Sally Avril[2] was a fellow student of Peter Parker's at Midtown High who turned him down for a date, preferring Flash Thompson.[3][4]
Thirty years later, writing for Untold Tales of Spider-Man, Busiek resurrected the one-note brunette from obscurity and gave her a background. She was an ambitious, thrill-loving girl who took blue ribbons in gymnastics. With fellow popular kid Jason Ionello, she attempted to cash in on a Daily Bugle contest offering a thousand dollars to a reader who brought in pictures of Spider-Man. Although their mission was a bust, Sally loved the thrill and became smitten with the web-slinger when he touched her cheek just before leaving her and Jason with a warning to give it up.[5]
Sally and Jason tailed Spidey again, who was (unwillingly) working for Electro. The flash from Sally's camera roused Spidey from his hypnotic state, and a well-placed kick by Sally took Electro by surprise long enough for Spidey to readjust his mask — which Electro had been preparing to remove — and defeat him. Spider-Man posed for a shot with an ecstatic Sally and Jason that the Bugle ran.[6]
Suffused with glee, Sally tried to get a permanent gig on the Bugle, but was told the photographer's job was filled — by Peter Parker.[7] Peter admitted this but asked her not to tell their fellow Midtowners. Sally donned an eccentric blue-and-white costume and decided, with her aerobic skills, to become a superheroine. She asked Peter to take some Bugle pics of her doing some stunts, but Peter refused. Angered, she threatened to blackmail him by revealing that he took Spider-Man pictures, but he undercut her by telling them himself.[8]
Bluebird's zeal but lack of experience caused trouble for Spider-Man during fights with Scarlet Beetle and Electro. Her "ether egg" weapons would detonate prematurely or have little effect, once even allowing the villain to escape.[8][9] Considering her more trouble than she was worth, Spider-Man allowed the Black Knight's men to hurt her to dissuade her from interfering in his fights again, although he later felt remorseful.
Bruised but undaunted, Sally and Jason headed to an area where Spider-Man was fighting the Black Knight, with Sally's camera.[10] She intended to capture some shots of the fight. However, Sally's zeal ended up costing her her life when she begged Jason to speed in his car, and the two ran a red light. Their car struck an oncoming bus, with Jason incurring mild head trauma, and Sally being killed.[11] Spider-Man felt horrible about this, blaming himself for her death.[11]
Bluebird has no superpowers. However, she uses a retractable rope line, insulated boots for protection against electricity, blue paint pellets, and ether-filled "eggs."[14] Additionally, Bluebird is a skilled gymnast.[15]
Reception
In 2022, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Sally Avril 2nd in their "10 Best Comic Book Characters Grey DeLisle Has Played" list.[16]
In other media
Television
Sally Avril appears in The Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced by Grey DeLisle.[17] This version is a cheerleader at Midtown High School, Randy Robertson's girlfriend, and a member of the school's popular clique who displays "mean girl" traits. As a result, she is unkind to her peers and bears particular animosity towards Peter Parker, though she gradually softens up to him during the second season.
Film
Sally Avril, credited as "Hot Girl", makes a cameo appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), portrayed by Kelsey Chow. While she goes unnamed, the film's novelization and Chow herself revealed the character to be Avril.[18]
^"Sally Avril Voice - The Spectacular Spider-Man (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 20, 2017. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
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