the origins of her powers are unclear in Action Comics #775, Manchester Black states that the rogue Men in Black (from the Department of Extranormal Operations) once picked up the dregs of society, turning them into weapons and selling them off to the highest alien bidder. Black recruits Pam to be a member of the Elite. This group takes it upon themselves to "free the Earth of scum". They come into conflict with Superman during their first mission and Superman disables them following a showdown on Jupiter's moon, Io. The Elite are delivered into custody, but soon released by President Lex Luthor. During an assassination attempt on Luthor, Menagerie reveals to Superman that the Elite are acting against their wills. For her betrayal, Black induces a stroke in her, putting her in a permanent vegetative state. Sonja first appears in JLA #100 (August 2004). Upon Black's apparent death, his sister, Vera Black, takes it upon herself to clear the family name and reassembles the Elite as a force for good. As Sister Superior she convinces Pamela's sister, Sonja, to assume control of the alien cache as the second Menagerie. Vera then approaches the JLA with a proposition to form a sort of black ops JLA team: Justice League Elite. Sonja's hatred of Manchester Black becomes a hatred of the Elite. Sonja sees this as her opportunity to kill Vera's dream, so she plays along and joins the team. In their first mission, Menagerie secretly coaxes Coldcast into killing the foreign terrorist dictator, Hi-Shan Bhat. Menagerie lays low during the fallout and puts effort into her personal relationship with Coldcast. The two become lovers and are drawn together by their shared affection for Pamela. Then, while most of the Elite goes underground, Vera is finally fully overtaken by the disembodied Manchester Black. While Black threatens Earth with a Fourth World god, Menagerie goes missing and Coldcast is arrested by the JLA for Bhat's murder. Coldcast confesses to the murder and is taken to the Slab prison. There he is visited by the spirit of the recently departed Manitou Raven, who frees him from Menagerie's control. Coldcast is exonerated and the team tracks Sonja to Costa Rica, where she affirms that she acted against Vera to punish her for Manchester's role in the death of Menagerie's sister. She is taken into JLA custody, deprived of the aliens, and begins a gradual separation