Grace is first seen working at the meta human nightclub Chaney’s in Metropolis. Her intimidating stature, super strength, and no bull attitude were her most valuable assets as the club’s bouncer and security. Her reputation put her on Roy (Arsenal) Harper’s short list of people to approach and extend a request to join a fledgling new team taking the name Outsiders in the wake of a (presumed) death of a founding Teen Titans member. Feeling a need for change and a desire for more money as Roy promised, Grace accepted the invitation on the spot. Along with her strength, Grace possessed enhanced endurance, and regenerative capabilities. All of these powers made Grace the go to powerhouse of the team.
A lot of Grace’s history was never fleshed out. In a multi part story about missing and exploited children that included real world figure John Walsh, Winick reveals that Grace had been sold into sex trafficking when she was 9 years old and branded with a distinctive tattoo of 3 overlapping upside down triangles on her lower back. She escaped when her powers began to manifest several years later. However, Winick never fills in the circumstances of her life before the abduction or after her escape. Despite this horrific period, Grace was unabashed about sex and her relationships. Winick alludes to a sexual relationship between her and Green Arrow and she and Roy are shown having sex in issue #11.
In a different story line Winick hints at another part of Grace’s back story when a gloating Monsieur Mallah and Brain (in the midst of creating evil clones of superheroes) taunt the captive hero by commenting she had been more enhanced than her “kind” typically is. What this referred to was clumsily revealed in the (often reviled) Amazon Attacks mini series when Karna, leader of the Bana Mighdall tribe that split from the main Amazon society centuries ago, revealed the DNA test results (conveniently taken and performed off panel) to Grace that she is half Bana Amazon. Writer Will Pfeiffer adds another part to her past by giving her a foster family in Cleveland, albeit a family which conveniently died off panel in a car wreck.
Towards the end of this Outsiders series, Winick reveals Grace and teammate Thunder (Anissa Pierce) are in a romantic relationship. Winick shows Grace to have a very caring and loving side with Anissa despite having given her a difficult time by riding her at various times as a newbie, rookie, and sorority girl. These taunts were an attempt for Anissa’s attention as she admits to not processing her emotions very well. Winick addresses the character’s past relationships with men with Grace explaining to Anissa that she has sex with men and relationships with women.
Grace was shown to be incredibly devoted to and supportive of Anissa after being kicked off the team after Batman took charge in a revamped series written by Chuck Dixon who was noted before this time for conservative his opinion about homosexuality having no place in comics after speaking his mind following the debut of Marvel’s Rawhide Kid Slap Leather mini series. Grace remained an active team member for a while and he didn’t shy away from writing their relationship. Around this time, Anissa suffered massive concussion and coma from which it was uncertain she’d regain consciousness. Grace would leave the cast and in the 4th volume of Oustiders it was revealed that Anissa’s recovery involved multiple stays in different hospitals. They had moved into an apartment and were enjoying life together as retired crimefighters. However, they both eagerly helped Anissa’s father in a mission devised by Amanda Waller for Black Lightning which Waller offered as a means to obtain a pardon and release from prison in an accidental death.
Outsiders volume 4, their last series, would end several months before DC’s line wide relaunch in 2011. To my knowledge, Grace did not appear in Nu52 continuity and the character appears to remain in limbo in Rebirth continuity as well. However. Choi’s character was adapted for the Black Lightning series which ran for four seasons on CW.
Grace has super-strength, durability, and some regenerative capabilities. She first appeared in Outsiders # 1, volume 3 (2003) and was shown in a relationship with Thunder beginning in Outsiders #41. Grace may be considered either bisexual or pansexual.
Created by Judd Winick and Tom Raney.
Art by Pete Woods from the cover to Amazons Attack #5 (first image). Other art by Matthew Clark.
Read Thunder’s profile here.
All rights reserved DC Comics
