Hyena (comics)
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| Hyena | |
 Both Hyenas, from Fury of Firestorm #11 Artist Pat Broderick |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | (Day) Firestorm #4 (September 1978) (Shi) Fury of Firestorm #10 (March 1983) |
| Created by | (Day) Gerry Conway (writer) Al Milgrom(artist) (Shi) Gerry Conway (writer) Pat Broderick (artist) |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | - Summer Day - Dr. Jivan Shi |
| Team affiliations | (Both) Secret Society of Super Villains |
| Abilities | (Both) Were-hyena Superhuman strength, agility, and speed when transformed Razor-sharp claws when transformed |
Hyena is the name of two fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The first Hyena debuted in Firestorm #4 (September 1978), and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom. The second Hyena debuted in Fury of Firestorm #10 (March 1983), and was created by Gerry Conway and Pat Broderick.
Contents |
[edit] Fictional character biography
Both were-hyenas had problems with authority and resented Firestorm for interfering in their vendettas. The unique feature of the Hyenas was that they turned into their were-hyena forms whenever they were under great emotional stress, not only when there was a full moon. This meant that they could attack foes in broad daylight, and that they would revert back into their human forms when their emotional tension was relieved.
[edit] Summer Day
Summer Day first appeared in Firestorm #4. Summer is the older sister of Ronnie Raymond's girlfriend, Doreen Day. Summer's father was a police officer who resented Summer because he wanted a son instead of a daughter. Over the years, Summer tried everything she could to live up to her father's expectations, including joining the police academy, but nothing she did pleased him. When she failed at becoming a police cadet, he refused to speak to her. This was the final straw for Summer, and she developed an immense hatred for her father and all policemen. In an attempt to get away from her troubles at home, she joined the Peace Corps. One night in Africa, she found a native wounded by an arrow. When she called for help, he turned around and bit her face, causing her to pass out. She later discovered that the native had turned into a were-hyena and would have killed her if one of the Corpsmen hadn't shot the creature. Sometime later, after having an argument with her father on the night of the full moon, Summer first changed into The Hyena.
The Hyena quickly became noted for viciously stopping any criminals she encountered, while also viciously attacking any police officers. This was because she wanted to stop criminals, but also hated the police. The very sight of a police uniform filled her with the urge to kill. Luckily for criminals and the police, someone or something (usually Firestorm) stopped her before she went too far. For a long time it was assumed that The Hyena was male and in costume. It wasn't until the Firestorm adventure at the back of Flash #304 that the truth about The Hyena was revealed. After this adventure, Summer was sent to a treatment facility in Arizona in the hope that modern medicine would cure her. It didn't, and she continues to be plagued by both the were-hyena curse and an increasing madness that seems to be a result of the curse. Summer wrote of being driven mad [1] and (explaining why the Hyenas are so vengeful).
[edit] Jivan Shi
Doctor Jivan Shi first appeared Fury of Firestorm #10. Shi was a psychiatrist whom Summer Day had fallen in love with Summer Day while he was attempting to treat her were-hyena condition. He also had issues with authority, but in his case it was with doctors rather than police officers. This was because he had a successful medical practice in India, but had to start all over in America, becoming "a lowly intern". One night, as Summer and Jivan were embracing, Summer transformed into The Hyena and infected Jivan with the were-hyena curse. According to Who's Who in the DC Universe #10, Jivan purposely manipulated Summer into becoming the Hyena so he could become a were-hyena himself and get his revenge on the doctors who had demoted him. As The Hyena, he would have killed many people if not for the efforts of Firestorm and Day at The Hyena. During the battle with Shi, Firestorm became infected with the were-hyena curse himself. He was cured soon afterwards by an African healer who was killed before he could give Firestorm the secret that would cure the other Hyenas[2].
Professor Stein noted that being The Hyena seemed to have warped Jivan Shi's mind [3]. According to Fury of Firestorm #10-13, the madness suffered by the were-hyenas is one's bestial side taking over coupled with an exaggeration of negative emotions.
[edit] Infinite Crisis
- See also: Villains United
Deadshot killed one of the Hyenas in Villains United #3. Which died is unknown, although other supervillains speculated that the surviving Hyena, appearing soon thereafter in Batman #647, looked possibly female, particularly from behind, but neither Deathstroke nor Black Mask cared to verify.
[edit] One Year Later
One of the Hyenas (the one that Deadshot didn't kill) appeared as a member of the Injustice League in the Justice League of America Wedding Special. That unnamed Hyena is one of the villains featured in Salvation Run. In Batman #647, the surviving Hyena has a different appearance from that portrayed in Salvation Run. He or she resembled a Spotted Hyena and had brown fur, orange eyes, and a skinny abdomen. Either way, this Hyena was shot and killed by Parademons attacking the villains' camp [4].
[edit] Powers and abilities
- Both of the Hyenas can speak, which frightens their victims and makes them wonder what sort of foe they're facing. When the Hyenas talk, they also laugh maniacally. This laugh (described as worse than The Joker's by a policeman in Firestorm #4) further frightens and unnerves the victim. The Hyenas possess super-human strength, agility, and speed. They can leap great distances and have great fighting skill. The most dangerous aspect of battles with the Hyenas is that they fight at extremely close range. This proved especially difficult for Firestorm, as he couldn't use his powers on organic matter without causing great damage to himself as well. The attacks were so quick, vicious, and close that Firestorm often had trouble just staying alive. In Fury of Firestorm #10, Firestorm commented that Day as The Hyena "made Killer Frost look like a scared cheerleader!"
- The primary weapons of The Hyenas are their razor sharp claws, easily capable of ripping clothing and flesh. Early on, Day used gimmicks to augment her already deadly claws. In Firestorm #5, she was armed with "vibro-claws", diamond edges claws vibrating at ultra-sonic frequency. With these claws, The Hyena could cut down a street light with one slash. In Flash #292, Firestorm, after a run-in with The Hyena, remarked "Lucky those claws only slashed my costume. If The Hyena is running true to style, the claws were probably poisoned!" In later issues, however, she had abandoned using gimmicks, preferring to slash at opponents viciously. She seemed to be less intelligent in these issues, perhaps because her madness was affecting her ability to think.
