Madame Xanadu

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Enter freely, and be unafraid.

Madame Xanadu was created for DC Comics by writer David Michelinie and artist Val Mayerik in 1978, initially serving as a linking character in anthology series Doorway to Nightmare, a 'good witch' who'd help people out with their supernatural difficulties. She went on to join Jim Corrigan's Spectre as part of his supporting cast, and pops up from time to time in DC's other magic-based books.

She had a Vertigo series from 2008-2010, written by Matt Wagner and penciled mainly by Amy Reeder Hadley. The series reveals her to be Nimue, youngest sister of Morgaine Le Fay and the Lady in the Lake, an immortal who has lived for thousands of years. It chronicles Madame Xanadu from her prehistoric childhood, through Arthurian times, up through the 1960s.

She's currently^[when?] appearing in Demon Knights (set in The Dark Ages), Resurrection Man and Justice League Dark.

Madame Xanadu provides examples of the following tropes:

• The Apprentice: Charlotte Blackwood
• Bi the Way: Xanadu.
• Burn the Witch: Marisol, Xanadu's lesbian lover, was burnt as a witch by the Spanish Inquisition.
• Cain and Abel: Morgana/Morgaine le Fey and Nimue/Madame Xanadu.
• Chess with Death: With her Tarot cards, Madame Xanadu convinced Death to restore her power and immortality.
• Collector of the Strange: Her parlour is full of magical books and objects.
• Continuity Nod: Despite being Vertigo, there's a heck of a lot of references to The DCU. Madame Xanadu is the sister of JLA villain Morgaine le Fey, witnesses the summoning of Etrigan, is indirectly responsible for the origin of Doctor Fate and the Golden Age Green Lantern, and nearly prevents the origin of Jim Corrigan's Spectre, while living with Giovanni Zatara. Not to mention The Phantom Stranger. Or her teamup with the Martian Manhunter.
  • Next you'll tell me she was Merlin's lover! Oh wait...
  • It's actually less that she's indirectly responsible, and more that she keeps getting mixed up with the Phantom Stranger's various schemes to ensure they happen, while sometimes ending up being a pawn to that end (as in the case of the original Green Lantern).
• Crystal Ball
• The Fifties: The setting of Broken House of Cards.
• Fortune Teller
• The French Revolution
• Friend to All Living Things: Xanadu.
• Green Eyes: Xanadu.
• The Gump: Wandering the earth for centuries, she acquainted herself with many great historical figures.
• Hot Gypsy Woman
• Julius Beethoven Da Vinci
• King Arthur
• Lady in Red: Herself a heroic example.
• Marie Antoinette: Madame Xanadu became her honored guest at Versailles.
• Merlin and Nimue: Xanadu was Nimue, and betrayed Merlin because she believed it was the only way to save Camelot. It doesn't work.
• Occult Detective
• Psychic Powers
• Roma
• Shiny Midnight Black: Xanadu, as well as her sisters, Morgana and Vivienne.
• The Sixties: Setting for Extra-Sensory.
• Tailor-Made Prison: She contains supernatural entities in mason jars to prevent them from causing further trouble.
• Tarot Motifs: Madame Xanadu created the Tarot herself.
• Tarot Troubles
• Teleporters and Transporters: Madame Xanadu has the ability to "disapparate."
• Witch Species: She is of the Elder Folk, ancestors of the Homo Magi.

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