Annie bio pic

THE LAWYER

With her utility briefcase and always dressed in her power suit, The Lawyer dashes on the scene in her speedy sports car to back up Flying Glory and the Hounds of Glory for all their legal needs! Whether it’s dotting an “I” or crossing a “T,” The Lawyer makes sure it’s all right down to the letter!

THE "REAL" SKINNY: ANNIE STOKES CLAY

Annie Stokes Clay is the band’s lawyer in name only, because Debra – her only child -- doesn’t want her mother involved in her life. Annie works as an attorney, specializing in entertainment/superhero law, because it is the only world she knows, despite the fact she resents it so much. Annie is divorced from Debra's father, TREVOR CLAY, who now resides in New York but often travels around the world to speak at conferences and attend seminars.

As the only child of previous Flying Glory legend Elsie Carmichael Stokes, Annie does not approve of her daughter Debra taking on the Flying Glory identity, as much as she loves her. Part of this stems from bitterness that the superpowers in her genes appear to be recessive and skipped a generation. Annie dreamed all her childhood that she would turn out like her mother Elsie but never did, fueled by all the media hype and attention she got as "the daughter of Flying Glory." But as she became an adult and no powers surfaced, and her mother moved into semi-retirement, the media went away -- and Annie got herself into a heap of trouble as she struggled to find her identity. This included being a peace activist during the post VIETNAM ERA. She got herself mixed with a group of people who used violence to make their point, including falling in love with the leader of the group who vanished after a University bomb went wrong, and Annie was arrested, wearing her own version of the Flying Glory costume, with the others. Though she got off easy as a first offense, this too marred her as she was the daughter of a ‘war time hero’ getting in trouble in such an ‘un-American’ way.

Then Annie decided to go on a ‘bad girl’ streak, and turned to a life of vice instead of one of outright crime. She was noticed in a club where she worked as a pole dancer by TREVOR CLAY, the man who had been her public defender in the protest case. They had a modest wedding in his church’s gym, attended by her parents and his wheelchair-bound Army vet father David Clay (Trevor’s mother having passed away at childbirth).

Trevor encouraged Annie to be more than just a lawyer's wife and helped put her through law school, where she decided on entertainment/superhero law because it was an area she understood all too well and could excel at. Meanwhile, Trevor became a highly influential DA as Annie struggled to launch a career.

Annie had never gotten to know David Clay well, but after he had to move in soon after they discovered they’d be expecting a child, Annie got to know David much better. As Annie and David talked more and more, she came to learn that David's injuries came from World War II and that the person who saved his life was Flying Glory during one of her trips to the warfront, and is proud to have her daughter married to his son. Annie felt betrayed that Trevor never mentioned his father's special connection to Flying Glory and even attacked her own mother. Over time, Annie never forgave what she perceived as betrayal, but Trevor begs her to stay with him for Debra's sake, and reminded her that her own practice is so new, how can she take care of herself yet?

Annie reluctantly agreed and struggled to stay married to Trevor for twelve years, becoming increasingly bitter. Trevor got called more and more out of town, so Debra found her solace largely in Grandpa Clay, as visits to Grandma and Grandpa Stokes were few and far between. Finally, Trevor accepting a job in New York without consulting her first was the last straw, and Annie filed for divorce. Trevor and his father David moved to New York and Debra hasn’t seen much of either of them since. Why Trevor did not campaign to take Debra to New York with him is as of yet unclear. Annie has only recently been able to open her own practice, though is struggling for clients.

(The above story is summarized in the comic short Generational Interlude.)

Annie's conflict with Debra predates her becoming Flying Glory, however. As soon as Debra expressed interest in being part of a band, Annie has gone out of her way to discourage the girl -- not only because it would mean Debra getting the acclaim Annie never got, but in part out of love since Annie does legal work for many entertainment personalities and knows how cutthroat the business is. Frustrated her efforts come to naught, and bitter Debra's now Flying Glory, Annie continues her destructive downward spiral.

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The Laywer bio by Shannon Muir

Annie Stokes Clay bio by Kevin Paul Shaw Broden and Shannon Muir

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