Gretchen Baelows

Gretchen Baelows
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Born	September 16th, 1932 Livjessville, USQ
Died	January 4th, 1985 Port Clinton, USQ
Occupation	Comic book writer ・ Editor ・ Artist
Alma Mater	Royal Jekzonkst College
Notable Works	Nuclear Flame Raven's Assassin Mirrored Smoke
Residence	Livjessville, KA Mechanicsburg, GA Baelow Plantation, Port Clinton
Spouse	David Baelows
Children	2

Gretchen Baelows was a Quentinian comic book artist, writer, and editor, writing for QUACK! Comics from the 1950's to the 1970's. Best known for creating and co-creating heroes such as Nuclear Flame, Raven's Assassin, and Blazestreak, as well as villains such as Haythamator, Mirrored Smoke, and Black-and-Yellow, Baelows is widely considered one of the defining comic book creators of the time. She was widely praised in her time and today as a major proponent of female characters in comic books, as well as the creator of a sub-genre of comic books focusing on imperfect characters with many flaws, such as depression, anxiety, and even social disorders. These characters, ones such as Raven's Assassin, would often by characterized by the public as "shadowy," or "brooding," and this subgenre had a major effect on Quentinian, and later Megatridimensional, superhero comics. During the 1950's Baelows was an intern at QUACK!, but after moving through the ranks she developed the character Nuclear Flame, which she introduced to her superiors. After a feud with Cal Klinen for the rights to the character, head editor and developer Joseph Leeson intervened, firing Klinen and working with Baelows to publish the character.

With the success of Nuclear Flame, especially amongst younger audiences, Baelows became one of the head writers at QUACK!, writing with developers such as Thomas Yanjekx, Elizabeth Mochrey, Bryce Donaldson, and Leeson, Baelows was a major part in developing the wider QUACK! Comics universe as well as many new characters. In 1960 Baelows developed the character Raven's Assassin, widely believed to be her greatest contribution to the medium. The hero was extremely successful, and was a shadowy and troubled character unlike any hero which had been created before. After taking a six-year break from the industry in the late 1960's, Baelows returned in the early 1970's to created the villain Mirrored Smoke for Raven's Assassin, as well as the new hero Blazestreak. In 1976 Baelows retired after marrying David Baelows, and the two moved to Port Clinton, with one child and one expected in 1977.