| Merry Pemberton | |
|---|---|
 Merry Pemberton as depicted inYoung Justice: Sins of Youth #1 (May 2000). Art byTodd Nauck (penciller), Larry Stucker (inker), Jason Wright (colorist), andKen Lopez (letterer). | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Merry Pemberton:Star-Spangled Comics #81 (June 1948) Gimmix:Seven Soldiers #0 (April 2005) |
| Created by | Merry Pemberton:Otto Binder (writer),Win Mortimer (artist) Gimmix:Grant Morrison (writer),J.H. Williams III (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Team affiliations | Old Justice All-Star Squadron Seven Soldiers of Victory |
| Notable aliases | Gimmick Girl; Merry, Girl of 1000 Gimmicks |
| Abilities | Carried various devices and gimmicks within her costume |
Merry Pemberton, also known asGimmick Girl andMerry, Girl of 1000 Gimmicks is a fictional character in theDC ComicsUniverse. She is the adoptive sister ofSylvester Pemberton. Merry Pemberton first appeared inStar-Spangled Comics #81 in June 1948,[1] and ran through #90 (March 1949).[2] She was created by writerOtto Binder.[3]
Born Merry Creamer, she is adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Pemberton Sr., the parents of the originalStar-Spangled Kid. She soon adopts a crime-fighting persona and works with her brother andStripesy,[4] ultimately supplanting them in their own feature.[5][6]
According toJess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, Merry "fights her male opposite, the Gimmick Guy; Presto, a criminal stage magician; and the Rope, who uses rope-themed gimmicks".[7]
Merry eventually marries Henry King Sr., the supervillain known as the originalBrain Wave. They had one son named Henry King Jr. who became the super-heroBrainwave, a member ofInfinity Inc. which was founded by his uncle, Sylvester Pemberton Jr., the Star-Spangled Kid.[8]
References to Merry before theCrisis on Infinite Earths note that she died at some point.[9] However, she has since been revived and joinedOld Justice, a team of former Golden Age sidekicks consisting ofDan the Dyna-Mite,Doiby Dickles,Neptune Perkins, Thorndyke Thompkins of theMinute Men of America, and theCyclone Kids who feel modern teen heroes are risking themselves and others.
During theSins of Youth event it is revealed that she particularly resentsStargirl, who at that time had taken her brother's title as the Star-Spangled Kid. Merry assists dozens of other superheroes, most of whom had changed ages, in battlingKlarion the Witch Boy and other villains. Old Justice finds itself in the parental role of supervising many super-powered adolescents. She makes her peace with Stargirl, who has become an adult woman temporarily. During a multi-character battle inAlaska, Stargirl even saves Merry fromAmazo. By the end of the story Merry has made her peace with both Stargirl and younger heroes in general.
After the JSA rescues her son fromBlack Adam andMister Mind, Merry takes him back into her care.
InSeven Soldiers #0, a new character namedGimmix appears. Credited as Jacqueline Pemberton, Merry's estranged daughter, Gimmix uses herBag of Trix to do light hero work, mostly appearing at conventions talking about how she met up with better-known heroes such asAquaman andBooster Gold. Some of her gimmicks are Zoom Glasses, anti-spider lipstick, "What Every Girl Needs" ice spray, and an unnamed gimmick that can turn water into wine. Jacqueline becomes part of an ill-fated team of six superheroes rounded up byGreg Saunders and is killed by theSheeda, an advanced race which feeds on its own history to survive. Later on, Gimmix is shown attending group therapy for metahumans.[10]
In52, it is revealed that Jacqueline was the head of the Pemberton estate, and since her death has not been officially recorded, Lex Luthor purchases the estate for the trademarks ofSkyman and Infinity Inc.[11]
Merry had no superpowers but wore a costume that contained various devices and gimmicks which she used as weapons.