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Broadcaster states that Dr. Deseret (Dr. Denholm), a superhero from the independent nation of Deseret, is a special agent of God
Above: Broadcaster speaks of the Latter-day Saint super-heroine "Dr. Deseret." [Source: Captain Confederacy #2, published in 1991 by Epic imprint of Marvel Comics.]

The Religious Affiliation of Comic Book Character
Dr. Denholm
Dr. Deseret
featured in Captain Confederacy
published by the Epic imprint of Marvel Comics


Dr. Denholm, who is better known as "Dr. Deseret," is a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) superhero character featured in the Captain Confederacy miniseries published by Marvel Comics through its Epic imprint. Dr. Deseret first appeared in Captain Confederacy #2 (December 1991). Since then she has not exactly been the most visible of Marvel Comics characters.

A news broadcaster in Captain Confederacy #2 identifies Dr. Deseret as a "special agent of God." The character comes from the independent state of Deseret, which is located where present day Utah, Nevada and parts of other states are in our reality. This story takes place on an alternative Earth in whose alternate history the South won the Civil War. The state of Deseret was never admitted into the Union under the name "Utah," but instead retained its earlier Book of Mormon-based name "Deseret" and continued as a distinct nation up through the present day.

Dr. Deseret: Mormon super-heroine published by Marvel Comics
Dr. Deseret, a Latter-day Saint super-heroine
Source: http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/d/deseret.htm

Unlike some other Marvel comic book characters whose Mormonism was only hinted at (i.e., Mallory Book, Power Pack, Cypher, Scanner, etc.), Dr. Deseret was explicitly identified as a Latter-day Saint in published comics. Dr. Deseret's overt identification as a Latter-day Saint, with her religious affiliation mentioned by name, gives her something in common with Detective Jacob Raven, a key supporting character in the Spider-Man comics during the clone saga.

From: Walaka, "Alternaty", posted 17 February 2006 on "Troll Dwarfs with Tommy Guns" blog website (http://lastshortbox.blogspot.com/2006/02/alternaty.html; viewed 4 June 2006):

I'm a big fan of the genre (sub-genre?) of Alternate History, which features stories set in a world much like ours, except with a crucial difference: the South won the Civil war, or the Nazis won WWII, or something. Those two are probably the most common "points of divergence" (or POD) anyway... For example, alternate histories set in the 20th century almost universally posit the continued use of zeppelins, and that's just cool. So any comic that opens like this has pretty much got me hooked:

This particular alternate history comic benefits not only from the presence of zeppelins, but from having as its author Will Shetterly. That shot of Hannah Freidman opens Will's Captain Confederacy.

[Caption:] Captain Confederacy Nos. 1-4, Nov 1991 - Feb 1992. Writer/colorist: Will Shetterly; Penciler: Vince Stone. Epic Comics

This is actually the second Captain Confederacy series. The first series, which is not in the Last Shortbox, began publication in 1986 and centered on Jeremy Vincent, (the white man in stars-and-bars on the above cover) who is the government-sponsored superhero of the 20th-century CSA (Confederate States of America), anmd the stories mostly centered on internal CSA politics and intrigue.

This mini-series really opens up the stage. Gray has retired as Captain Confederacy, and as Kid Dixie acts as sidekick to the new Captain Confederacy, his fiancee Kate Williams (the African-American woman in stars-and-bars on the cover). They travel to the Louisiana Free State to take part in a "Heroes Conference" with the international array of adventurers/government agents/public relations figures that comprise superheroes in this world. In addition to Hannah Friedman, Germany's reluctant Iron Falcon, we meet the representatives from the People's Republic of California, the Spirits of the People (think Guardian Angels who kick a little more ass); Lone Star, a cyborg Texas Ranger; Union Maid, the U.S.A.'s supermodel-hero-mascot; Dr. Deseret, a Mormon ninja who uses drugs to increase her physical and sensory capabilities; and an alternate-history, comic-book version of a lucha libre star, Mexico's El Brujo.


Webpage created 4 June 2006. Last modified 4 June 2006.
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