| White Tiger | |
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Angela Del Toro as the White Tiger. Art by David Mack. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Daredevil vol. 2, #51 (November 2003) |
| Created by | Brian Michael Bendis Alex Maleev |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Angela Del Toro |
| Team affiliations | The Hand FBI |
| Partnerships | Daredevil Iron Fist |
| Abilities | Superhuman martial artist |
Angela Del Toro is the fourth fictional character to use the name White Tiger in the comic book series published by Marvel Comics. Angela is the niece of the original White Tiger Hector Ayala and exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. The source of her powers is the Jade Tiger amulets she inherited from her uncle.
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Del Toro first appeared in several issues of Daredevil vol. 2 as an FBI agent amidst the accusations of Matt Murdock being Daredevil, and the arrest (and eventual death) of Hector Ayala (the original White Tiger).
After becoming White Tiger, Del Toro received her own limited series in November 2006, written by Tamora Pierce and Timothy Liebe.
Angela Del Toro is the heir to a heroic legacy that began with the Jade Tiger, a long-lost enchanted statue from the fabled kingdom of K'un-L'un. Broken into pieces, the statue's paws and head resurfaced in America, where the Sons of the Tiger wore them as amulets that enhanced their martial arts prowess. When the Sons disbanded, their discarded amulets were discovered by Angela's uncle, the young Hector Ayala, who transformed into the superhuman White Tiger through their power.[1]
Going back into action as the White Tiger, Hector was framed for murder and convicted despite the efforts of his lawyer, Matt Murdock. Ayala was shot dead trying to escape, shortly before evidence emerged that proved his innocence.[2]
Angela Del Toro, a Federal Agent, volunteered to participate in the ongoing FBI investigation of the suspected Daredevil Murdock. However, when Hector's amulets were handed down to her, an overwhelmed Angela asked Murdock to help her decide what to do with them. Knowing the terrible cost of the vigilante lifestyle — and having seen her own partner, agent Harold Driver, killed during the Daredevil investigation —, Angela wanted to know why anyone would ever play super-hero. She told Murdock she was willing to quit the FBI and abandon her case if he could answer her questions.[3]
Recognizing Angela's sincerity, Murdock challenged her to scale St. Catherine's Cathedral then engaged her in rooftop combat as Daredevil. Convinced of her ability, Murdock presented Angela with a final lesson by leading her to a robbery in progress. Subduing the robbers single-handedly, a proud Angela was touched by the awestruck gratitude of the shopkeeper she had rescued, and she finally began to understand her new calling. Shortly thereafter, Del Toro rescued Murdock from ex-crime lord Alexander Bont and his reluctant henchman Gladiator, beating Potter into submission.[4]
During the start of her career as a masked crime-fighter, Del Toro uncovers a government ID smuggling plot by Yakuza and a secret organization known as the Chaeyi, and starts work at 212 Security; a private bodyguard service. Tiger attempts to stop the activities of the two criminal organizations through various team-ups with fellow superheroes including Iron Fist/Daredevil (2.0), Luke Cage, Spider-Man, and Black Widow often facing off against King Cobra and the Yakuza that killed her partner. After ending the relationship between the Yakuza and Chaeyi, the leader of Chaeyi vows to get revenge against the White Tiger and enlists the help of Omega Red.[5]
Angela is later slain by Lady Bullseye and resurrected as a Hand assassin (in the manner of Elektra Natchios).[6] Later, she is cured of the Hand's black magic by Black Tarantula, and joins Daredevil and Black Tarantula working within the Hand itself.[7] Angela showed much doubt about what they are doing as members of the Hand.
Daredevil appointed Angela one of the five Daimyo's of the Hand presiding over North America[8] and brought her with him to the Daimyo's summit in Japan where she and Bakuto, the Daimyo of South America, immediately come to odds, but Matt stops them before they fight. Angela takes every opportunity to blame Bakuto for their problems in Japan. It was also revealed that Angela is still under the corrupting influence of the Hand.[9]
When New York was in crisis, White Tiger informed Black Tarantula to execute looters; he becomes confused and sees that something is wrong with Daredevil. However, White Tiger was still possessed by the Hand, and stabbed Black Tarantula in his back with the blade, tossing him over the edge to fall into a vehicle, leaving him for dead.[10]
The White Tiger amulets augment Angela's strength, speed, stamina, agility, dexterity, reflexes and reactions, coordination, balance, and endurance to slightly superhuman levels, and also endow her with formidable martial arts skills. The amulets may also enhance Angela's recuperative powers, as they apparently did with Hector. She also has the ability to blend in with her surroundings, using the amulets to camouflage herself (however, this only works when she wears her costume, as the amulets don't affect her normal clothes).
Angela is also a trained investigator, a good shot with firearms and an experienced unarmed combatant.
Angela appears as part of Luke Cage's underground human resistance in the House of M crossover. When the Sentinels attack, she is one of the members who didn't get teleported out by Cloak. It is revealed that she joined Luke's "Avengers" early on and received the amulet when it was sent to her through the mail by Hector Ayala.[11]
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