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Marvel Comics fictional character From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elizabeth "Liz" Allan, also known as Elizabeth Allan-Osborn and commonly misspelled as "Liz Allen",[1] is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. In the character's earliest appearances, she was a popular girl at the high school Peter Parker attends.[2] She has been a regular supporting character in the various Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Venom series in an on-and-off basis, and has ties to the Green Goblin and Molten Man. She is married to Harry Osborn, the mother of their son Normie Osborn, and the CEO of Alchemax. Liz Allan later becomes Misery after bonding to portions of the Anti-Venom and Carnage symbiotes.
| Liz Allan | |
|---|---|
.png) Liz Allan, as she appeared on a panel on Sensational Spider-Man #40 (October, 2007). Art by Clayton Crain | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance |
|
| Created by | Stan Lee (writer) Steve Ditko (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Elizabeth Allan |
| Team affiliations | Alchemax |
| Supporting character of |
|
| Notable aliases | Misery |
| Abilities | Misery Symbiote grants:
|
Sally Livingstone portrays Liz Allan in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002), while Laura Harrier portrayed Liz Allan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
Liz Allan is named in The Amazing Spider-Man #4 (September 1963), the same issue in which Betty Brant first appears. However, an unnamed blonde female high school student in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) appears to be Liz Allan, and The Marvel Encyclopedia lists this as her official first appearance.[3] She was a supporting character in the series until Amazing Spider-Man #28 (September 1965), which bids farewell to Liz as both she and Spider-Man graduate from high school.
Nearly a decade later, Liz Allan was brought back in a story arc in Amazing Spider-Man #132-133 (May–June 1974), in which it is revealed that she is the Molten Man's stepsister. Writer Gerry Conway recalled, "I liked doing callbacks to the run I was most influenced by, the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko era, so bringing Liz back was something I'd wanted to do for a long time. And it gave me a reason to go back and look through the issues she was in, which brought me to the Molten Man's first appearance."[4]
Liz Allan was a high school student at Midtown High School and a minor love interest of Peter Parker and Flash Thompson.
Peter likes Liz, but she is Flash's girlfriend and considers Peter something of a loser, even taking part in the general ridicule that Peter endures on a daily basis. Her earliest appearances depict her as flighty and rather thoughtless - not outright cruel, but lacking the empathy necessary to perceive Peter's nature.
However, after she hears an ailing Peter had donned a Spider-Man costume to save Betty Brant from Doctor Octopus, she develops a crush on him.[5] By this time, however, Peter's interest has waned considerably, as he notes that Liz never showed any real interest in him until he began dating Betty Brant, and assumes that Liz's feelings are little more than a schoolgirl crush. Betty and Liz clash several times over Peter, as Betty mistakenly thinks that Peter reciprocates Liz's interest in him.[6]
In Amazing Spider-Man #28 (September 1965), Peter and Liz graduate from high school. At the graduation ceremony, Liz admits her feelings to Peter, and says she accepts the fact that her feelings are unrequited. In the same issue, Spider-Man battles the Molten Man, who in later issues is revealed to be Liz's stepbrother, Mark Raxton.[7]
She does not appear for a few years, during which time Peter developed relationships with Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. When Liz returns, she dates then marries Harry Osborn, whom she meets at Betty Brant's wedding to Ned Leeds, becoming Liz Allan Osborn. The couple have a son, Normie Osborn. Their family history turns tragic, however, after Harry Osborn has a mental breakdown.[8] In the guise of the Green Goblin, Harry kidnaps Liz, Normie, and Mark, and terrorizes them within an old family mansion.[9] Liz is deeply traumatized by this experience and falls into a state of denial about her husband's problems.[10] Harry's madness leads to his death shortly after.[11] Struggling to put Harry behind her, Liz breaks ties with Peter and Mary Jane.[12]
In the graphic novel, Spider-Man: Legacy of Evil, Harry attempts to pass the legacy of the Green Goblin down to Normie Osborn but fails due to the efforts of Spider-Man, Mark Raxton, and Ben Urich.[13]
Later, Liz Allan became a supporting character in Daredevil, serving as a love interest for lawyer Foggy Nelson. The couple breaks up after Mysterio manipulates Foggy into having an affair in a plot to drive Daredevil insane. Liz feels like Foggy has let her down and ends their relationship.[14]
After Spider-Man publicly reveals his real identity in the "Civil War" storyline, Liz becomes resentful of him, blaming Peter for bringing so much death into their lives. However, after the events of the "One More Day" storyline, the public revelation of Peter's identity has been forgotten and Harry is seemingly still alive, but he and Liz are no longer married.[15]
Liz and Normie are present when the Molten Man is given the antidote to his condition. Raxton, who had escaped the basement in which Liz was keeping him for his own safety, is cured thanks to Oscorp.[16] Liz is last seen attending a party to help Flash Thompson deal with the loss of his legs.[17]
During the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline, Liz is seen trying to leave New York with her son, due to the fear and chaos that is happening, and encounters bank robbers.[18]
Recently, she has been shown in a new alliance with Norman Osborn as he attempts to re-establish himself as a corporate figure - apparently using an alias as his activities as the Green Goblin have made his true name too public, working with him to ensure her son's future.[19] Following a confrontation between Spider-Man 2099 and an agent of a time-travel organization from 2211 in the Alchemax Building, Liz has deduced that the 'new' Spider-Man must work in the company and is determined to enlist him to her cause, foreshadowing the time-traveler's claims that Liz Allan and Spider-Man 2099 will have some significant impact on future history.[20]
Liz then appears as the CEO of Alchemax when Eddie Brock enters her office and brings her an experimental dinosaur he captured. She reveals that Stegron is responsible and makes a deal with Brock: she will help him find a cure for the Venom symbiote while he deals with Stegron.[21]
During the Cult of Carnage arc, Liz bonds with portions of the Anti-Venom and Carnage symbiotes, transforming her into Misery.[22] Subsequently, she helps battle the Zombiotes during the "Venom War", using her Anti-Venom abilities to kill them.[23][24][25][26]
When possessed by the Misery symbiote, Liz Allan has the powers and weaknesses of the symbiote.
An alternate universe variant of Liz Allan from Earth-18119 appears in Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows. This version divorced Harry Osborn sometime before his death and is in charge of Allan Biotech.[27][28]
An alternate universe variant of Liz Allan from Earth-982 appears in MC2. This version married Foggy Nelson after the death of Harry Osborn. She later dies from an unspecified illness, leading her son Normie to become the Green Goblin.
In Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Liz Allan is portrayed as Mary Jane Watson's ditzy and feisty best friend. Liz is a cheerleader and has recently reconciled with her boyfriend Flash Thompson after breaking up with him because he declared that he loved Mary Jane at homecoming.
An alternate universe variant of Liz Allan from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe. This version is a pyrokinetic mutant, the estranged daughter of the Blob, and a member of the X-Men as Firestar.[29]
An alternate universe variant of Liz Allan from Earth-6160 appears in Ultimate Invasion #1.[30]
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