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B'wana Beast

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B'wana Beast
B'wana Beast as seen on the cover of Showcase #66 (January 1967).
Art by Mike Sekowsky and Joe Giella.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceAs B'wana Beast:
Showcase #66 (January 1967)
As Shining Man:
Animal Man #47 (May 1992)
Created by
In-story information
Alter egoMichael Payson Maxwell
Team affiliationsJustice League
Notable aliases
  • Jungle Master
  • White God
  • Shining Man
Abilities
  • Telepathic control over animals
  • Able to fuse two animals into a chimera
  • Superhuman strength, speed, endurance, and agility
  • Heightened senses
  • Experienced wrestler

B'wana Beast (Michael Payson "Mike" Maxwell) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Publication history

Created by Bob Haney and Mike Sekowsky, B'wana Beast made his first appearance in Showcase #66 (January 1967).[1] The character was an attempt to capitalize on Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan, borrowing the African jungle setting and "Tarzan yell" which was created in the Johnny Weissmuller incarnation of Tarzan.[2]

Fictional character biography

After graduating from college with highest honors, Michael Payson "Mike" Maxwell declined his millionaire father's offer to join the family business and instead decided to join his college roommate, Rupert Kenboya, in Africa and become a ranger in the Zambezi nation's new animal preserves.

When the private aircraft carrying Maxwell and Kenboya to Zambezi was struck by a lightning and crashed at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the two injured men took refuge in the cavern home of a mutant red gorilla. While drinking rainwater that had been filtered through the cavern's mineral laden walls, Maxwell suddenly found he was growing larger, stronger and more ferocious, and was able to subdue the attacking red ape with ease.

Acknowledging Maxwell as its master, the red gorilla retrieved an ancient Corinthian styled helmet from the depths of the cave and placed it on Maxwell's head. Through the helmet, Maxwell was able to read the red gorilla's mind and discovered its name was Djuba. He also discovered that the helmet enabled him to control the actions of all other animals. Agreeing that these new powers must be used for the good of all Africa, Maxwell created the identity of "B'wana Beast" and became the Dark Continent's super troubleshooter.[3]

Animal Man

In the initial story arc of Animal Man, written by Grant Morrison, B'wana Beast journeys to America to rescue Djuba, who has been captured by S.T.A.R. Labs scientists led by Dr. Myers and infected with an experimental form of anthrax. He fails to save Djuba and is himself infected with the disease,[4] but he is cured by Animal Man, who mimics B'wana Beast's powers to merge his white blood cells into forms capable of fighting off the disease.[5] In Animal Man #13 (July 1989), also written by Morrison, Maxwell decides to retire and performs a ceremony to find a successor. He passes the helmet and elixir on to a South African activist named Dominic Mndawe, who assumes the name Freedom Beast.[6]

Mike Maxwell returns in Animal Man #47 (May 1992) written by Tom Veitch, after a long period of absence, in which after hearing the call of the destructive force called the Antagon, he is corrupted and possessed, and transformed into the evil Shining Man. With his new identity, Maxwell wreaked havoc on Earth until he was killed in a fight with Metaman.[7]

The New 52

In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. B'wana Beast was considered as a possible new member for the Justice League International by United Nations head of intelligence Andre Briggs. They decide he is not right as a candidate for the team at that time, and he is not invited to join.[8]

Infinite Frontier

Powers and abilities

B'wana Beast drinks an elixir that gives him great strength, speed, hunting and tracking abilities. He also wears an ancient helmet that allows him to communicate with animals,[1] and to merge up to four animals together to form a Chimera.[9] For the most part, once these animals are merged, B'wana is able to acquire their aid in situations of need. Whether this is due to his ability to communicate with them or an instinct on their part is not known.[10]

In other media

Television

  • B'wana Beast appears in the Filmation's show The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure. Additionally, the studio considered to make a standalone B'wana Beast show, which also included a concept drawing, but it did not come to fruition.[11][12]
  • B'wana Beast appears in Justice League Unlimited, voiced by Peter Onorati.[13] This version is a member of the Justice League who has a thick New York accent, displays a blue collar personality to match, and possesses animalistic agility and the ability to communicate with animals. Additionally, according to the DVD commentary for the episode "This Little Piggy", a seductive growl that B'wana Beast directs at Zatanna was actually provided by producer/character designer James Tucker as Onorati was unable to do so.
  • B'wana Beast appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.[13] This version is the love interest of Vixen, and was originally a wrestler who gained superhuman physical traits from exposure to contaminated radioactive water and obtained his helmet and title from defeating the masked gorilla Djuba in Africa. In the two-part episode "The Siege of Starro!", the Faceless Hunter captures B'wana Beast and harnesses his power to fuse the Starro parasites into one giant monster. While Batman defeats the Faceless Hunter, B'wana Beast sacrifices himself to destroy Starro, though he later appears alive in the series finale "Mitefall!".
    • Additionally, an unnamed alternate universe incarnation of B'wana Beast appears in a flashback in the episode "Deep Cover for Batman!" as a member of the Injustice Syndicate.
  • B'wana Beast makes non-speaking appearances in Teen Titans Go!.
  • A variation of B'wana Beast appears in the Legends of Tomorrow episode "Freakshow", portrayed by Jason William Day.[14] This version is an unnamed strongman working for P. T. Barnum's traveling circus.

Film

B'wana Beast makes a cameo appearance in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.

Miscellaneous

B'wana Beast appears in issue #29 of the Justice League Unlimited tie-in comic book series.[15]

Merchandise

References

  1. ^ a b Showcase #66
  2. ^ Eury, Michael (2017). Hero-a-go-go! : campy comic books, crimefighters & culture of the swinging sixties. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrrows. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-60549-073-1.
  3. ^ Morris, Jon (2015). The League of Regrettable Superheroes: Half Baked Heroes from Comic Book History. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Quirk Books. pp. 134–135. ISBN 978-1-59474-763-2.
  4. ^ Animal Man #3. DC Comics.
  5. ^ Animal Man #4. DC Comics.
  6. ^ Animal Man #13. DC Comics.
  7. ^ Animal Man #47-50. DC Comics.
  8. ^ Justice League International vol. 3 #1. DC Comics.
  9. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
  10. ^ Showcase #67
  11. ^ McNeil, Darren (July 2004). "The 1968 DC Filmation Pilots". Back Issue! (5). TwoMorrows Publishing. Archived from the original on January 30, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  12. ^ The Aquaman Shrine: Aquaman Meets The Blackhawks?
  13. ^ a b "The Voices of B'wana Beast". Behind The Voice Actors.
  14. ^ "First Look at B'wana Beast on Legends of Tomorrow". Comic Book. July 23, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  15. ^ Justice League Unlimited #29. DC Comics.
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