Ruby Thursday

Ruby Thursday (Thursday Rubinstein) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is usually depicted as a member of the Headmen. She is named for the Rolling Stones song, "Ruby Tuesday".

Publication history

Ruby Thursday first appeared in Defenders #32-33 (February–March 1976), and was created by Steve Gerber, Sal Buscema and Jim Mooney.

The character subsequently appears in Defenders vol. 1 #35 (May 1976), Defenders Annual #1 (October 1976), Omega the Unknown #9-10 (July, September 1976), Defenders #76-77 (October–November 1979), The Sensational She-Hulk vol. 2 #1-3 (May–July 1989), Web of Spider-Man #73 (February 1991), Deathlok #2-5 (August–November 1991), Marvel Comics Presents #97 (December 1992), Defenders vol. 2 #5 (July 2001), 8-10 (October–December 2001), I ♥ Marvel: Outlaw Love (April 2006), She-Hulk vol.2 #10 (October 2006), and Heroes for Hire #6-8 (March–May 2007).

Ruby Thursday appeared as part of the "Headmen" entry in the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #5, and in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #3, and she received an entry in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update #4 (2007).

Fictional character biography

Thursday was a scientist who grafts an organic computer to her head composed of malleable plastic that can assume any form she wills it to. She ran for President of the United States, but is forced to drop out by the superhero team known as the Defenders. She later indirectly causes the death of Omega the Unknown when he was considered by police to be assaulting her in her car. The police were unaware of her previous actions, including killing people with a large purple creature called Dibbuk (named after, but unrelated to a dybbuk).^[1]

The confrontation with Omega leads Ruby into another fight with the Defenders. This ended when her head was smashed open.^[2] It is not known how Ruby survived this damage.

Ruby, now with a much smaller head, later participates in the plan to gain her ally Chondu a new body. Specifically, the body of a clone of She-Hulk. The Headmen hire the Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime, then later Mysterio in order to test She-Hulk for compatibility. She is subdued and cloned, but escapes with the aid of Spider-Man.^[3] Ruby is arrested by the New York city police.

The assassin Bullseye is hired to kill Ruby. He throws the Rolling Stones album Flashpoint (which contains the song Ruby Tuesday) into her chest. The Answer, her boyfriend, saves her head after Bullseye leaves in hopes of reviving her later.^[4]

During the Civil War, Ruby later is involved in a high-speed 'chase' through the streets of Manhattan. The super-heroine Hellcat ends up clinging to her bumper. Ruby uses her malleable head to fire a gun at Hellcat during the pursuit. The fight is ended with the intervention of She-Hulk and her allies. She-Hulk does not actually go for Ruby, she takes down Hellcat first for being an unlicensed superhero. The results of Ruby's rampage are shown in the forms of cars being shot up, people traumatized by this, and a cab ending up through the front window of a bookstore. Ruby herself is subdued by the weaponry of Two-Gun Kid, a licensed bounty hunter for the state of New York.^[5]

Ruby and the Headmen then fought the Heroes for Hire while attempting to transplant Chondu's head onto Humbug's body.^[6] At some point, she was imprisoned in The Raft, which Wolverine broke her out of in his plan against Romulus. Ruby was contacted by Romulus and her daughter's life was threatened, forcing her to give Romulus the information to Wolverine's plans. When confronted by Wolverine, Ruby attacked, defeating him by impaling him with the tentacles she had formed with her head. Soon, Cloak, Silver Samurai, Skaar, and Bruce Banner appeared, all battling Ruby Thursday. She held her own, but was eventually caught by Skaar and teleported back to The Raft by Cloak. It was later discovered The Answer is the one who had planned her escape.^[7]

Following the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline, Ruby Thursday is among the villains that are imprisoned at an unnamed prison. She participated in a prison riot until she and the other villains were defeated by Mimic and Rogue.^[8]

Powers and abilities

Ruby Thursday’s head has been replaced with a mass of “organic circuitry”. The red spherical mass can alter its shape so she can form tentacles, and fire projectiles and energy blasts. If the sphere is removed from the body Ruby can still control her body.

References

External links

• Ruby Thursday at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe