Coagula

Coagula
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Doom Patrol vol. 2, #70 (September 1993)
Created by	Rachel Pollack
In-story information
Alter ego	Kate Godwin
Team affiliations	Doom Patrol
Abilities	Solidify liquids and dissolve solids.

This article is about the fictional comic book character. For the art magazine, see Coagula Art Journal

Coagula (real name Kate Godwin) is a fictional character and former member of DC Comic's Doom Patrol. Kate is a male-to-female transsexual, one of the first transsexual characters in comics, and remains one of the only transsexual superheroines.^[1] The character was created by transsexual science fiction writer Rachel Pollack. According the Comics Journal^{[citation needed]}, Rachel Pollack based the character's civilian name on two friends of hers. The friends in question are transgender writer and actress Kate Bornstein and the transsexual activist Kate Godwin. Rachel wanted to create a positive portrayal of a lesbian transsexual lady.

Fictional character biography

Kate gains her powers while working as a prostitute. One of her customers is Rebis, a radioactive hermaphrodite; after Kate has sex with him/her, she discovers she can coagulate liquids and dissolve solids at will. She first tries out for the Justice League, but is rejected by them. She meets the Doom Patrol while battling a villain called the Codpiece, who has devices such as a gun, a drill, and a spring-loaded boxing glove built into a special codpiece he designed and built. Coagula dissolves the device.^[2][3]

Early on Kate is identified as a lesbian,^{[citation needed]} but as the series progresses it becomes clear she is bisexual. She begins a romance with Robotman.^[1]

The name Coagula comes from the alchemical term "Solve et Coagula", meaning "dissolve and coagulate".^[4]

A while after the Doom Patrol split, Kate and Cliff take fellow teammate Dorothy Spinner on a camping trip with the intention of telling her she is adopted. However, after hearing this, Dorothy suffers a mental breakdown. This causes her to generate a powerful psychic explosion, killing Kate and supposedly killing Cliff. Following this, Dorothy falls into a coma.^[5]

Powers and abilities

After having sexual contact with Rebis (Johnny B), Coagula gained the power to turn solids into liquids, and to coagulate liquids into solid. She needs to be in touch with the object to make the change occur.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Irvine, Alex (2008). "Doom Patrol". In Dougall, Alastair. The Vertigo Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. pp. 61–63. ISBN 0-7566-4122-5. OCLC 213309015 
2. ^ Doom Patrol v2, 70 ((Sept 1993)), DC Comics
3. ^ "Comic Book Crap... The Codpiece of Terror!!!". headinjurytheater.com. http://www.headinjurytheater.com/article59.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-30. 
4. ^ Davis, Erik. "The Gods of the Funny Books: An Interview with Neil Gaiman and Rachel Pollack". Gnosis (magazine). Techgnosis (reprint from Summer 1994 issue). http://www.techgnosis.com/gaiman.html. Retrieved 2007-02-04. 
5. ^ Revealed in Doom Patrol vol. 3 #9