The Vietnamese Woman was an unnamed local from southern Vietnam and the lover of Eddie Blake, aka the Comedian, while he served in the Vietnam War.
Biography[]
The Vietnamese Woman met Eddie Blake during his first few months in Vietnam and became romantically involved with him, resulting in her becoming pregnant with his child.
She was present in Saigon in March 1971 when Jon Osterman, aka Doctor Manhattan, arrived in Vietnam and was reintroduced to Blake.[1]
On Victory in Vietnam Day in June 29 of the same year, the then-pregnant Vietnamese Woman confronted Blake regarding her pregnancy with his child in the US Embassy's Saigon Officers Club following the end of the Vietnam War. Blake derisively told her that he intended to leave Vietnam and never return. Furious of his decision to abandon her, their unborn baby, and her country, the Vietnamese Woman slashed Blake across the face with a broken bottle. In retaliation, Blake shot her dead, along with the unborn child. The woman made no attempt to evade the bullet.[2]
Although Osterman witnessed the confrontation and told Blake not to shoot her, he failed to do anything to prevent it and only expressed outrage at the killing. Blake countered this by pointing out that there were over a dozen ways that Osterman could have prevented either Blake or the Vietnamese Woman from being hurt but chose to do nothing and that this was an indication of Osterman's "falling out of touch" with reality which could be disastrous for the world.[2]
After the incident, Blake's face was repaired, but the surgery ended up requiring seventy-one stitches and left Blake with a permanent scar. From then on, when operating as the Comedian, he wore a leather mask which completely covered his face.[3]
On July 1, 1971, Blake was court-martialed for killing the Vietnamese Woman. He admitted to the shooting, but claimed it was in self-defense since she was attacking him. Blake was ultimately released and returned home to the United States.[3]
Trivia[]
- In issue #11 of the DC Comics sequel/crossover series Doomsday Clock, she is referenced by Ozymendias in a scene where he explained to Saturn Girl why Doctor Manhattan decided to spare a pregnant Marionette's life during a bank robbery, but did nothing to stop Eddie Blake from murdering the Vietnamese Woman (who was also pregnant) in 1971.