Known Powers:

Morning Star has super human strength and agility. Additionally, she can absorb energy to bolster her strength and toughness. A purple aura surrounds her when she has absorbed energy. Typically, Morning Star can absorb laser and blaster fire. She is highly resistant to these attack forms as well. Morning Star also has the ability to channel her own internal energy and release it along with her punch, which appears as a large purple ball of energy surrounding her fist.

Notes:

Morning Star is a fairly popular heroine and has been active for seven years now. She was one of the founding members of the Crusaders, a New York City based hero team. Other founders included Crusader, Rad, Speedster, and the Enchantress. Morning Star resigned from the Crusaders a year later disturbed over the excessive use of violence exhibited by Crusader and Copperhead, a vigilante who joined the team shortly after formation.

Morning Star traveled west to Los Angeles and joined her good friend Spinnerette with the Guardians. Shortly afterwards, the Guardians received official government sponsorship and became the sister team to the Avengers. The situation with the government rapidly turned sour. Several of the Guardians resigned rather than be sponsored. The National Security Council sent Black Diamond from the Avengers to lead the team, replacing their current leader, the Hornet. Coming in with Black Diamond was the Thing, Lightburst, and Nightingale.

During a joint adventure between the Guardians and the Avengers, Morning Star was thrown off the Empire State Building. She survived, just barely, but developed a fear from heights from the incident. She resigned from the Guardians and mainly worked as a soloist or a duo with Spinnerette after recovering from the fall.

In a recent adventure, Morning Star teamed up with a new LA hero, Spectrum, to thwart VIPER's attempt to blackmail 20 billion dollars from the City of Dallas. Later, Morning Star was captured by Black Paladin as part of the Great Supervillain Contest. She was rescued by several heroes and joined with them to form X-Factor.

This new team presents a different challenge to Morning Star as she is most experienced of the group. Morning Star is attracted to Spectrum, but remains silent as the colorful mutant already has a girlfriend. She was the target of Ripper during phase two of the GSVC and was unsuccessfully courted by the outrageous Foxbat.

Morning Star's late father Richard was a NASCAR driver and he passed his love of auto racing on to his daughter. Denise is able to live in comfort from the profits of the racetrack her father founded. His former crew chief, Larry Mchone runs the racetrack.

Morning Star is essentially the den mother for X-Factor, as befits her years of experience. Recently, she helped Spectrum in an attempt to turn around the life of Icicle. The icy villainess has surrendered to PRIMUS and is now the ward of X-Factor. It is Morning Star and Spectrum's responsibility to ensure that Icicle behaves on her long period of probation.

Morning Star and her image were created by Muskateer.

Appearances:

Avengers # 1, 15, 16, 23
Spectrum # 14, 16-18, 20, 22, 24, 26-33
Scarlet Sabre # 1, 2
Troubleshooters # 4
X-Factor #1 - Present

Awards:

Co-Winner of Best Heroine for 2002.