Tigress (comics)
Encyclopedia
Tigress is the name of three different comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...

 supervillains, all of whom have appeared in various series published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...

.

The original Tigress was a Golden Age villainess who battled Zatara
Zatara
Giovanni "John" Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Universe. He first appeared in Action Comics #1 , and was created by writer and artist Fred Guardineer. He is a stage magician who also practices actual magic...

. The second Tigress was a member of the Young All-Stars
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...

, who later became a villainess named the Huntress
Huntress (comics)
The Huntress is a name used by several characters in DC Comics.The Golden Age Huntress is a supervillainess, while the Bronze Age and Modern Age Huntresses are superheroines....

. The third Tigress is the daughter of the second Tigress, and is a member of the Injustice Society
Injustice Society
The Injustice Society is a group of fictional supervillains in the . They are the main antagonists of the Justice Society of America.-Original team:...

.

Foe of Zatara

The first Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...

 Tigress was a thief/spy and foe of Zatara
Zatara
Giovanni "John" Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Universe. He first appeared in Action Comics #1 , and was created by writer and artist Fred Guardineer. He is a stage magician who also practices actual magic...

 in the late 1930s. She debuted in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...

#1 (June 1938), and was created by Fred Guardineer. She wore tiger-striped sweaters and ran gangs of thieves and murderers. Apparently, she had no powers.

Fictional character biography

The original Tigress appeared as Zatara's primary foe throughout several issues of Action Comics, including issues 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 22, 23, 30, 35, and 42. In her initial appearance, she battles Zatara and his assistant Tong while attempting to rob a freight train. She escapes and later resurfaces in stories using various methods in attempts to kill wealthy men, including using an attacking airplane, poisoning their drinks, and infecting them with a disease from a rare South American insect. She also uses her influence as a mob boss to pressure other criminals into assisting her in crime sprees, which usually involve bank robberies and thefts of other valuables.

Relationships

The Artemis entry in Who's Who Update '87 #1 states that she is the mother of Paula Brooks
Paula Brooks
Paula Brooks is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. She is one of many characters to use the names Tigress and Huntress. Brooks first appeared in Sensation Comics #68 as the Huntress, seeking to add the superhero Wildcat to her collection of big game hunting trophies...

 (the second Tigress and original Huntress) and the grandmother of Artemis Crock (the third Tigress). However, Who's Who Update '87 #5 states that neither Paula Brooks or Artemis Crock are related to her.

Paula Brooks

The second Tigress is Paula Brooks. She was a member of the Young All-Stars
Young All-Stars
The Young All-Stars are a team of fictional DC Comics superheroes. They were created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Michael Bair, and introduced in Young All-Stars #1, dated June 1987.-Publication history:...

 and later became the villainous Huntress
Huntress (comics)
The Huntress is a name used by several characters in DC Comics.The Golden Age Huntress is a supervillainess, while the Bronze Age and Modern Age Huntresses are superheroines....

. She later married the Sportsmaster
Sportsmaster
The Sportsmaster is the name used by two DC Comics villains who used their sports skills for criminal purposes. The original Sportsmaster first appeared in All-American Comics #85 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Irwin Hasen....

, and had a daughter, Artemis Crock, who becomes the third Tigress.

Artemis Crock

Artemis Crock is the daughter of the Golden Age villains Paula Brooks
Paula Brooks
Paula Brooks is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. She is one of many characters to use the names Tigress and Huntress. Brooks first appeared in Sensation Comics #68 as the Huntress, seeking to add the superhero Wildcat to her collection of big game hunting trophies...

 and Crusher Crock
Sportsmaster
The Sportsmaster is the name used by two DC Comics villains who used their sports skills for criminal purposes. The original Sportsmaster first appeared in All-American Comics #85 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Irwin Hasen....

. She had taken up a career in crime, modeled after that of her parents, but only after some years did she take on the mantle of Tigress.

Fictional character biography

During the DC mini-series Legends
Legends (comics)
"Legends" was a comic book crossover story line that ran through a six-issue, self titled limited series and various other titles published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987...

, the people of America were turned against heroes, and law was made that no one could operate legally wearing a costume. This did not affect the villains much, as they were already breaking the law. For Artemis Crock it proved an opportune time to break her parents out of the Empire State Detention Center. Calling herself only Artemis she joined the Wizard
Wizard (DC Comics)
The Wizard is a fictional DC Comics Golden Age supervillain.-Fictional character biography:Born approximately 1913, William I. Zard grew up living a life of crime. As a gun man for various crime bosses, he ultimately ended up in jail. With the passage of time, he formulated a strategy to become a...

 in his new Injustice Society
Injustice Society
The Injustice Society is a group of fictional supervillains in the . They are the main antagonists of the Justice Society of America.-Original team:...

 – which he called Injustice Unlimited. They overcame the security at the International Trade Conference in Calgary, Canada, namely Infinity, Inc. and a contingent of the Global Guardians
Global Guardians
The Global Guardians is a team of fictional DC Comics superheroes whose members hail from countries around the world. The concept originated in the Super Friends Saturday morning cartoon, in which several heroes were added to the Justice League to give it more ethnic diversity.-History:The...

 and forced the heroes to help in some mayhem. For Artemis, she took Nuklon and Rising Sun
Rising Sun (comics)
Rising Sun is a fictional Japanese superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared solo in Super Friends #8 , and as a member of the Global Guardians in DC Comics Presents #46, . He was created by E...

 to New York and, with their help, freed the elder felons. They all returned to Calgary to share in the stolen wealth but the plan went haywire when Hourman revived and freed himself, as well as when Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy (comics)
Solomon Grundy is a fictional character, a zombie supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Named after the 19th century children's nursery rhyme, Grundy was introduced as an enemy of the Golden Age Green Lantern , but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes, such as Batman and...

 was brought in from the Arctic Circle. It was Solomon who incapacitated Artemis and her parents, but in the confusion they were able to escape. (Infinity, Inc. #35-37, 1987)

Only weeks later Artemis again joined with the Icicle and Hazard, as well as the new Harlequin, the Dummy and Solomon Grundy. The Dummy wanted to head a revived Injustice Unlimited and planned to murder the members of Inifinity Inc to make a name for themselves. Their first target - Skyman - was successfully killed by the Harlequin and then Artemis went after Jade. After believing her dead, Artemis returned to her cohorts. A plan was hatched to bring all the remaining Infinitors to Stellar Studios and kill them, a plan defeated only by the unwillingness of Hazard to cooperate, and the sudden reappearance of Jade and Brainwave Jr (both of whom had been thought dead). During the fight Artemis went one-on-one with Wildcat
Wildcat (comics)
Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...

 (Yolanda Montez) and lost. In the end Artemis was given over to law enforcement. (Infinity Inc 51-53, 1988)

Artemis later changed her codename to Tigress and became the on-again, off-again lovers with the second Icicle
Icicle (comics)
Icicle is the name of two fictional DC Comics supervillains.-Dr. Joar Mahkent:When noted European physicist Dr. Joar Mahkent arrived in America with his latest scientific discovery, spectators at dockside were astonished to witness the luxury liner upon which Mahkent was traveling suddenly frozen...

. He invited her back into the reformation of the Injustice Society. She helped him, Wizard, Solomon Grundy, Gentleman Ghost
Gentleman Ghost
Gentleman Ghost is a fictional character, a supervillain published by DC Comics publications. He first appeared in Flash Comics #88 , and was created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert.-Fictional character biography:...

, Rag Doll
Rag Doll (comics)
The Rag Doll is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. He was first introduced as an adversary for the Golden age Flash in a story published in Flash Comics #36...

 and Thinker
Thinker (DC Comics)
The Thinker is the name of four supervillains in the DC Comics universe.-Clifford DeVoe:Clifford DeVoe was a failed lawyer who bitterly ended his career in 1933. Realizing that many of the criminals he had encountered had the skills but not the brains to rule Gotham City's underworld, he started a...

 break into JSA headquarters and steal the Prometheus Key, a key that is used to open doors between reality and magic. This allowed Johnny Sorrow
Johnny Sorrow
Johnny Sorrow is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant #1 Johnny Sorrow is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in...

 who had asked the Wizard to bring him back, to re-enter the earth.

During the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...

storyline, Artemis appeared as a member of Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor Jr. is a DC Comics character who turned from a hero to a villain. Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Alexander has a prominent role in the DC Universe storylines Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis....

's Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...

. She later appeared in the Justice League Wedding Special.

Icicle
Icicle (comics)
Icicle is the name of two fictional DC Comics supervillains.-Dr. Joar Mahkent:When noted European physicist Dr. Joar Mahkent arrived in America with his latest scientific discovery, spectators at dockside were astonished to witness the luxury liner upon which Mahkent was traveling suddenly frozen...

 and Tigress later alternately work with and against Hourman and Liberty Belle
Jesse Chambers
Jesse Chambers is a fictional comic book character in the . Chambers, who first used the superhero name Jesse Quick and later Liberty Belle, is the daughter of Golden Age heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle...

 in a quest to locate a magical artifact.
Currently they are expecting a baby, which appears to threaten Tigress' health. Icicle is trying to 'raise' money for expensive treatments.

Powers and abilities

Tigress has superhuman fighting skills and is highly trained. She is an expert marksman with her crossbow. She has an enhanced sense of smell that allows her to track individuals. She carries a compact crossbow and a quiver of arrows, knives, nets and bolas.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Artemis Crock (in a Tigress costume) makes a small cameo in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...

episode "Aquaman's Outrageous Adventure!". She is seen taking a family vacation with her parents, Sportsmaster and Huntress.

Young Justice

A teenaged version of Artemis Crock appears as one of the main characters in Young Justice
Young Justice (TV series)
Young Justice is an American animated television series created by Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti for Cartoon Network. Despite its title, it is not an adaptation of Todd Dezago and Todd Nauck's Young Justice comic series, but rather an adaptation of the entire DC Universe with a focus on young...

, where she is voiced by Stephanie Lemelin
Stephanie Lemelin
Stephanie Lemelin is a Canadian actress. She appeared in the American TV series Cavemen. Other past credits include The 40-Year-Old Virgin, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Me, Myself and Irene, the last in which she appears with her mother, Rona. Her father is former NHL goalie Reggie Lemelin...

 and uses the superhero identity of Artemis. Unlike the comics where Artemis is depicted as a Caucasian supervillain, here she is portrayed as a biracial (half-Vietnamese) vigilante. Her identity is a mystery to the characters in the show, but has been revealed to viewers via a letter she received in the show's eighth episode which contains her full name.

She first appears in the episode "Infiltrator", where she is introduced as Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...

's niece and new sidekick, who is brought in to join the team following the departure of Green Arrow's original sidekick, Roy
Roy Harper (comics)
Roy Harper is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. He was known for over fifty years as Green Arrow's teenage sidekick Speedy. He first appeared alongside his mentor in More Fun Comics #73...

. During her first mission with the team, she faces off against Cheshire
Cheshire (comics)
Cheshire is a DC Comics villain that first appeared in New Teen Titans Annual #2 .-Fictional character biography:Born to a French father and a Vietnamese mother, Jade Nguyen had an unhappy childhood and was sold into slavery...

, and ultimately reveals that she knows the assassin from some past encounter. Though she attempts to apprehend the villain, Cheshire blackmails Artemis into releasing her, threatening to tell Artemis' teammates some potentially damaging information she knows about her. At the end of the episode, she is confronted by Roy, who tells her that he knows that she isn't really Green Arrow's niece, and that Batman must have some good reason for wanting her on the team. In the episode "Downtime", it is revealed that Artemis lives in Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...

 with her mother Paula (who is depicted as a disabled Asian woman and voiced by Kelly Hu
Kelly Hu
Kelly Ann Hu is an American actress and former fashion model. She was Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993.-Early life:Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during...

). In the episode "Bereft" Artemis wakes up with no memory of the last six months. When asked if she knew how to use her bow Artemis responds that her father
Sportsmaster
The Sportsmaster is the name used by two DC Comics villains who used their sports skills for criminal purposes. The original Sportsmaster first appeared in All-American Comics #85 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Irwin Hasen....

taught her to use it. In the episode "Home Front", her connection to Cheshire is expanded revealing she's her older sister and that they have a potentially abusive father. It is unknown as of yet if the show will follow the comics continuity and have Sportsmaster be her father. Since first meeting Superboy, her actions at times have suggested she has a crush on him. During "Secrets", when learning of Superboy's secret relation with Miss Martian, she was greatly angered by it. Also, while Artemis and Kid Flash are usually seen arguing with each other, though Kid Flash's reaction to her "death" in "Failsafe" suggests he cares for her very much.

External links

Foe of Zatara

Artemis Crock
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