Line #47 ComicBook/PatsyWalker


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/patsy_cover.jpg]]
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3	''Patsy Walker'', and its companion comic, ''Patsy and Hedy'', were Creator/MarvelComics's (initially, Timely's) major entry in the teen girls' comic genre. The character of Patsy is among Marvel's oldest, first appearing in 1944 in "Miss America" issue 2. ''Patsy Walker'' #95 was one of the first two comic book issues to carry the Marvel escutcheon.
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5	''Patsy Walker'' focused mainly on the spirited red-headed heroine's issues with her more straight-laced parents, her boyfriend "Buzz", and especially her rivalry with her raven-haired nemesis/{{vitriolic best bud\|s}}, Hedy Wolfe. In fact, Patsy and Hedy seem to have spent a lot of time getting in each other's faces, messing around with each other's lives with minimal motivation, and swapping wordy put-downs and insults while staring each other down in an oddly obsessive fashion, sometimes culminating in gentle displays of affection. This has made some readers wonder a little about the subtext in their relationship... but on the basis of his body of work, this just seems to be a common character dynamic in Creator/StanLee's writing. (And for the record: yes, Stan Lee did write for this comic.)
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7	The books were never gigantic sellers for Timely/Atlas/Marvel, but made themselves a quiet and profitable market niche in the character's 23-year first incarnation, especially in the 1950s after Al Hartley took over as the major artist. By the mid-1960s, the title's aesthetic had dated and Marvel's attention had long since moved from girls' humor comics, resulting in Patsy and Hedy growing up a little and becoming dashing young reporters, touring the world while frustrating the plans of various villainous {{pretty boy}}s. The writing standards by this point were not up to the concept, the concept itself was not incredibly original even in 1967, and in that year the Patsy Walker-based titles were quietly discontinued.
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9	In 1976, Patsy Walker was retooled into the {{superhero}}ine ComicBook/{{Hellcat}}. She used the special costume abandoned by another heroine, [[AnimalThemedSuperbeing The Cat]], who now had powers of her own as a CatGirl named Tigra. Meanwhile, "Buzz", having been married to and then divorced by her, became the amoral superpowered mercenary Mad Dog. Hedy remains in the Marvel canon as Patsy's mundane business partner. The original teen-comedy comics also remain canonical... as in-universe fiction written by Patsy's mother. Meanwhile, during a stint with ComicBook/TheDefenders, Patsy married teammate Daimon Hellstrom -- the '''[[AntiAntichrist Son of Satan]]'''! For tropes of this version of the character, see that page.
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11	In 2015, Trish Walker made her Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse debut as a primary character in ''Series/JessicaJones2015'', played by Creator/RachaelTaylor. This version of Trish is a syndicated radio talk show host, as well as a former model and child TV star who also serves as ComicBook/JessicaJones' best friend. She also started headlining her first ongoing series, ''Comicbook/PatsyWalkerAKAHellcat'', written by Creator/KateLeth.
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13	Compare ComicBook/MillieTheModel, another Marvel teen humor comic written by Creator/StanLee.
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16	!!Provides Examples Of:
17	* BeachBury: [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4d/PatsyAndHedy72.jpg Patsy once had to deal with this predicament]].
18	* BettyAndVeronica: Full-on {{Alternate Company Equivalent}}s in Patsy and Hedy, with Buzz as Comicbook/{{Archie\|Comics}}.
19	* CatchPhrase: "Cheese and crackers!" A proto-[[Comicbook/LukeCage "Sweet Christmas!"]] that even continued in Patsy's later career.
20	* CostumePorn: Each issue would let you know who designed each girl's outfit for the issue.
21	* FieryRedhead: Patsy, though Hedy's at least equally fiery.
22	* GenreShift: Played with in issue 7 of the '80s comedy series ''What The--?!'', by having Patsy constantly flip between her [[MediaNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] teen life and her [[MediaNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks Bronze Age]] superhero antics.
23	* MediaNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks: and survived into the Silver Age before the characters got retooled in the Bronze.
24	* LoveTriangle: Hedy's supposed to be trying to steal Buzz away from Patsy. Although in practice she seems less interested in Buzz than she is in upstaging Patsy.
25	* PrettyInMink: One issue showed Patsy being excited to get her first fur.
26	* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Borderline, but in general Patsy gets the girly outfits, Hedy the assertive outfits. In behavior, they're both about as girly (or not) as each other. And Patsy's bedroom contains a baseball schedule taped to her dressing mirror and her lack of domestic skills is a running gag.
27	* ATrueStoryInMyUniverse: Well, about as true as ''Literature/WinnieThePooh'' is a true biography of Christopher Milne, but still...
28	* VitriolicBestBuds: Patsy and Hedy.

Context ComicBook / PatsyWalker