Triskaidekaphobics beware! The number thirteen is going to be all up in this article. Thirteen, not just an unlucky number but a family name for a young woman named Traci! Who is Traci Thirteen? What gives her magic powers? What’s with her dad? How cool is the last name 13? Let’s find out!
Traci Thirteen is the daughter of Meihui Lan and Terrance Thirteen. Her parents were quite the odd couple. Terrance is such a hardline skeptic in a world where gods and monsters, etc. is all very real that he is given somewhat of a resistance to magic by it. Meanwhile, Meihui is of the human offshoot, Homo Magi, mean she is genetically a witch, much like Zatanna Zatara. So Traci’s family life was already pretty complicated before she was even born. Things got more complex when after she entered the picture because her mother dies, something involving magic.
Traci’s father was more adamant about being anti-magic than ever before, thus he forbid Traci from performing magic for her own safety. You can’t keep a good mage down, though, and Traci would learn how to cast spells and felt the need to help others with her powers. Living in Metropolis’ Suicide Slum area made it easy to find people in need of help. She’d get asked out by Superboy, defend an injured Superman from attack, and team up with Natasha Irons (Steel II) and Cir-El (alleged daughter of Superman at the time) all while keeping her superhero lifestyle from her dad.
During the Day of Vengeance, the time in which The Spectre goes on a rampage, Traci is part of the magical clean up crew aiding Gotham in the aftermath. Their biggest clean up was in reassembling the exploded Rock of Eternity and binding the demons once imprisoned in the Rock, once more. She was working with Doctor Occult, the Phantom Stranger, and Rex, the Wonder Dog mainly in doing this along with other magical heroes.
After the year without the major heroes around, Traci and her father move to their ancestoral home of Doomsbury Manor and Traci is now a member of a group called the Croatoan Society, a team of detectives including Ralph Dibny and Detective Chimp. In fact, Ralph and his wife Sue took Traci in shortly after her mother died while her father took care of things, not only that but they trained her in detective work.
Traci would begin dating Jaime Reyes, the third Blue Beetle and the two would grow close. When Reyes joins the Teen Titans, Traci ends up working with them as well, though never becoming a member. She thought being on a team with her boyfriend would complicate things and make them awkward. She was still technically a member since she and Jaime spent most of their time together and he was often stationed at Titans’ HQ. She’d butt heads with Red Devil, Jaime’s best friend until the two would become friends too. Traci would also work with Black Alice and Zachary Zatara on some adventures.
In the New 52, there is a Terri Thirteen. If she has any connection to Traci, if Traci even exists, is still not known.
There’s another magical member of the DC superhero community and another to fill in our Halloween themed feel. Boo Who will be next? Guess you’ll have to wait and see!
Recommended Reading
Superman #189
Day of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special
Countdown to Final Crisis, Blue Beetle tie-in
Blue Beetle
Teen Titans #66
Dr. Bustos
drbustos@comicattack.net
Totally forgot about this character until you got to the Blue Beetle connection. And thanks for the new word of the day!