Where For Are Thou, Kole?
In 1984, DC Comics introduced a new character into its Teen Titans title. This character’s name was Kole Weathers. Kole was a beautiful, red haired, blue eyed teenage beauty who had the power to spin crystal out of thin air. Kole could also use this power to fly through the air and trap opponents in a crystal prison. Kole had acquired her powers through the actions of her father, Abel Weathers, as described in the quote below from DC Comics WHO’S WHO series:
“Convinced that civilization was destined to be destroyed by nuclear proliferation, and in order to prevent such an extermination of all mankind, Professor Abel Weathers devoted his life to researching forced evolution. His studies led him to experimentation with insect life-forms and crystallization, evolving other life-forms into either pattern, in hopes these new forms would allow them to survive a nuclear attack. An early experiment was performed on his teenage daughter involving a promethium graphing process that imbued Kole with crystal powers, but the young Kole's body did not adapt as Professor Weathers had anticipated.”
Indeed, Kole instead became the young super hero we all grew to know and love. After being rescued from the clutches of the mad goddess, Thia, whom had kidnapped Kole from her parents two years before, Kole became a friend of the Teen Titans (although she never officially joined the group).
It was at this time that Kole grew very close to Joseph Wilson, A.K.A. Jericho. In a way, he became as close to a boyfriend that she ever knew. While growing up, Kole’s parents had forbidden her to have any boyfriends, in fact it seemed that Kole had virtually no social life at all for the first sixteen years of her life. Add to that the two years she spent on Olympus and you can see why Kole would approach a relationship with Joey the way she did. She had feelings for him and perhaps wanted to move a bit too quickly (wanting to make love). Kole could not be blamed for this, she really had no prior experience with these matters. However, Joey managed to convince her that they were just friends, but not lovers, not yet at least.
Sadly, we would never know just how far their relationship would or could have gone.
Soon, the Crisis arrived and the Teen Titans, along with other heroes, were called into action in order to save the Multiverse from the Anti-Monitor. During the Crisis, Kory, A.K.A. Starfire, had to return to her home planet, Tamaran. Richard Grayson (Nightwing) went with her of course, the two of them being a couple at the time. However, Joey decided to go with them. His reasons for doing so remain unclear, some have suggested that he wanted to help out, while others feel that he just wanted to travel in space. In any event, Joey decided he was going. Kole pleaded with him not to go, but to stay on Earth with her. However, Joey was adamant about going with Richard and Kory, so Kole reluctantly said goodbye. Joey got to go off on his adventure, a decision he would no doubt later regret.
In Crisis Issue # 12 (the final issue), which came out in early 1986, Kole valiantly tried to save Robin of Earth-Two and the Huntress from the Anti-Monitor’s Shadow Demons. She put up a crystal barrier in order to protect them, but it was no use. The Shadow Demons passed right through the barrier and when it was all over, nothing remained. It seems Kole was dead, having laid down her life to protect her fellow citizens.
Fast forward seven years to 1993 and Issue # 8 of the Team Titans title. To the surprise of many fans, there was Kole, seemingly alive and well. Kole also appeared in Issues #10, 11, and 12. However, this Kole was very different from the Kole we had known years before. She seemed much more secretive, never volunteering any information about herself to others. She would step in and help the Team Titans save the day, but then vanish again before they could question her.
Furthermore, although the Team Titans operated out of Donna Troy’s farm, Kole never approached Donna (who had been Wonder Girl in the Teen Titans when Kole was with them). In fact, Kole never attempted to contact any of her former friends and let them know she was okay. Why she chose not to do so remains a mystery.
Also, it seemed that Kole’s powers had somehow been upgraded in the years between the end of Crisis and her reappearance in Team Titans. She could teleport from place to place, and she also could sense things happening miles away. Once again no clues were offered as to how and when Kole’s powers were altered. In fact, a rather cryptic scene occurs at the beginning of Team Titans Issue # 11. When the Team Titans, who had just been assisted by Kole in the previous issue, wonder who she is. Dagon, trying to track Kole, says that nothing alive could hide from her senses. Hiding nearby, Kole quietly agrees by thinking: That’s right. Nothing alive. What exactly does that mean? Is Kole supposed to be an angel now? A ghost? Or something totally different. Once again we have many questions and no answers.
Finally it seems that Kole was fascinated by Team Titan member, Battalion. Why? Neither of them had ever met before, so what was the connection? Once again no explanations were offered.
It is interesting to note that these issues of Team Titans were written by Marv Wolfman, the same author who had created Kole nearly a decade before (and also seemingly killed her in the Crisis). It has been indicated that Wolfman had some storyline in mind for Kole when he brought her back, but it would never be completed. For reasons I do not know, Wolfman stopped writing Team Titans and with his departure, Kole disappeared back into the shadows (Team Titans was cancelled about a year later with Issue # 24).
A decade has now passed since Kole was last seen in the DC Universe and we are no closer to any answers. Thanks to a great website I have become involved with, Kole Lovers Unite, I have managed to find some interesting items. The following two are of special notice:
1. In the late 1980's, after the Crisis, a DC mini-series called Invasion came out. At one point, a mysterious crystal structure appeared in practically the SAME location where Kole was last seen in the Crisis. This fact does suggest some link to Kole, however, DC never followed up on this and swept it under the rug.
2. In a comic called Titans Secret Files, which came out in 2000, we see a computer file on all the Titans, living and dead. Although Kole is listed among the deceased, her file reads “Data Inconclusive”. This basically means that although Kole is presumed dead, some doubt remains as to whether that is a fact or not.
So here is where we currently stand, folks. DC has yet to tell us the answers to any of the questions about Kole this article raised. Right now, all we can do is speculate.
Will we have to wait another ten years to find out the truth?