Queen Bee (comics)

Queen Bee is the name of six different characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Queen Bee has made limited appearances in media outside comics, with Marina Sirtis voicing the character in Young Justice.

Publication history

The Zazzala incarnation of Queen Bee first appeared in Justice League of America #23, and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky.

The first Bialyan Queen Bee first appeared in Justice League International #16, and was created by J.M. DeMatteis and Keith Giffen.

The Tazzala incarnation of Queen Bee first appeared in Creature Commandos #1.

The Beatriz incarnation of Queen Bee first appeared in JLA: Incarnations #6, and was created by John Ostrander and Val Semeiks.

Fictional character biographies

=Queen Bee (Zazzala)=

{{Infobox comics character

| image = 240px

| caption = Queen Bee (Zazzala)

| character_name = Queen Bee

| publisher = DC Comics

| debut = Justice League of America #23 (November 1963)

| creators = Gardner Fox
Mike Sekowsky

| alter_ego = Zazzala

| full_name =

| species =

| homeworld = Korll

| alliances = Anti-Justice League
Injustice Gang
Secret Society of Super Villains
H.I.V.E.
Cabal

| aliases =

| supports=

| powers = Superhuman strength and speed
Venomous darts
Ability to release mind-confusing "pollen" powder

}}

Zazzala is the leader of the hiveworld Korll and lives for the expansion of her species.{{cite book |last =Rovin |first =Jeff |title =The Encyclopedia of Supervillains |publisher =Facts on File |date =1987 |location =New York |isbn = 0-8160-1356-X |pages=285–286}} Zazzala first appeared in Justice League of America #23 (November 1963).{{cite book |last=Wells |first=John |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: 1960-64 |date=2015 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490458 |page=125}} She clashed with the original Justice League several times during the 1960s and 1970s, but largely disappeared for several decades.{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |last2=Pasko |first2=Martin |title=The Essential Superman Encyclopedia |date=2010 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=978-0-345-50108-0 |pages=326–327}}

Zazzala reappears in JLA #34 (October 1999), where she joins Lex Luthor's Injustice Gang. The League ultimately defeats Queen Bee and returns her to Korll.

Later, Zazzala and her drones join Alexander Luthor Jr.'s Secret Society of Super Villains. The Queen becomes the leader of H.I.V.E., a multi-national criminal enterprise. In Villains United, the Secret Six attack Queen Bee's base during their battle against the Society. Her forces are defeated, the base's prisoners Firestorm and Gehenna are freed, and Zazzala is badly wounded.

One Year Later, Zazzala appears in JLA #20, fully healed from her injuries, and attempting to steal a matter transportation device that will allow her to transport her troops to earth. She is defeated by Wonder Woman and captured by the Flash.

In the DC Rebirth relaunch, Queen Bee appears as a member of the Cabal, a criminal organization made up of Per Degaton, Doctor Psycho, Amazo, and Hugo Strange.Plastic Man (vol. 5) #4. DC Comics.

=Queen Bee (Marcia Monroe)=

{{Infobox comics character

| image =

| caption =

| character_name = Queen Bee

| publisher = DC Comics

| debut = The Brave and the Bold #64 (March 1966)

| creators = Bob Haney
Win Mortimer

| full_name = Marcia Monroe

| species =

| homeworld =

| alliances = CYCLOPS

| aliases =

| supports=

| powers =

}}

Marcia Monroe is a spoiled young woman, daughter of a wealthy man, who enjoys risking her life in absurd and pointless situations. Her playgirl attitude creates trouble for the police, who often try to save her from harm during her stunts. One day, she is rescued by Batman, who publicly spanks her. Shortly after this encounter, Marcia starts following Batman on his crime-busting activities and providing unrequested help.{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |title=The Essential Batman Encyclopedia |date=2008 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=9780345501066 |pages=301–302}} Batman and Marcia later become a couple before she leaves him to join the crime syndicate CYCLOPS under the codename Queen Bee.

=Queen Bee of Bialya=

{{Infobox comics character

| image =

| caption =

| character_name = Queen Bee

| publisher = DC Comics

| debut = Justice League International #16 (August 1988)

| creators = J.M. DeMatteis
Keith Giffen

| alter_ego =

| full_name =

| species =

| homeworld =

| alliances =

| aliases =

| supports=

| powers =

}}

An unrelated Queen Bee is introduced in Justice League International #16 (August 1988). She is a human "femme fatale" who gains control of Bialya by allying with its former ruler Rumaan Harjavti, then assassinating him. She solidifies her power by brainwashing the Global Guardians into serving her.(Justice League of America #53-54 • Justice League Europe #29-30) During the crossover event Breakdowns, Queen Bee is killed by Rumaan's brother Sumaan.Justice League America #55 (October 1991)

=Queen Bee (Tazzala)=

{{Infobox comics character

| image =

| caption =

| character_name = Queen Bee

| publisher = DC Comics

| debut = Creature Commandos #1

| creators =

| alter_ego = Tazzala
Beatriz

| full_name =

| species =

| homeworld = Korll

| alliances =

| aliases =

| supports=

| powers = Superhuman strength and speed
Venomous darts
Ability to release mind-confusing "pollen" powder

}}

Tazzala is the original Queen Bee's sister, who joins Simon Magus' Terra Arcana Army to conquer Earth. She is defeated by the Creature Commandos and killed by Magus.Creature Commandos #8 (December 2000)

=Queen Bee of Bialya (Beatriz)=

Beatriz is the Bialyan Queen Bee's sister, who becomes the new ruler of Bialya. She is later defeated by Captain Atom's Extreme Justice team and overthrown.{{Infobox comics character

| image =

| caption =

| character_name = Queen Bee

| publisher = DC Comics

| debut = JLA: Incarnations #6 (December 2001)

| creators = John Ostrander
Val Semeiks

| alter_ego = Beatriz

| full_name =

| species =

| homeworld = Korll

| alliances =

| aliases =

| supports=

| powers =

}}

=H.I.V.E. Queen=

A new incarnation of Queen Bee is introduced in The New 52 continuity reboot. This version is the leader of H.I.V.E. and a member of the Twenty, a group of Metropolis citizens who gain psychic powers from a virus created by Brainiac.Superman (vol. 3) #21 (August 2013)Teen Titans (vol. 4) #23

Powers and abilities

The first Queen Bee, Zazzala, has insect-like superhuman strength and speed, can fire venomous stinger darts from a set of glands on her right wrist, or release mind-confusing "pollen" powder.

Zazzala's sister, Tazzala, presumably had similar abilities.

The Queen Bee of Bialya had no superhuman powers or abilities, aside from her beauty and cunning. Her sister Beatriz was also an ordinary human, but was nowhere as resourceful as her sister.

The sixth Queen has great psionic powers including telepathy, mind control, empathy, illusion generation, telekinesis, and energy manipulation. She also displayed some sort of healing factor, being able to reconstruct her entire body from scratch after she was blasted to pieces by the Psycho Pirate. After being infected with Brainiac's psionic virus, she temporarily gains twelfth-level intellect similar to his.

Other characters named Queen Bee

=Action Comics=

Lissa Raven appears in Action Comics #42 (November 1941). She is the daughter of a psychologist and was temporarily made evil after his invention malfunctioned.Action Comics #42. DC Comics.

=Quality Universe=

An alternate Queen Bee appears in Blackhawk #38 (March 1951). Queen Bee was the leader of an organization called "The Golden Swarm". They poisoned prominent townspeople and swayed public opinion in their favor partly by their comely appearance. The Blackhawks defeat the Queen and her henchgirls by scaring them with mice.Blackhawk #38. Quality Comics.

=[[Mystik U]]=

Melissa, aka Queen Bee, is a bee-like sorceress and the founder of the Thriae Society sorority at Mystik University. She grows a large following of brainwashed thralls by giving them cocktails that transform them into worker-bee like subjects.

Other versions

An unidentified incarnation of Queen Bee appears in JLA/Avengers #4 as a brainwashed minion of Krona.
An alternate universe variant of Queen Bee appears in Flashpoint. This version is a member of a resistance against the Amazons before being killed in battle with them.Flashpoint: The Canterbury Cricket one-shot (June 2011)

In other media

=Television=

The Zazzala incarnation of Queen Bee makes non-speaking cameo appearances in Justice League Unlimited as a member of Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society.{{cite web |title=Queen Bee Voices (DC Universe) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/DC-Universe/Queen-Bee/ |access-date=May 30, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
Queen Bee was intended to appear in the teaser for the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Mask of Matches Malone!", but due to issues with runtime, the segment was shortened and rewritten to feature Poison Ivy instead. Nonetheless, a draft of the original short featuring Queen Bee was made available on writer Gail Simone's message board.{{Cite web |last=Simone |first=Gail |date=September 28, 2010 |title=WAY Too Long Brave And The Bold Excerpt |url=http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=198104 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707065128/http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=198104 |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |access-date=May 30, 2024}}
The first Bialyan Queen Bee appears in Young Justice, voiced by Marina Sirtis.{{YouTube|id = WCID-kN7H84 |title = Marina Sirtis will be playing Queen Bee in Young Justice for Cartoon Network}}{{Cite web |last=Weisman |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Weisman |title=Search Ask Greg : Gargoyles : Station Eight |url=https://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=14286 |access-date= |website=www.s8.org}} This version possesses the power of persuasion over most men and some women and is a leading member of the Light.

=Film=

The moniker of H.I.V.E. Queen is used by Rose Wilson in Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons: The Movie.

=Video games=

An unidentified incarnation of Queen Bee appears as a boss in Justice League Heroes, voiced by Abby Craden.
An unidentified incarnation of Queen Bee appears as a boss in DC Universe Online, voiced by Cyndi Williams.
An unidentified incarnation of Queen Bee appears as a playable character in DC Unchained.
The Zazzala incarnation of Queen Bee appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 4, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=IGN}}

=Miscellaneous=

The Zazzala incarnation of Queen Bee appears in the Super Friends tie-in comics.
The Justice League Unlimited incarnation of Zazzala / Queen Bee appears in issue #6 of Justice League Adventures and issue #29 of the Justice League Unlimited tie-in comic book.Justice League Adventures #6Justice League Unlimited #29
The Zazzala incarnation of Queen Bee appears in the DC Super Friends tie-in comics.{{Cite web |title=Super Friends #23 - Mystery in Space (Issue) |url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/dc-super-friends-23-mystery-in-space/4000-192771/ |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=Comic Vine |language=en}}