her phantom form and left him deep in the ground to die. Later, after Azura lifted the hypnotic effects from their minds, the girls rescued the boys from all the perils they had left them in.

Adventure Comics No. 337 (Oct. 1965) "The Weddings That Wrecked the Legion"

Phantom Girl and Ultra Boy agreed to Brainiac 5's plan to pretend to marry and quit the Legion in order to trick some alien spies into revealing their home planet. The "wedding ceremony" made use of the wedding-wand rite that is the custom on Phantom Girl's home world of Bgztl - with the bride and groom flanked by six of their closest male friends holding aloft long wands topped by figures of themselves.

Adventure Comics No. 340 (Jan. 1966) "Computo the Conqueror "

Phantom Girl went on a mercy errand to the dead world of Tombor, where the race had transformed itself to wraiths as their world died. She wanted to help them to return to normal but they preferred their new state of existence and chose to remain insubstantial.

Adventure Comics No. 360 (Sept. 1967) "The Legion Chain Gang"

Phantom Girl was one of the few members who managed to escape custody and hide in the sewers when the Legionnaires were outlawed. She freed Duo Damsel from the Metropolis jail by using her power to walk through the thick walls and deliver to her teammate a powerful acid, developed by Brainiac 5, to dissolve the bars of her cell. Later, in the battle between the Legionnaires and the armed guards at the Water Purification Plant, Phantom Girl fought fiercely by turning most of herself immaterial but using her still-solid fist to knock out the opposition.

Adventure Comics No. 368 (May 1968) "The Mutiny of the Super-Heroines"

Phantom Girl was once again brainwashed into attacking her male teammates, but this time, she and her girlfriends had their powers fantastically "beefed up", temporarily, so that she was able to turn other objects into phantom-form, and touch solid objects while she herself was in phantom-form.

Adventure Comics No. 379 (Apr. 1969) "Burial in Space"

Phantom Girl was one of the Legionnaires who journeyed to Seeris to try to stop the brutal invaders from overrunning the Seerons. She comforted Ultra Boy when he was worrying about making a wrong decision as Leader, letting him know that they all accepted the risks of being a Legionnaire. During their first encounter with the brutes, Phantom Girl was knocked out before she could dematerialize, and Ultra Boy ordered the Legionnaires to retreat as he rushed her to safety. She was cured by the Seerons, and Ultra Boy then had the Legion to take a defensive position against the invaders. Phantom Girl confronted him, asking if his concern for her was the real reason behind his decision not to attack, and Ultra Boy had to come to terms with the fact that, at the moment, his first duty was to the Legion and not to Phantom Girl's individual safety.

For information concerning Phantom Girl after 2969, click here.

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