Origin
Ever since she was Twelve, Renyatta was a Junkie, hooked by an unknown person, and a hooker at thirteen. Her lief was a mess and topsy-turvy. At 15 she became pregnant with her son Kenny, 3 at the time she joined the Hero alliance at 18. To make her life better, she gave up the drugs, and prostitution, took a job as a waitress, and still lost her son to Child Protective Services.
She was down in the dumps when her former pimp came to her and tried to get her hooked on drugs again. She defied him and was attacked. In an act of unconscious self-defense, her powers activated and she crushed his heart by accident.
Her attorney called in Victor of the Hero Alliance due to her powers becoming active. He offered her a path to regaining her son and learning to control her powers so that she is not a danger to herself, son, or others.
Creation
Gossamer was created for the Hero alliance comics. She was seen as a means to show the reality of having a tragic character overcoming extreme odds and upbringing, and to overcome them. She would go onto being a successful superheroine, and a trusted member of the Hero Alliance. She was created by Robert M. Ingersoll and Mark Jones.
Characterization
Renyatta was portrayed as a determined woman, not the stereotype of a black woman of the 80’s speaking jive, and being street. Although she didn’t have the education that many of the other members of the hero Alliance had, she made up for it with a willingness to learn, and prove herself.
She was portrayed as a fun and thoughtful person, with the making of a Prim and Proper Lady. Her youth and optimism helped play a part in that. Also, she wanted to show her absolute best to the world and Child Protective services.
One of the first things she did after gaining temporary custody was to purchase a home on her Hero Alliance salary and do everything she could to give her son the best.
She was also very flirtatious and outgoing, even with her past, she didn’t let it hold her back, flirting with team member Argent, and Justice Machine member Titan.
She also was one to repair friendships and treat people with respect.
Story
Renyatta’s time with the Hero Alliance began it was after she was taken into custody after killing her former pimp by Accident. While trying to come to terms with the loss of her son to child custody, Renyatta was at her apartment when her former pimp came to her with the offer of more money, and the chance to get high once again. But she was on the path to recovery, and the loss of her son pushed her over the edge. She defied him, he struck her and pulled out his knife.
Next, she is seen in Police custody but is not charged since her powers activated in self-defence. Victor decides to help her and she accepts. But refuses to wear a mask. She wants the world to know that it’s her trying to correct her life.
We next see her visiting her son with her attorney after learning she is joining the Hero Alliance. He wants to make sure that she gets her son back, and she wants to know when she’ll begin training.
When next we see her it’s a few weeks later and she is in costume. Her first assignment as a member of Hero Alliance is to assist Victor and Argent in the capture of Vector a villain with a super powered suit that makes him almost untouchable. As the Villain is being served a warrant by Victor Argent is outside waiting to intercept the villain if he attempts to escape. Confident Vector dons his suit and leaps from his window. But suddenly he’s naked and falling through the air. Victor saves him. It’s then revealed that Gossamer has ghosted herself and floated up next to Vector invisibly, and phased him out of his costume.
She is next seen at a meeting of the Alliance discussing their recent missions. When the Villain Apostate, Kris’ brother sends a holographic message to them, threatening his sister, and challenging Victor.
She joined Victor, Sentry, and Hover as they planned a way to find Apostate. Eventually, the teams were chosen, but due to her inexperience, she was asked to remain at the mansion in case, of another emergency.
She later joins the others at the funeral of Powerhaus who was killed during the confrontation.
Weeks later we see her with Kenny as he visits the mansion. She is talking with Delphi who is two years young then she at 16 about what it means to be a grown up. She tells her about what Kenny helped her with.
Days later after training, she is off duty watching TV with the Gemini plus brothers and Delphi, looking on at the new Villain on the scene Bombshell, who is out for revenge against Kris. Days later she is a part of the mission to help rescue Scientists from a hostage situation at the refinery plant by Bombshell.
She is used as support to rescue others and sneak up on Bombshell. But by the time she ghosts in, Kris has her on the ropes, and Gossamer is held back by Sentry. But Bombshell blasts her and escapes. But is recaptured minutes later.
Some months later she is out with her son after purchasing a home for them when she is confronted by Sentry who admonishes her for not wearing a mask and being unconcerned about her and her son’s safety. She takes his words to heart, except the part about leaving the Hero Alliance. Knowing she is not a combatant, he gives her his alert button to call him in case, of emergency.
We next see her at a meeting trying to determine when and where the group’s Headquarters will be located. But they discover that their image is being used by a Comic Book publisher with disparaging remarks and characterizations. Hover, the paraplegic hero blows up and personally attacks Gossamer, Gemini plus, and Argent in a fit of rage
She is back with the team later with Hover apologising, and their foe, Dr. Satan having threatened the publisher if he does not cover him or the Hero alliance correctly. The group bursts out in laughter.
Next, she is a member on the mission to clean up the Dock Ward, from a weapons deal. Her inexperience as she avoids an attack gets Castor struck in the back. Later Victor goes over what they each did right and wrong. Later that night, as they celebrate the victory it’s learned that new Team Member Misty is actually a Science created vampire who now has Pollux of Gemini plus under her thrall. She joins the others in going to his rescue.
Misty retaliates and stuns them all, attempting to escape. Victor, thinking that she is no match for Misty is about to order Renyatta to fall back. but she ignores his orders, knowing that she can stop her from escaping.
They are able to defeat Misty, but she and Hover work together to rescue Victor who nearly dies of asphyxiation. Later, Hover wants to chat with her later about his attitude towards her.
Some time later the Hero Alliance meets the Justice Machine from an alternate reality, as they must join forces to confront a superhuman with the power to leech the powers from others. She flirts with the Justice machine member named Titan and tries to convince him to stay with the Hero Alliance. More for Personal sexual reasons than anything else.
She joins Hover, Titan, and Talisman as they track the leech down to the park, attempted to delay him she ghosts into him and gets stuck, suffering a backlash that stuns her.
Eventually, the leech is stopped and the Justice Machine return home.
Some months later after growing more comfortable as a member of the team, she and the ladies go for a night on the town and perform various rescues and heroics even on their night off. The people they encounter are amalgams to characters from other popular books like Shazam and Spiderman.
Some time later, she and Delphi attend a comic book convention where Delphi is harassed by a male super nerd, who has fallen in love with her. Renyatta tries to calm her down and see the lighter side of life and largely succeeds. As they leave the convention they are attacked by the boy now with strange abilities. Knowing they are no match for him, Gossamer tries to tell her about calling for backup, but Delphi ignores her and attacks alone and is nearly killed… She is saved from a falling death by Gossamer. Victor shows up and defeats the kid.
Major Story Arc
Much of the focus of Gossamer’s story revolves around regaining custody of her son, proving herself a studious, yet capable Superheroine, and reforming her life in the public’s eyes.
Another subplot for her is trying to be accepted by Former Hero Alliance veteran Hover, who was crippled during battle years ago. He looks upon people like Renyatta with disgust. Eventually, he comes to trust and care for her. She also does the same for him. Becoming close partners, with him sharing his experience, and her sharing her youthful optimism.
Powers and Abilities
Gossamer has several related powers. Her main ability is to alter her molecular density into an intangible state. She and the Hero Alliance call it “Ghosting”. While ghosted, she has the ability to ghost other beings and items such as clothing. She can also become either partially visible or wholly transparent to sight and electronics. She cannot make another person Invisible, however. She can also levitate or float with moderate speeds by countering force in the opposite direction from where she wishes to go.
Fighting skills
When Gossamer first joined the Hero Alliance, she possessed extremely limited or no hand to hand combat ability. After being on the team for a few months and with partial custody of Kenny, her son, Sentry began to give her basic combat training. Although she is more support than a combatant. Against the average mook, she can hold her own until help arrives to assist her.
Other Abilities
Renyatta was once a Prostitute and knew the streets very well. She has a deep understanding of the and knows how to relate to people on a human level. Although due to her upbringing, she is not the most educated member of the Hero Alliance. She has sought out tutoring and is working on her speech.
At times she is extremely eloquent and ladylike, at others she reverts back to her older way of speech, when highly excited or emotional. Especially when it comes to Kenny.
She also wants to learn to swim. There are several instances where she is the only person available to rescue someone from the water, and each time almost drowns herself.