| Bluebird | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Bluebird as depicted inMarvel Legacy: The 1990s Handbook #1 (February 2007). Art byPat Olliffe. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) |
| Created by |
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| In-story information | |
| Full name | Sally Avril |
| Species | Human |
| Partnerships | Spider-Man |
| Abilities |
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Bluebird (Sally Avril), sometimes renderedBlue Bird, is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. She is usually depicted as asupporting character in theSpider-Man series.
In other media, Sally Avril has appeared in the animated seriesThe Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced byGrey DeLisle; in the filmThe Amazing Spider-Man (2012), portrayed byKelsey Asbille; and in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) filmsSpider-Man: Homecoming (2017),Avengers: Infinity War (2018), andSpider-Man: No Way Home (2021), played byIsabella Amara.
Created byStan Lee andSteve Ditko, Sally Avril first appeared inAmazing Fantasy #15 (1962).[1] Sally was a minor member ofFlash Thompson's entourage, appearing in only one issue during theSilver Age. Her "Bluebird" career was created byKurt Busiek (scripts) andPat Olliffe (pencils) in 1996.
Sally Avril[2] was a fellow student ofPeter Parker's at Midtown High who turned him down for a date, preferring Flash Thompson.[3][4]
Thirty years later, writing forUntold Tales of Spider-Man, Busiek resurrected the one-note brunette from obscurity and gave her a background. She was an ambitious, thrill-loving girl who took blue ribbons ingymnastics. With fellow popular kidJason Ionello, she attempted to cash in on aDaily Bugle contest offering a thousand dollars to a reader who brought in pictures ofSpider-Man. Although their mission was a bust, Sally loved the thrill and became smitten with the web-slinger when he touched her cheek just before leaving her and Jason with a warning to give it up.[5]
Sally and Jason tailed Spidey again, who was (unwillingly) working forElectro. The flash from Sally's camera roused Spidey from his hypnotic state, and a well-placed kick by Sally took Electro by surprise long enough for Spidey to readjust his mask — which Electro had been preparing to remove — and defeat him. Spider-Man posed for a shot with an ecstatic Sally and Jason that theBugle ran.[6]
Suffused with glee, Sally tried to get a permanent gig on theBugle, but was told the photographer's job was filled — by Peter Parker.[7] Peter admitted this but asked her not to tell their fellow Midtowners. Sally donned an eccentric blue-and-white costume and decided, with her aerobic skills, to become a superheroine. She asked Peter to take someBugle pics of her doing some stunts, but Peter refused. Angered, she threatened to blackmail him by revealing that he took Spider-Man pictures, but he undercut her by telling them himself.[8]
Bluebird's zeal but lack of experience caused trouble for Spider-Man during fights with Scarlet Beetle andElectro. Her "ether egg" weapons would detonate prematurely or have little effect, once even allowing the villain to escape.[8][9] Considering her more trouble than she was worth, Spider-Man allowed theBlack Knight's men to hurt her to dissuade her from interfering in his fights again, although he later felt remorseful.
Bruised but undaunted, Sally and Jason headed to an area where Spider-Man was fighting the Black Knight, with Sally's camera.[10] She intended to capture some shots of the fight. However, Sally's zeal ended up costing her her life when she begged Jason to speed in his car, and the two ran a red light. Their car struck an oncoming bus, with Jason sustaining mild head trauma and Sally being killed.[11]
InDead No More: The Clone Conspiracy, Sally Avril is resurrected byBen Reilly posing asJackal.[12]
Bluebird has no superpowers. However, she uses a retractablerope line, insulated boots for protection against electricity, blue paint pellets, and ether-filled "eggs."[13] Additionally, Bluebird is a skilledgymnast.[14]
In 2022,Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Sally Avril 2nd in their "10 Best Comic Book Characters Grey DeLisle Has Played" list.[15]
Sally Avril appears inThe Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced byGrey DeLisle.[16] This version is a cheerleader at Midtown High School,Randy Robertson's girlfriend, and a member of the school's popular clique who displays "mean girl" traits. As a result, she is unkind to her peers and bears particular animosity towards Peter Parker, though she gradually softens up to him during the second season.
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