Character Spotlight: Angela Chen

I'm glad I get to share this one because I've always thought Superman: The Animated Series was kind of the black sheep of the DC Animated Universe. Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, and Justice League get raved about all the time, but "Superman" is barely talked about at all, and most people think it's only ok. As such, whereas the Batman shows have their DNA all over the comics, Superman's show is just kind of forgotten.

And that's why Angela Chen surprised me so much.

Angela Chen is a reporter for the Daily Planet who first appeared in the "Superman" episode, "The Last Son of Krypton, Part II" (1996). She wrote a gossip column and hosted Metropolis Today, and she appeared in about half of the show's episodes.

Over twenty years later, Angela appeared in Justice League of America: Vixen Rebirth #1 (January 2017) as the host of what seems to be a gotcha journalism talk show called "Impossible But True with Angela Chen". In a scene that happens years ago, she calls Mari McCabe, aka Vixen, on not being as active in her charity work as she says.

Justice League of America #8 (June 2017) has her appear to interview The Man From Monster Valley, a story that seems to better fit her show's title. And the same month, she appeared in Mother Panic of all places (issue #8 as well). The Mother Panic appearance is a good sign, I think. If she had only appeared in the two Justice League of America issues, I might assume she was just a pet character of that writer. But showing up in a book by a different writer, and one so off the beaten path as Mother Panic, makes me think they're setting her up to be the go-to commentator on the goings-on of the DC Universe. Not bad for a minor character on a neglected show!

(Thanks to reader austinpopdan for the suggestion!)