Created in 1939 by Paul Ernst (Note: Kenneth Robeson was a pen name used by many writers working at Street and Smith Publications), The Avenger first appeared in the pulp magazine titled Justice Inc. The story followed Richard Benson, a millionaire globetrotter, who becomes a crimefighting superhero in the wake of his wife Alicia and daughter Alice's abduction and murder. The trauma of the ordeal turn Benson's face and hair white and paralyzes the muscles in his face, giving him the ability to alter its appearance to a degree.
The proposed show in development at The CW is reshuffling the origin of The Avenger in a significant way. Instead of following Richard Benson, the tv show will follow Alice Benson, who
"in the wake of her parents’ murder, discovers she possesses a superpower as a result of genetic bio-hacking which allows her to transform her appearance at will." The show, described as a
"an updated Biopunk version of The Avenger [1939]", will focus on Alice's investigation of her parent's death and how she acquired her metahuman abilities. Neal Baer (Under the Dome) and Conde Nast Entertainment are developing the series, with Deric Hughes and Benjamin Raab (Warehouse 13) writing the pilot. The project is currently untitled, but rest assured Marvel fans, it probably won't be titled The Avenger.
Perhaps the character will be able to cross over with Arrow, The CW's most watched program and the Flash television series that's also in development.
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