Art by Terry Dodson (c. 2008). Wikimedia Commons.
13. Despite being developed as part of a cross-promotional marketing campaign between Casablanca Records and Marvel Comics, Dazzler is nevertheless a hilarious and unique superhero worthy of an appearance on the big screen
A mutant commonly associated with the X-Men, Dazzler – real name Alison Blaire – was developed chiefly by Tom DeFalco and John Romita Jr. as part of a cross-promotional campaign between Casablanca Records and Marvel Comics. One of the last such commercial comic book tie-ins, with hopes at the time for resultant albums and concerts, Dazzler first appeared in 1980. Intended to star in a related movie with model Bo Derek as the lead, her rigid insistence that her husband direct scuppered plans and doomed the character to comparative obscurity. Becoming an on-and-off member of the X-Men, Dazzler notably teams up with Captain Marvel to defeat Thanos.
A mutant with the power to transform sonic vibrations – i.e. sounds – into powerful beams of light, whilst immensely corny the character is, at least, unique. With the emergent success of Deadpool, a singing and dancing superhero defeating her opponents through song harks back to the cheesy cult classic Flash Gordon. Equally provocative, following the Age of Apocalypse storyline, Dazzler takes up smoking and loses her voice. Although rumored that Dazzler will be a minor character in the upcoming X-Men: Dark Phoenix, with the film expected to be a critical and commercial failure Dazzler deserves a better outlet for the original and entertaining superhero.