Origin
Ms. Mesmer was raised in poverty in Chicago, little else is known about her. She and the others formed a close-knit family and fought to get out of poverty, but without committing the common atrocities known to criminals on the Southside. They developed their natural talents and honed them to a higher degree. Brains created their costumes and as they gang they sought their way to fame out of poverty, and avoidance of drugs and narcotics. They avoided crime and Prison records with the assistance of Mr. Adams and his organization, then they made their debut as the gang.
Creation
Ms Mesmer was created by Paul Kupperberg and Carmine Infantino. She made her first appearance in Supergirl #4.
Major Story Arcs
Beginnings of the Gang
The Gang is hired to steal a satellite from the McCormick Place Exhibition Center. As they break in Ms. Mesmer uses Kong‘s intimidating size and presence to a good advantage. Using her Hypnotic talent and her Hypno-Disk on her chest to pacify those closest to her, but a security guard is able to resist, she playfully asks if she should have the guard shot by his entranced companion, but the Gang does not kill. Kong takes the guard out easily enough.
The Gang sticks to a strict timetable set up by Brains by snatching the satellite and escaping, but as they do Bulldozer is sent reeling back into the building by Supergirl. The gang has been together since they were children, and work as a near-perfect unit. But Supergirl is beginning to overwhelm them. Brains, has Ms. Mesmer step forward and use her talents on Supergirl. Distracted by the fight she turns as Ms. Mesmer activates her disk, and leaves her dazzled. Supergirl is taken unawares and has a post-hypnotic suggestion implanted in her mind. She thinks time happened quickly, but long minutes have passed.
Later Supergirl returns to her apartment building and hears someone inside under the power of the Gang. Mr. Ostrander seemingly is in possession of their money and Ms. Mesmer and the others interrogate him. As she takes on the two strongest, Brains asks Ms. Mesmer talk about if her hypnosis will work or not. It does, and whatever Supergirl saw scared her off. Brains congratulates Ms. Mesmer on her talents on the mind of the Young Heroine. Ms. Mesmer admits that she wasn’t sure it would work, but was glad that it did.
They then flee the scene. Ms. Mesmer instead of using her talents on Mr. Ostrander, allows the others to talk for her as she stands back passively. Taken back to the basement they spent most of their time in, Brains tells him their tale.
That night, they head to the Goodman Theater to retrieve their money. Ms. Mesmer warns him, that he’d better have the money.
As they stalk the dark stage, a security guard discovers them and Ms. Mesmer tries to hypnotically make him forget they are there, but he quickly resists her and in turn shoots her in the shoulder. Kong is about to kill him for the act, but Brains restrains him, saying that Ms. Mesmer was more important. Brains and Bulldozer take on Supergirl but are routed as Kong tries to get Ms. Mesmer medical help. But in order to be fully free of the Suggestion, she grabs Mesmer and Kong. Ms. Mesmer in pain quickly agrees to release the Suggestion as long as Supergirl gets her help.
The Witch and the Warrior
Ms Mesmer is among the villains Circe sets to attack the heroes. She and some others encounter Raven who easily defeats the group by covering them in her cloak.
Seven Soldiers of Victory
Sometime later Ms Mesmer appears at a superhero convention on a panel discussing female heroes and villains. She is looking at a pamphlet or brochure as the other talk. She seems to have given up her criminal ways for the celebrity circuit.
Later when the Gang is killed by the Geni/Demon LKZ, Ms. Mesmer is not among them.
Altered DC Universe
After the universe is altered yet again, and history changed, The Gang is seen next in the pages of Supergirl 2005 in issue 59 defeated after an attempted robbery on Christmas. With Ms. Mesmer lying unconscious on the bank floor.
Powers and Abilities
Ms Mesmer has no known superhuman powers or abilities. She is very skilled at mesmerism and hypnotism, and is able to plant post-hypnotic suggestions in the minds of others. She uses a Disk on her uniform to assist her in this task as it distracts them enough with dazzling colors for her to influence them. She is far less effective against people who avoid the disk, or of strong will. Even though Supergirl fell to her talents, it was primarily due to Supergirls on fear of discovery. As in the future, she defeats Ms. Mesmer very easily. Also, her talents fail frequently and she often pays the price.
Ms. Mesmer has no known skill at physical combat, as she is often quite passive until Brains directs her to use her Hypnotism. So alone she would be far more vulnerable without the aid of her teams. She is a minor threat with her team and countered easily without them.
Personality
In the minor appearances, she is shown to be confident, playful, and willing to let others do the heavy lifting while she hangs back. She lets Brains to the talking and Bulldozer and Kong do the fighting. She assists when asked to.