Keith Giffen and Robert Loren Fleming created Cheeks the Toy Wonder, a minor DC universe character who appeared in the Invasion! series. He was a rag doll with limited powers, designed to be comic relief amidst the alien chaos. His presence in the canon was always strange and fleeting, almost a narrative experiment.
The technical development of a rag doll hero 🧵
From a design standpoint, Cheeks was simple: a doll stuffed with cotton with button eyes. His main ability was low physical resistance and a capacity to stretch his fabric limbs, making him impractical for serious combat. In narrative terms, he functioned as a supporting character who rarely resolved conflicts on his own. His creation responded to the need for a visually distinct and non-threatening element, far removed from the power standards of the rest of the team.
A forgotten toy in DC's closet? 🧸
Cheeks lasted about as long as a candy at a school gate. He appeared, cracked a few jokes, and then was erased from continuity without ceremony. No one claimed him, not even for a heroic death. He simply ceased to exist, like that stuffed animal you lose during a move that no one remembers. DC has powerful heroes, and then it has this doll that probably couldn't even beat a dog.