Harsh! Hated Female Characters #1: Jade

Outsiders 16
Originally uploaded by Heidi Meeley.

Don't start the egg throwing yet, gang. There are reasons I have never been a fan of Jade and I am going to explain them to you now.

From day one in Infinity Inc. Jade has rubbed me the wrong way. Pampered and conceited, Jade reminded me of the snobby girls in high school. As the daughter of Green Lantern Alan Scott, maybe my expectations were pretty high, but I was looking for a hero cut from the same cloth and that didn't happen here.

Jade's relationship with men has been extremely disfunctional. Dating Brain Wave Jr. was certainly not a step in the right direction. Between his problems and her preoccupation with immaturity, it was a match made in hell. Throw in Jade's wacko brother Todd AKA Obsidian, and it gets even uglier.

When Infinity Inc. ended, Jade became notorious for a nude spread in Bikini Magazine. From that moment on, her stock fell even further in my eyes. She coached the Blood Pack for a time and made the Hollywood social scene trying to be an actress and model. Any flicker of respect I had died then and there.

The low blow came when Jade dated Kyle Rayner. Now I am a fan of Kyle and the Green Lantern members in general, but to me Jade just never fit in. She and Kyle started their relationship the right way- as friends, but ended it when Kyle went to outer space and Jade stayed on earth and found a boyfriend in the meantime. Jade had a chance to tell Kyle that things were wrong but didn't. Then she started messing around with another fella, which culminated in Kyle catching them at his apartment together. Ugly stuff.

Jade is currently a member of the Outsiders team. I haven't been impressed there either. Taking a leadership role while calling Roy and Dick on the carpet hasn't set well with me. To me, Jade just hasn't found a niche.

I have never been happy with the way writers have handled Jade, and wish that they could take "Jen Hayden" and make her get past the baggage and turn over a new leaf. Her powers are awesome, and she is a legacy hero so I know there is potential there. I just don't feel it has ever been tapped. The writers need to get Jade away from the men and have her take a solo turn like she did in Green Lantern #109. To me, that has been the best example of what Jade can be.

I would also like to see Jade and Alan work together as a team up. Otherwise, it would be interesting to see Jade team up with Wonder Girl or Raven to get a new perspective.

Come on DC- take this character and give her some depth. Maybe then she can get the hell off my top hated female list and make the list of women with potential.