Liz Allan

Origin

Liz Allan was one of Peter Parker's classmates at Midtown High School. She dated Flash Thompson off and on when in high school, but developed a crush on Peter Parker after he "impersonated" Spider-Man to fight Doctor Octopus. Liz competed with Betty Brant for Peter's affections, often flirting with him, much to Flash's disgust. Although Peter didn't reciprocate her advances, they remained friends and he even tutored her in science. Upon graduating, Liz decided it was time to act more mature, so she left her old group of friends, who perceived her as ditzy.

Creation

Liz Allan was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in Amazing Fantasy Vol.1 issue 15 (1962)

Major Story Arcs

Molten Man

Liz would occasionally see her old friend-group again, but her troubles really began when her brother-in-law Max became known as the Molten Man after an experiment went wrong. Although she wanted to help him as much as she could, the experiment had caused Max to be angry and bitter, which causes him to clash with Spider-Man on different occasions, often with Liz in the middle of it all.

Dating Harry Osborn

Years later, Liz ran into Peter Parker on the street and rejoined his circle of friends. She then began dating Harry Osborn. The two fell in love and a great romance blossomed between the two. Liz was a perfect way for Harry to return to a normal life, after the events that had seemingly killed Norman Osborn, Harry's father. Eventually, Liz and Harry got married and had child, Norman Jr. or "Normie", in honor or Harry's dead father. Unfortunately, Harry could not let go of the past and started to don the Green Goblin outfit, this time as a hero. Liz was greatly against it, and so Harry kept it a secret from her as long as he could. Harry however drifted into madness due to the effects of the goblin formula he had been taking. Liz was in denial about her husband's state of mind, but this all changed when Harry kidnapped Liz and their son. Spider-Man luckily intervened, but could not stop Harry from dying due to the effects of the goblin formula. Liz then became a widow and had to raise Normie all by herself. She took over Harry's responsibilities at Osborn Industries.

Daredevil

Later, Liz Allan started to date lawyer Foggy Nelson, the legal partner of Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil. The couple broke up after Mysterio manipulated Foggy into having an affair in a plot to drive Daredevil insane. Like so many of the men in her life, Liz felled like Foggy let her down and ended their relationship.

Return of the Goblin

Liz had been working at Osborn Industries as its CEO for a long period of time. It was when the long thought dead Norman Osborn returned that she had to start a long legal battle in hopes of keeping Normie with her, as Norman filed for custody of the child (hoping to start the Goblin legacy again with young Normie). When Norman was revealed to be the Green Goblin, Norman soon faded from the scenery and Liz had no more troubles.

Civil War

During the Civil War, she and many other people saw Spider-Man unmask himself. Seeing this made her upset because she blamed Peter for bringing so much death into her life. However, after the events of One More Day, all knowledge of Peter's marriage to Mary Jane leaves multiple repercussions on the timeline, including the knowledge of Spider-Man's secret identity and Harry now being alive - and divorced from Liz.

CEO

Liz eventually became the owner of the company of her dead/estranged husband and father-in-law. During her time as CEO of Oscorp, her behavior changed radically, wanting to get her revenge on people that had wronged her in the past and even going so far as helping the Green Goblin escape during a battle he had with the Superior Spider-Man and the Spider-man from the year 2099. She also bought out Horizon Labs, the place where Peter Parker worked for Max Modell. This caused Max Modell to lose all his inventions that were created by Horizon Labs.

Alternate Universes

Earth-982

In the MC2 continuity, Liz Allan married Foggy Nelson after the death of Harry Osborn. She developed a fatal illness of a non-specified nature, which contributed to her son Normie's breakdown and finally choosing to adopt the mantle of the Green Goblin.

Earth-1610 Ultimate Universe

In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Liz Allan goes to the same high school with Spider-Man and Mary Jane. She is close friends with Mary Jane. In issue #4, a drunk Liz attempts to make out with Peter, who refuses her advances when Mary Jane sees them. They later have a very personal moment when both students are called to talk about the Green Goblin's attack on the school. Otherwise, there is no instance of any relationship between Peter and Liz..

Liz claims to have had an uncle who was a mutant, who died, though she never explained what exactly happened. As a result of this, Liz has a phobia of mutants and super-powered beings, and it has been suggested by other characters that she worries that she herself is a mutant. When Johnny Storm joined her school briefly, she became extremely attracted to him and they shared a happy date - until he accidentally lit himself on fire, revealing himself as the Human Torch. Mary Jane reveals to Johnny that Liz believes that he lit him on fire. Due to her phobia, she refused to see him ever again, and he left the school. With the arrival of Kitty Pryde, a publicly known mutant & former X-Man, at Midtown High, Liz has been complaining to anyone that will listen that Kitty should be with her "own kind" and even accused Kitty of thinking she was better than everyone else due to her being a former X-Man, at which point Kitty rebutted Liz's accusations. Liz's best friend, Mary Jane, has also told Liz to keep her mutant phobia to herself when she's around MJ, and that she'd prefer it if Liz kept those thoughts to herself in general.

Firestar

It is recently revealed that Liz is a mutant herself, and the Ultimate version of Firestar. Her powers manifest and are witnessed by her friends during a beach party. At first, she accuses her date, Johnny Storm, of making her super-powered. After a talk with the X-Men's Iceman and Spider-Man, and upon recalling that her 'uncle' was a mutant, she accepts that she may be a mutant herself. Magneto appears after detecting the manifestation of her powers and reveals that years ago, her father asked Magneto to reach her after the manifestation of her mutant powers. Magneto promised to him, whether Liz is a mutant or not, he will tell Liz of what her father has sacrificed. Magneto revealed to Liz that her father is a mutant and one of the Brotherhood of Mutants.

Magneto, intending to keep his promise of reaching Liz, is delayed by the combined efforts of Iceman and Spider-Man. However, they are no match for Magneto, though they are able to buy Liz the time she needs to get away. Liz returns home, and demands her mother tell her the identity of her father. Her mother reveals that her Uncle Frank, otherwise known to as The Blob is actually her father and not her uncle after all. This conversation is interrupted by Magneto, who tells Liz that she must go with him to see her father. This is prevented when the X-Men arrive at her doorstep. Liz is pressured to decide between the Brotherhood or the X-Men. After asking Spider-Man's advice, she decides she doesn't want to follow either group, and that she is angry at her mother for lying to her all these years, and flies away. Spider-Man figures out that she's going to Mary Jane's house, and follows.

After Liz arrives at Mary Jane's home, MJ suggests that she should talk to Kitty Pryde about being a mutant. Spider-Man arrives, and to gain Liz's trust, unmasks himself revealing that he is Peter Parker, one of her friends. Liz promises not to tell his secret just as Iceman arrives, offering Liz a place at Xavier's School so she may learn to control her new found powers. Liz, unwilling to return to her mother's house, decides to be with the X-Men until she can figure out what to do next. She promises to call Peter and MJ soon. In Ultimate X-Men #94 it is shown that Liz has taken the codename Firestar and is now seemingly getting along with the X-Men and has better control of her powers. In the Ultimate X-Men/Fantastic Four Annual, she is revealed to be the "Human Torch member" of the Fantastic Four. Johnny Storm's future fate is unknown.

After the events of Ultimatum, Liz joins up with the Ultimate X-Men, a team of mutants that have been on the run for the government.

In Other Media

Television

Spider-Man: The Animated Series

In this animated series Liz Allan is a friend of Mary Jane Watson and has a crush on Harry Osborn.

She is voiced by Marla Rubinoff.

The Spectacular Spider-Man

Liz appears as a popular cheerleader of Midtown Manhattan Magnet High School. At the beginning of the season she is dating Flash Thompson.

When Peter "Petey" Parker starts to tutor her, she develops a crush on him. In "Reaction" Liz invites Peter to Coney Island where they spend quality time together until Doctor Octopus captures Liz and later Spider-man saves her, at the end of the episode Flash breaks up with Liz and Sally blames Peter.

In "Shear Strength" she kisses Peter and in the next episode they start dating until "The Final Curtain" where he breaks up with her.

She is voiced by Alanna Ubach.

Marvel's Spider-Man

Liz appears in the series as one of Peter's classmates at Midtown High, with her voice provided by Natalie Lander. In this version of Spider-Man's origin story, she is Peter's field trip partner on the trip to the Oscorp building where he is bitten by the spider that transforms him.

She eventually takes on the costumed identity of Screwball later in the first season.

Film

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Liz Allan appears in the film as a major character and Peter's love interest. She is also notably changed from a blonde to an African-American.

In the movie, she is a senior at Midtown High and the head of the academic decathlon team. She gradually befriends Peter over the course of the film, and eventually goes with him to the homecoming dance. In a twist, however, it's revealed that her father is Adrian Toomes, aka the Vulture. After Toomes is defeated by Spider-Man, Liz and her mother move away from New York, ending her relationship with Peter.