Girlfriend Biography

CODENAME: GIRLFRIEND

Girlfriend bounds forward to meet new friends
Real Name: Edith Arbuckle

Occupation: Former social worker; currently she's a baby-sitter in Suburbs.

Base of Operations: Suburbs, a tiny suburban hamlet much like the one many of you live in.

Height: 5' 8"
Weight: variable
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Chestnut brown

Note: Edith's daunting physical appearance is sometimes her greatest asset and so, she's tailored her Girlfriend "costume" to harness her superior physical attributes, all in the name of world friendship.

First Appearance: September 1995, The University of Delaware Review

HISTORY:
Edith Arbuckle was born in Canton, Ohio to Bartholomew and Meryl Arbuckle. The family never had much money, but they made up for it in love and affection. Growing up in such a stable, loving environment instilled good values in Edith. Seeing that others didn't have the stable, loving environment that she had growing up ... and then realizing that so many people lacked good values, Edith felt her calling was to become a social worker.

She wanted to help others find the caring, warmth and love that she had known all her life.

She moved to Cleveland, and became a social worker. She moved quickly through the ranks of The Agency, to become one of it's top-rated employees.
Then Shmitty Atkinson got hired. Shmitty, The Agency's new "golden boy" showed a natural talent for social work that was well byeond the comprehension of even its best agents ... including Edith.

Edith was drawn to Shmitty, because he had that same inherent need to help people experience love and friendship. Plus, she thought he was cute. The two became quite a team at The Agency, completing some of its toughest assignments and cracking its most impossible cases.

Eventually, Edith showed a specific talent for dealing with male patients, and blossomed into quite an adept at handling sociopathic male patients. Shmitty, on the other hand, was off the charts in basic social work. So, to maximize its output, The Agency split the team up, and set them both on their own course, hoping they'd each blaze new trails in more specific areas.

Edith went on to become the sole handler of the most delicate cases of "problem children" that were male, entering into a world populated by all the pain, anguish and torment of the world's shattered sociopaths.

Shmitty went on to head up the agency's general task force for inroads into bettering the community.

It was during this time that Edith was given the Howdy Dudley case by state hospital officials. And for the first time in her bright career she failed to make a breakthrough. That's when she began to question her calling. She brought Shmitty in on the case to help her, and Shmitty made progress with Howdy in ways she couldn't even comprehend.

Howdy eventually ended up helping Shmitty discover his own latent mutant super powers, and sparking the creation of Superchum, the world's friendliest superhero. Howdy then went on to become Superchum's sidekick, Friend.

Edith, who because of her failure had been contemplating quitting and going back home to languish in some dead-end career, was then inspired by Howdy's move. Once she saw that Superchum was a superhero, who's "friendly factor" gave him an edge in social interaction that no mere mortal could attain, she regained confidence in her own abilities. She also realized that Superchum's goal of world friendship was noble, and that she could use her amazing abilities to help further that goal. Also, she still thought Shmitty was cute.

So, she donned a costume, dubbed herself Girlfriend, and became Superchum's OTHER sidekick, and founding member of The Mighty Befrienders!
POWERS:
None.

Abilities: 

Many villains and unfriendlies underestimate Edith's prowess as a hero, thinking that because she has no super powers, she is weak. Those same villains and unfriendlies pay the price when the realize that Girlfriend can be almost as charismatic and persuasive as Superchum himself. Girlfriend's abilities, though not super, by any means of measurement, are at the peak of human achievement. She's perhaps one of the most talented people in the world at making friends, helping people, and just basic righteousness.

Weapons: Though not really considered a "weapon" by normal standards, Edith's physical attractiveness is an indirect weapon. Like a gun, it serves to focus, spark and fire the bullet of her natural charisma and chumliness, magnifying her already impressive friendship abilities.

Bonus facts: Edith is the only member of the Befrienders with a job. She has a secret crush on Superchum, but respects 'Chum's quest to befriend the world so she doesn't press him with her desires. And, she has a tattoo.

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