Origin
Mara Prince is an athlete who had started training at the age of two. She actually wanted to do martial arts but tested better for volleyball. Her desire to go to school and have friends was ignored to turn her into a star athlete. She joined her first team at seven and at the age of ten she already played in the professional leagues. Now she is seventeen, a superstar and role model for girls all over the world. Her life almost seems perfect, she earns millions in endorsement deals because of her skill and dominance in the sport, and she is often referenced as gorgeous exotic and mysterious as well as appearing intelligent and articulate on talk shows and in interviews. In a world full of superstar sports celebrities Mara seems to be the biggest, most beloved and iconic. Mara’s brother Mark is a soldier deployed overseas.
Creation
Mara Prince is an Image published character, and was created by writer Brian Wood and artists Ming Doyle and Jordie Bellaire for the Mara series. The character first appearing in Mara #1 released in 2012.
Character Evolution
Mara is born from the mind of Brian Wood and Ming Doyle, the character’s story taking place I’m the future in that seems to be rebounding after dystopian like settings. Wars, economic instability, all leading to an emphasis on the idealism and hope present with sports and the need for icons and heroes. Mara is presented as somewhat mysterious, especially once her unique powers begin to manifest.
Major Story Arcs
Pan-Continental Sports League Tournament
Hype and anticipation has been building around the Pan-Continental Sports League Tournament and its final, featuring megastar Mara and her team. Mara would come out to screaming fans chanting her name, with their faces painted with her name and her name flashing on large jumbo screens. Mara would tell her team about her new sponsor in the huddle and reassure one of the new players on her team before breaking into action. Naturally Mara leads her team to victory. As her and an accompanying player (Ingrid) leave the arena, Mara has a moment where she hears the trigger of a gun and is quick to shield and push her team mate to safety and alert guards. Later that night Mara and Ingrid discuss what happened with the attempted shooting with Mara hiding the fact it was her that alerted the security. Ingrid leaves to work out and Mara receives a video message from her brother, a soldier serving overseas.
The Incident
Mara is set to have a friendly charity exhibition match with a visiting team from the Pac-Rim games. Ingrid and Mara joke about the age of their opposing side and Mara is ready to win. However during the game, something very strange occurs as Mara appears to go into some sort of trance as all those in the arena appear to freeze still. Mara with glazed eyes walks towards the opposing player with the ball before tapping it then before she can return to her original spot she falters and is left in a confused heap. There is much confusion after what happened as Mara asks Ingrid to help her get out of the arena.
Powers and Abilities
Mara appears fairly normal at first, save for significant excellence as an athlete and volley ball player. At some point however she starts to develop superhuman abilities, various abilities manifesting before others. So far Mara has possessed heightened senses, time manipulation, super speed, increased durability, increased strength, enhanced reflexes, the ability to fly and additional abilities. More may be discovered with time.