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Foxfire

Foxfire

Foxfire was a member of the Institute Of Evil that was behavior modified and joined the Squadron Supreme. Olivia and Dr. Spectrum became involved after she joined the team for a time before her death.

Name:
Foxfire
Publisher:
Real name:
Olivia Underwood
Aliases:
  • Olivia Underwood
Birth date:
None
Gender:
Female
Powers:
  • Agility
  • Death Touch
  • Light Projection
cover

Creation

The character named Foxfire was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Ryan, and first appeared in Squadron Supreme #5. Along with many characters from Earth-712 in the Squadron Supreme home universe, she was part of a groundbreaking story in the analogues of Marvel Comics.

Origin

Sly as a fox
Sly as a fox

Olivia Underwood developed a criminal career for herself as Foxfire and began to rob locations and eventually joined the Institute of Evil to further her goals. This same group is what led Olivia directly in the path of the Squadron Supreme and on one attack on the Squadron and their families. After losing the battle and with the Squadron believing in "reforming" criminals not incarcerating them, Foxfire was behaviorally modified. This changed her criminal tenancies, and she became allied with the Squadron, all due to the process installing blocks in her mind through Tom Thumb's behavior modification machine.

Major Story Arcs

Utopia Program

The Doctor and the Fox
The Doctor and the Fox

After all the members of the Institute of Evil were behavior modified, Olivia and the others were given membership to the Squadron to better manage and utilize their abilities and to fill their ranks with guaranteed loyalty. During this time Olivia began to discover how to balance her view of her new world, a Squadron member she would have never believed would be her fate. Never the less she was fully aware of her behavior modification but could invoke no ill will towards her decriminalization. It was during this time she and the founding Squadron member Dr.Spectrum developed a flirtation with one another which developed to a strong romance. This romance with Foxfire was the turning point in helping Dr.Spectrum deal with his involvement with the accidental death of Nuke a former member of the Squadron.

A means to an end
A means to an end

When Nighthawk decided to stop the Utopian program, which he objected to him gathered other agents and plan. This group of ten called themselves the Redeemers, and five of the new heroes infiltrated the Squadron to begin undoing the damage already done. With the help of the Master Menace, who had thought over his previous refusal to assist, they were able to reverse the Behavior Modification Program. Olivia was kidnapped and the behavior modification process reversed. Even after the modification reversal. With the help of the heroes inside, they were able to kidnap and undo the brainwashing of not only Foxfire, but also of Lamprey, and Shape, the three who would go on to join the Redeemers. Olivia had strong doubts about the attack on the Squadron believing they had truly helped her and that her feeling towards Dr.Spectrum were deeply sincere.

During the ensuing battle Foxfire ran towards Nighthawk who was standing over the defeated Hyperion. Then came the critical moment as Nighthawk, in the process of convincing the injured Hyperion to dismantle Project Utopia, became the victim of Foxfire’s grief over Doctor Spectrum’s injuries. Foxfire used her powers to cause decay to his heart, rotting Nighthawk’s heart, causing him to have a heart attack and thereby killing him and putting a halt to the battle. However, as Olivia ran back to Dr.Spectrum to assist him, Mink repaid her with her claws right through Foxfire’s back. The Mink's claws sliced her from the back causing severe internal bleeding and she died in the arms of the man she loved.

Powers and Abilities

Foxfire’s dryrot energies crumble a six story building to ash
Foxfire’s dryrot energies crumble a six story building to ash

Foxfire was an adventurer form Earth-712 who possessed the ability to project a wave of Bio-Illumination from her hands which she calls her "Dryrot energy". These energies would cause the molecular half-life of most objects to start to accelerate at a sub-atomic level causing its hyper accelerated and rapid breakdown. Originally she would need to touch the object to effect it. With a single touch the maximum volume she could effect was approximately 4 cubic feet. She would learn to also focus a wave of Dryrot energy and cause it to surround and blast from her hands, in this way having a more controlled and distant effect no longer a need for touch. She had honed her talents over time and with training and had at one time disintegrated a whole seven story apartment building completely to the ground. She has also used her bioluminescence to create extremely bright "sparks" to blind opponents in the past. This disorientation lasts for some time depending on how long and often she uses the effect.

Foxfire also seemed to have a degree of acrobatics and competent skills at combat. She kept fit and worked out on a regular basis. Although not an expert fighter she had developed street level fighter skills which in combination with her bio-illumination powers proved deadly.

Personal Data

Characteristics

Height: 130 lbs

Weight: 5'7"

Hair: Black (dyed Blond)

Eyes: Brown

Other distinguishing features: Tattoo of fox heads on each breast

Status

Living Status: Deceased

Place of Death: Squadron City, desert in Earth-712

Real Name: Olivia Underwood

Legal Status: Citizen of the United States of America Earth -712 with a criminal background

Place of Birth: Shrodinger Olmstead, U.S.A

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: Former adventurer, former criminal

Known Relatives: None known

Group Affiliation: Member of the Squadron Supreme, former member of the Redeemers, former member of the Institute of Evil

Base of Operations: Squadron City, desert in Earth-712, formerly various locations

Appearance

Foxy
Foxy

Foxfire was an attractive African American in her late twenties. She sported her bright blonde hair buzzed short with a flat top cut style. Originally, she wore a more punk like outfit in greens and hot-pinks colors, torn-up leggings, and black smeared eyeshadow. When she joined the Squadron Supreme her look changed dramatically. More of a traditional "superhero" costume which consisted of a white body suit, high collared jacket, white boots, with yellow gloves and belt. She wore no mask but wore gold hoop earrings.

Complications

Having been Behavior Modified by the Squadron, the ex-Institute of Evil members are unable to break the law for any reason, betray any Squadron member for any reason. Their minds are no longer truly their own. Foxfire herself is a complex issue- she followed the Institute loyally, but fell in love with Dr. Spectrum, and finds herself unwilling to attack him and his allies any longer. However sometime later this behavior modification was reversed.

Issues

January 1986

February 1986

March 1986

April 1986

May 1986

June 1986

July 1986

August 1986

May 2006

August 2021

Volumes

1968

1985

2001

2021

Died in issues

Authors

Friends

Enemies

Teams