Jean Loring

Jean Loring
Jean Loring with Ray Palmer. Art by Gil Kane.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Showcase # 34 (September–October 1961)
Created by	Gardner Fox Gil Kane
In-story information
Alter ego	Jean Loring
Team affiliations	Black Lantern Corps
Supporting character of	Atom (Ray Palmer)
Notable aliases	Eclipso

Jean Loring is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics, formerly associated with superhero the Atom for whom she was a supporting character and primary love interest. She first appeared in Showcase #34 (September–October 1961), created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane. The character appeared continually in minor roles until the 2004 storyline Identity Crisis, in which she suffered a mental breakdown and murdered Sue Dibny, wife of the Elongated Man. This would later lead Loring to assume the mantle of the supervillain Eclipso.

Jean Loring's career as an attorney in Ivy Town began at almost the same time that her boyfriend, Ray Palmer, became the Atom. Jean encountered the Atom who often helped in her cases many times before learning that he and Ray were the same person.

In Atom and Hawkman #45 (October–November 1969), Jean was abducted and driven insane by the sub-atomic Jimberen race. Although quickly freed from the Jimberen by the Atom and Hawkman, Jean remained insane until Justice League of America (vol. 1) #81 (June 1970), when she was cured by the equally insane alien Jest-Master.

After Jean was kidnapped by T.O. Morrow, Ray went into an interdimensional search to retrieve her, asking for help from Flash, Supergirl and Wonder Woman. This event would direly affect Jean, but it would also lead to their marriage. For a few years, they were happy – then Ray’s adventurous life began taking its toll on their marriage and they divorced, supposedly after Jean had an affair with another man, and Ray found them.