Monday, August 3, 2009

Tracking the Cameo Queens: Dazzler; Real Name: Alison Blaire

The character of this post is the Quintessential Cameo Queen. She makes Cameo Queening an art form. She is also a frequent Cover Queen. She is the gay icon of the X-Men, Dazzler aka Alison Blaire. And I also happen to love referring to her as Diva.
Cover Gallery:

And now for the appearances:
Uncanny X-Men #502
# of panels: 4
# of lines: 13
# of times using her powers: Her glow is present during all of her appearance.
Craption: Sonic transducer. Totally fabulous.
Dazzler shows up to Pixie’s bedside after Pixie gets attacked at one of her concerts. She appears really ditsy and tells Pixie that when she’s healed up she can come dance in one of Daz’s shows.



Uncanny X-Men #503
# of panels: 2, but one’s just a tiny silhouette.
# of lines: She just sings.
# of times using her powers: 1, for lights affects in her show.
Craption: Sonic light transducer. Great abs.
Dazzler shows up for one page with her song carrying in the background for the rest of the issue. And I just have to add she’s wearing something god awful. I do not understand her going to pop whatsoever.



Uncanny X-Men #504
# of panels: 1
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 0
Craption: None
Normally I wouldn’t count this, but since cameo queens is based from Fraction’s Uncanny I will. Dazzler only appears in one panel showing Scott’s mindscape hotel filled with every woman he’s checked out. And Dazzler’s girls are enormous.


Uncanny X-Men #505
She just appears on the cover.

Uncanny X-Men #506
# of panels: 3
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 2
Craption: None
Dazzler only appears watching TV, then running out to help the Russian refugees. Then she is later shown to be creating a light show for one of the girls in the med area. Which is totally cheesy. But that’s what you get when you hire Dodson.



Uncanny X-Men #509
# of panels: 6
# of lines: 8
# of times using her powers: 3
Craption: None
Dazzler this time is shown giving a concert looking absolutely cheesy, this time compliments of Land. Later she is shown with fellow cameo queen, Northstar, and Pixie coming back from a night on the town. And assumably a bit inebriated. Her only real lines are saying that if Emma and Scott can’t make it, then there’s no hope for the rest of them. Which is a BS line like no other. Then she’s shown on her feet, ready to fight the Sisterhood.



Uncanny X-Men #510
# of panels: 1
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 0
Craption: None
Dazzler this issue is simply shown in one panel recovering from the Mastermind attack. And being poorly comforted by Emma.



Uncanny X-Men #511
# of panels: 14
# of lines: 28
# of times using her powers: 2
Craption: Transforms sound into light. Seven top-forty hits. Really wants to direct.
Shown running to catch the Sisterhood. Then shown in the exact same position as Emma and Karma as they confront the Sisterhood. She then confronts Psylocke while everyone else is gone and possessed Bets isn’t having it so she strikes her with her psy-knife. The much talked about totally awesome Dazzler scene happens as Dazzler zaps Psylocke with a blast that fries off half of Psylocke’s face. Psylocke then regains control enough to off herself and Dazzler goes to her side trying to wake her up. In the end, Dazzler is shown helping Psylocke up as she transferred to her Asian body and is now fine. And they have a BFF shot. The end.



Uncanny X-Men #513
# of panels: 2, but one is just her back.
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 0
Craption: None.
Dazzler is simply shown in the background as the X-Men watch Emma Frost publicly come out against the X-men. All the while, D-List Dazzler, Dagger, gets page time. Rest assured, Diva will see to it that her knockoff pays.


Uncanny X-Men #514
# of panels: 7
# of lines: 1
# of times using her powers: 1, it's just her glow.
Craption: None.
Diva ups the standards for Cameo art with the debut of Cameo crotch! Daz also ups the one line standards as when she utters her one, personality-less line she manages to get the ANTM wind in the air. This lady is the cameo queen to watch out for.





Secret Invasion: X-Men #3
# of panels: 6
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 0
Dazzler is again used as background filler.
But she also makes the cover. She’s a true cameo queen.



X-Men: Manifest Destiny #5
# of panels: 26
# of lines: She gets a third of the issue to herself. Not counting it.
# of times using her powers: 3 along with her glow.
This is a nice story about how Dazzler set on hard times on London so she set off to san Fransisco. She confronts an unruly passengers who is also a singer. He commands her to sing a song by taking someone hostage, so she complies and he ends up singing with her which gives her the power to laser his face. But not like face-frying Psylocke laser. In the end she’s offered a gig with a nightclub. This is meant to bridge the gap between what she’s been up to since we last saw her and her first appearance in Uncanny. Probably more speaking lines here than all her other parts combined. Also, she got this cover.



X-Men: Worlds Apart #4
# of panels: 1
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 0
Dazzler’s appearance this issue is a one-panel scene stealer that even overshadows the mini-series’ lead character, Storm. She just lies there unconscious. Brilliant use of character!



X-Infernus #4
# of panels: 2
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 1
Dazzler is background filler in the Danger Room ending scene. True cameo queening.



Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia
# of panels: 3
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 2
Making cameo queening an art, Ms. Diva extraordinaire makes three separate panel appearances this issue with no lines, but all eyes on her. First she appears at the protest with her gays. Then she watches the news with the X-Men with Colossus putting his arms on her shoulder. Sexual tension indeed! Lastly, Dazzler stands with her gays as leather daddy, Ares, threatens them. All the while Cyclops mentions that the scary part is that one day Ares will have to be taken down. I can think of no better opponent than Dazzler, cameo queen, with the power to generate light or zap you into a Marvel Zombie. This time around Diva did not make the cover because she stepped aside to let fellow cameo queens Northstar and Psylocke have a taste of cover space.


X-Men Legacy #226
# of panels: 1?
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 0
My site says that Dazzler appeared here, but I can’t spot her anywhere. It’s possible some idiots got her confused with Ariel. Who’s more like a drag impersonator trying to Dazzler. Utopia is truly the gayest crossover ever and I love every minute that it’s being homo.

X-Men Legacy #227
# of panels: 2
# of lines: 0
# of times using her powers: 1, it's just her glow.
The Mistress of Momentary Manifestations only showed for quick cameo this issue.

Dark Avengers #8
# of panels: 3
# of lines: 1
# of times using her powers: 0
Diva magic as Dazzler comes in for her monthly line.



Also, she appears in Dark X-Men Exodus with Dark Beast trying to cover up the Diva within. Not to worry, children, Diva will show him what it takes to be an icon. She may even add in a “Why can’t you give me the respect that I‘m entitled to!?!” a la Mommie Dearest.

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