She was an Italian knockout and an outstanding scientist. A cutting edge physicist and a shiny-haired beauty. As at home in the Eternal City as in the Eternal Laws, she was Gina Lolabrigitta and Lise Meitner combined.
The one, the only:
Enrichetta Negrini!Enrichetta Negrini was an Italian graduate student of Ray Palmer's at Ivy University. She was actually named for her countryman and fellow physicist, Enrico Fermi, which despite being really "comic-booky" is still pretty darned cool.
"Why didn't I bring a flamethrower, just in case?" Jean is asking herself.
Enrichetta possesses the power of introposition, which is always groovy. And cute when done with an Italian accent!
Enrichetta didn't need go-go boots or love beads to be groovy. She rocked her simple, sleek dresses, pouty lips, massively arched eyebrows, and the warrior helmet hairdo that protected her enormously powerful and valuable brain.
How smart was Enrichetta? Smart enough to keep up with Ray Palmer; that's scary smart!
"We'll see how smart you are when I step on that big brain of yours with my tiny boots!"Jean thought.
Unlike Ray Palmer, who never seemed to even think of using his amazing discoveries to advance society rather than just play hero, Enrichetta sees the world-changing possibilities of technology.
At one point, she could even turn things into gold with her mind (and the Philosopher's Stone); but that's another story entirely.
"Enrichetta's amazing, honey! Today she invented a hyper-space prober!" Ray said. "Oh, and, um... what did you do today, Jean?"
What became of Enrichetta Negrini, the beautiful and brilliant pioneer of hyper-space? If only someone, say, perhaps the writer on the Atom, would bring back Enrichetta Negrini, who was one groovy chick!
She was doing her post-doc in Ivy Town but she might have tenure now.
ReplyDeleteI hope the heartbroken Ryan Choi will find her Space-Warp.
But as The Cosmic Treadmill said:
"Ray - you screwed up. If you just picked Enrichetta Negrini, Sue Dibny would still be alive and you'd be the happiest little man on Earth-1."
I believe Enrichetta was also a supporting character in the short-lived Power of the Atom series, carrying a torch for Ray Palmer. IIRC, she ended up with Ray's book agent (Norm Brawler?).
ReplyDeleteI have most of that PotA run (it was as hard to be an Atom fan then as it was to be an Aquaman fan, and I was both), I'll check tonight and verify it.
ReplyDeleteSince Enrichetta is precisely the kind of comic character I adore I guess this means I'm going to have start collecing old Atom comics now as well.
ReplyDeleteMan, Scipio, your posts keep costing me money!
Tell me that her switching between standard English and Exotic Sex Kitten Pidgin isn't an obvious come-on.
ReplyDeleteVery Audrey Hepburn, especially in that high-necked sleeveless number.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Jean suspected Ray was probing Enrichetta's hyper-space.
I hope Gail reads this post.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised in reading the Justice League Conpanion to learn that Jean Loring's insanity was entirely out of the blue, with her having been driven mad by an alien named Norch Lar in Justice League of America 80-81.
ReplyDelete"First it was Gina, then Sophia (...)" WTF? Ray Palmer has been hanging out with Gina Lolobrigida and Sophia Loren?!?!?
ReplyDeleteConfirmed, she appears in Power of the Atom starting with #2 as Doctor Enrica "Ricki" Negrini (formerly known as Enrichetta Negrini; last in Justice League of America #157; associate professor of physics at Ivy University).
ReplyDeleteFrom the DCU Guide.
Full appearances: #2, 3 (flashback), 8-11, 16-18 (last issue, and not seen since).
Scipio,
ReplyDeleteI just got around to All-New Atom #16, and her name comes up in conversation between Ryan and Panda. Apparently, she's on sabbatical.
-
Sharif
Quite useful info, thanks for this article.
ReplyDeletesteel building
Oh wow, I never realised Enrichetta was so amazing - I never knew her prior to the Seventies, when she was just a panel filler I the Atom's back-ups. Hey, if Patty Spivot can be a New 52 star ...
ReplyDelete