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Vixen (comics)
Encyclopedia
Vixen is a fiction
al character
, a comic book
superheroine published by DC Comics
universe
. She debuted in Action Comics
#521 (July 1981), and was created by Gerry Conway
and Bob Oksner
.
female DC superhero to star in her own series, but the first issue of her series was canceled in the DC Implosion
in 1978, never to be released. The story was subsequently printed in Cancelled Comic Cavalcade.
Since her debut in Action Comics, she has primarily appeared in team books, most notably various incarnations of the Justice League and Suicide Squad.
In October 2008, G. Willow Wilson
began the new five-issue limited series
, Vixen: Return of the Lion.
, there was a legend that the warrior Tantu asked Anansi
the Spider to create a totem that would give the wearer all of the powers of the animal kingdom, if they would use the power to protect the innocent. As shown in the pages of Animal Man
, it is possible that the "Anansi" who Tantu met, may have been a member of the alien race who gave Buddy Baker the ability to "tap the morphogenetic field" — or, as shown in the pages of Justice League
, the aliens may have been Anansi in disguise. This field allows Buddy to imitate the abilities of nearby animals. According to the Animal Man series, Mari's Tantu totem
may tap into that same field. Tantu used the totem to become Africa's first legendary hero. The totem was later passed down to Tantu's descendants until it reached the McCabes.
Growing up in a small African village in the fictional nation of Zambesi, M'Changa province, Mari Jiwe McCabe hears the legend of the "Tantu Totem" from her mother. Sometime later, Mari's mother is killed by poachers and she is raised by her father Reverend Richard Jiwe, the village priest. Reverend Jiwe himself is killed by his half-brother (Mari's uncle) General Maksai. Maksai wants the Tantu Totem, which Jiwe had possessed.
Mari moves to America, where she establishes an identity as Mari McCabe and gets a job as a model in New York City
. She uses her newfound wealth to travel the world. On a trip back to Africa, she comes across her uncle and takes back the Tantu Totem, using its power to become the costumed superhero Vixen.
was reorganized by Aquaman
. She applies for full-time League membership and is accepted. During her time with the JLA, the totem is taken from her by General Maksai, who still sought its power. The totem would only grant its full power to those who would use it to protect the innocent, and it causes Maksai to be transformed into a raging beast. Maksai dies in battle with Vixen. When the team faces the killer android Amazo
, Vixen and several of her teammates are beaten into unconsciousness and then left bound and gagged in a walled off pit. Vixen saves the lives of herself and her fellow Leaguers by using her powers to shatter her bonds and dig to freedom. Vixen continues with that particular incarnation of the JLA until two members were killed, Steel and Vibe
, and it was disbanded by the Martian Manhunter
.
Around this time, Vixen teams up with Animal Man
again. She travels to his suburban house with knowledge of a mysterious murderous force. Animal Man's own powers have become affected because of this force, as he finds himself unable to correctly access the right powers.
and Black Orchid
, she destroys the operation, but not before she loses control and kills the criminal kingpin, too. Revolted by what she has become, she agrees to work with the Squad until her animal instincts can be curbed. She works with the Squad for some time, again seeing more teammates and friends killed. When it is disbanded for a year, Mari returns to modeling and even launches a successful line of clothing. Her failed romance with Ben Turner (the Bronze Tiger
) makes Vixen decline an offer to rejoin the Squad. She realizes Turner needs mental support, and she reluctantly returns. She ultimately gives up on a future with the Tiger, sensing that he would never admit to needing help, and leaves the team.
(the Squad's brother organization). At some point, she signs on to work with Oracle
's Birds of Prey. She goes undercover to investigate a strange "superhero" cult, where the leader was using mind control and winds up brainwashed by him herself. The Huntress
tries to help her and is nearly killed. Vixen regains her senses by channeling the stubbornness of a mule to hold back the mind control of the cult leader. She and Huntress then rescue the other brainwashed heroes.
Vixen may still have trouble controlling her animal side while using the totem, as witnessed when she worked alongside the Flash
to stop Gorilla Grodd
. She also serves on one mission with the Justice League Task Force
, came to Wonder Woman
's aid during a battle with Circe
, and helps her former JLA comrades protect Lex Luthor
. She then joins the loose-knit Ultramarine Corps. While part of the Corps, Mari is brainwashed by Gorilla Grodd
who sends her and other heroes to battle the JLA. Ultimately, Vixen and the others are freed. The main Corps members move on to another universe. Through all of these adventures she manages to remain active in the fashion industry.
in the Identity Crisis miniseries, Vixen rejoins her Justice League colleagues. She is present when the original Firestorm dies during a battle with the Shadow Thief. Vixen adopts a new uniform in Infinite Crisis
#7, similar to the one worn by her television counterpart on Justice League Unlimited
.
by a currently intelligent Solomon Grundy
(whose rebirth came with increased intelligence). The totem is essential to Grundy's plans: he intends to use it as a catalyst to merge his perpetually reincarnating soul with the shell of the Amazo
android, and thus gain further power. Grundy uses the totem to increase the metahuman mimicking abilities of Amazo. Without her totem, Vixen finds that her innate connection to the "Red", the 'essence' of animal life', is falling apart. She manages to 'lock onto' the totem, but her mind becomes lost in a flock of migrating birds. After mimicking the abilities of a young boy, Vixen manages to regain her mind and quickly flies to New York to retrieve her totem. Vixen literally drops into the JLA battle against Amazo. After the villains are subdued, Vixen becomes a charter member of the newly revamped Justice League of America
.
is first to catch on to this and she subsequently reveals it to Red Arrow
.
She seeks out her former Suicide Squad
teammate Bronze Tiger
to discuss her situation, and subsequently admits everything to the League. Chairperson Black Canary
instructs her to hand in her credentials and removes her from the team, but then discusses with Mari the possibility of seeking Zatanna
's assistance in fixing the properties of the totem.
When Zatanna attempts to find the source of the problem, she sees a mystic image of Vixen and Animal Man as puppets. When she tries to break the spell, she is repelled by an unknown force. When Vixen attempts to defeat the newly-restored Amazo by absorbing all his stolen powers, she becomes mysteriously weak. She falls unconscious, with Amazo bearing down on her.
When Zatanna and Red Tornado
finally resolve the crisis, Vixen goes to seek Animal Man
, since he's been affected by similar power fluctuations, and left unable to tap into the powers of Earth-borne animals. There, they are both sucked into the Tantu Totem, where, like in Zatanna's vision, they are entrapped into Anansi
's net. Anansi, the Trickster God of African folklore
, reveals his powers and how being the King of the Stories, he changed Buddy and Mari's personal histories and sources of powers to test them.
In an attempt to keep them contained, Anansi restores their connection to the Red, but alters the personal histories of the Leaguers, to prevent them from ever founding the JLA. Vixen however escapes, and seeks the new Leaguers to fight Anansi at their side. Although she succeeds in gathering allies, they are still no match for Anansi's power. Vixen holds a gun to her totem, knowing that if it is destroyed, they will all be destroyed, and forces Anansi to return things to normal. Anansi then reveals to Mari that the whole thing was actually a test. He explains that reality had been changed on a fundamental level, and he needed someone to act as his agent against an individual who could take advantage of the situation. He restores Mari's powers, returns her and the JLA home, and says that he will one day call upon her.
lieutenant Whisper A'Daire
. The rest of the Justice League of America go to Africa to render assistance only to have several members get doused with Kwesi's specially prepared Vodun zombie potion. This allows A'daire to take control of Superman
and Black Canary
and pit them against the rest of the League.
crossover event, Vixen is shown at the funeral of Martian Manhunter, and later at the Hall of Justice
when Empress
, Sparx
, and Más y Menos
come there seeking help after being attacked by Mirror Master
and Arthur Light
. She later participates in a massive battle with Darkseid
's forces after he nearly conquers Earth with the Anti-Life Equation
.
after Kimiyo Hoshi
goes missing in her search for Shadow Thief and Starbreaker. With help from Superman's friend Icon
, the team emerges victorious in the battle with Starbreaker, with Mari having bright hopes for the future of the team.
A short while later, Vixen is shown to have had her leg broken in a battle between the JLA and the dangerous villain Prometheus
with Hawkman
's mace. While she and the rest of the team try to recover, they are ambushed by Despero
, who seeks to destroy the weakened League. The JLA eventually defeats Despero, only to be informed by Zatanna
of the horrific events of Blackest Night taking effect across the globe. After the Black Lanterns
attack, Vixen tells Kimiyo that she is taking a leave of absence from the team in order to recover from her injuries.
According to writer James Robinson, Vixen was initially intended to have a significantly different exit from the team. According to him, issue #41 of Justice League of America was supposed to have Mari returning to Africa in order to help defend the continent in the wake of Freedom Beast
's murder in Cry for Justice, eventually establishing a team of African superheroes known as the Justice League of Africa.
Despite no longer working with the League, Vixen appears as one of the heroes hunting down Maxwell Lord
at the start of Justice League: Generation Lost
, and is presumably mindwiped by him along with most of the Earth's population. She and Black Canary later travel to San Francisco in order to help Zatanna capture a group of humans who had been transformed into Were-Hyenas
.
Sometime after her resignation from the JLA, Vixen travels to the rundown neighborhood of Liberty Hill in order to recruit Tattooed Man
for a new team of heroes she is putting together. However, Vixen discovers that a group of gangbagers who had formerly worked under Tattooed Man have taken control of the community and made a fortune for themselves through crime. Mistakenly believing that Tattooed Man is responsible for the acts of violence committed by his former thugs, Vixen rescinds her offer and attacks him. After a brutal fight, Vixen willingly surrenders and agrees to leave and let Tattooed Man take care of his neighborhood in his own way.
crossover, Vixen is recruited as part of the new Justice League International
.
, which is sometimes known as the "Red". This contact with the "Red" allows Vixen to mimic the abilities of animals, by simply focusing on a specific animal's abilities and then drawing it directly from the field. Her natural range for mimicking animal abilities is about 150 feet. Vixen wears a mystic artifact called the Tantu Totem, a fox-head shaped talisman given to her ancestors by the African trickster god Anansi
. It was previously thought that the totem was the source of her powers but according to recent stories, it merely prevents her natural link to the morphogenetic field from overwhelming her mind. It is assumed that the totem also increases her range for mimicking the abilities of animals, as she has been known to mimic the abilities of animals on the other side of the world. She apparently can also call upon the abilities of multiple animals at once and has demonstrated the ability to hold onto the morphogenetic traits of all the animal in a forest.
So far, Vixen has used the following skills: the flight of a hawk
, the ability to breath under water like a fish
, the swimming ability of a dolphin
, the speed of a cheetah
, tapped into the aggression, physical and mental abilities of Gorilla Grodd
, the echolocation
of a bat
, the wallcrawling of a spider
, the jumps of a cricket
, the constriction of an anaconda
, the sensitive trichromatic color vision
of a salamander
, the strength of a bull elephant
(about 12 tons), the strength of a Rhinoceros Beetle
(about 65 tons) , the senses of a wolf
, the agility of a monkey
, the electrical absorption and debilitating shock of an electric eel
, accelerate the regenerative abilities of reptile
s and earthworm
s, the ability to spit venom like a spitting cobra
, the body armor of an abalone
and armored beetle (which proved strong enough to withstand a punch from Superman), the nocturnal vision of a cat
, the speed of a mantis shrimp
to catch a bullet, the kick of a horse
, the protective hide of a rhino
, the danger sense of seagulls and tern
s, the rage of a lion
, the eyesight of an eagle
, the cold adaptation of Methanococcoides burtonii, the heat tolerance of a Pompeii worm
, and the stubbornness of a mule
(against telepathic attacks and mind control inflicted by Brainiac
). Recently, she used the bioluminescence of a Marine hatchetfish
to produce light from her hand and Anglerfish
to create a laser-like beam from her head. She has even been shown to be able to channel the powers of extinct animals, such as the saber-toothed tiger
and the Triceratops
, domesticated animals like the Doberman Pinscher, and even mystical beast like dragon
s.
Vixen's claws/nails are particularly sharp and tough, enabling her to rend through a variety of substances, such as fabric, wood, cinder block and even soft metals with ease. Her claws are magically enhanced and have drawn blood from individuals who are considered highly durable like Geo-Force
, Despero
and Pre-Crisis Superman
.
Occasionally, she has been known to physically transform into animals—for example, she has shapeshifted
into a wolf
, a great horned owl
, and a cougar. Vixen can also assume a hybrid form, in which she maintains a humanoid form but with certain animal adaptations, like when she took on the gills, fins, and lack of eyes of a blind cavefish in JSA Classified and later shapeshifted into a humanoid wolf (retaining the cavefish's blindness). The totem also allows her to heal bruises and wounds within seconds by simply touching it.
While the full extent of Vixen's control over the morphogenetic field is unknown, she has on occasions drawn pure energy from it and displayed this energy as a force field and energy claws. While in cooperation with Animal Man
and the woman known as "Tristess", she helped to create an entire universe.
One apparent drawback of Vixen's powers is that she is not always able to control the inputs from the morphogenetic field. Sometimes, she has absorbed unwanted animal behavior, such as instinctive rage. The longer she stays in contact with the morphogenetic field, the less human and more animal she seems to become. Vixen also has the ability to communicate with animals and can override the natural predator/prey instinct found in most wild animals.
It is unknown what would happen if Vixen tried to use her magical abilities on an alien animal, or if she would gain access to the morphogenetic field of another planet. During the time when Vixen was mimicking human abilities she was able to mimic the extraterrestrial abilities of Superman. This might indicate that she is able to mimic the abilities of aliens as long as she is aware of them.
After being forced to tap into the human template as a matter to purge herself from pure animalistic sensations, Vixen is briefly left by the God Anansi with a crippled connection with the morphogenetic field, unable to reach any animal except the human animal. In this state she shows the ability to mimic metahuman
powers, such as Jay Garrick's speed, Geo-Force
's earth-based powers, and Black Lightning
's elemental control, as well as the Kryptonian
superpowers
of Superman
, an extraterrestrial. Her abilities are not only limited to that of metahumans, as she was able to duplicate Red Arrow
's archery skills and even Green Lantern
's ring in a recent issue of Justice League of America, suggesting that she has gained powers similar to that of Amazo
.
It is revealed that this is actually trickery on the part of Anansi. Upon confronting him within the Tantu Totem, Vixen learns the truth about her powers: For unknown reasons, Anansi has made the Tantu Totem his current home. Vixen's family are custodians and guardians of the totem, which they have passed down through the generations. While Mari doesn't need to be wearing the totem to use her powers, she is expected to keep it safe for Anansi.
Anansi restores Vixen's original animal powers, then, after testing her abilities as a hero, he states that she is his "champion".
event, Vixen is a member of Wonder Woman
's Furies
and one of the former lovers of industrialist Oliver Queen
. Vixen and Oliver have a daughter who tries to assassinate her father, but is killed by his security team.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a 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...
superheroine 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...
universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. 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...
#521 (July 1981), and was created by Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
and Bob Oksner
Bob Oksner
Bob Oksner was an American comics artist known for both adventure comic strips and for superhero and humor comic books, primarily at DC Comics.-Biography:...
.
Publication history
She was nearly the first blackBlack people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
female DC superhero to star in her own series, but the first issue of her series was canceled in the DC Implosion
DC Implosion
The DC Implosion is the popular label for the sudden cancellation of more than two dozen ongoing and planned series by the American comics publisher DC Comics in 1978.-History:...
in 1978, never to be released. The story was subsequently printed in Cancelled Comic Cavalcade.
Since her debut in Action Comics, she has primarily appeared in team books, most notably various incarnations of the Justice League and Suicide Squad.
In October 2008, G. Willow Wilson
G. Willow Wilson
G. Willow Wilson is an American comics writer, prose author, essayist, and journalist.-Biography:After converting to Islam while attending Boston University, Wilson moved to Cairo, where she contributed articles to the Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine and the Canada National Post...
began the new five-issue limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
, Vixen: Return of the Lion.
Fictional character biography
In ancient AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, there was a legend that the warrior Tantu asked Anansi
Anansi
Anansi the trickster is a spider, and is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy; and in the Southern United States he has evolved into Aunt Nancy. He is a spider, but often acts and appears as a man...
the Spider to create a totem that would give the wearer all of the powers of the animal kingdom, if they would use the power to protect the innocent. As shown in the pages of Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
, it is possible that the "Anansi" who Tantu met, may have been a member of the alien race who gave Buddy Baker the ability to "tap the morphogenetic field" — or, as shown in the pages of Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
, the aliens may have been Anansi in disguise. This field allows Buddy to imitate the abilities of nearby animals. According to the Animal Man series, Mari's Tantu totem
Totem
A totem is a stipulated ancestor of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe.Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem...
may tap into that same field. Tantu used the totem to become Africa's first legendary hero. The totem was later passed down to Tantu's descendants until it reached the McCabes.
Growing up in a small African village in the fictional nation of Zambesi, M'Changa province, Mari Jiwe McCabe hears the legend of the "Tantu Totem" from her mother. Sometime later, Mari's mother is killed by poachers and she is raised by her father Reverend Richard Jiwe, the village priest. Reverend Jiwe himself is killed by his half-brother (Mari's uncle) General Maksai. Maksai wants the Tantu Totem, which Jiwe had possessed.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She uses her newfound wealth to travel the world. On a trip back to Africa, she comes across her uncle and takes back the Tantu Totem, using its power to become the costumed superhero Vixen.
Fighting crime
After this, Vixen made only two appearances as a solo crime fighter: once fighting poachers in India and then against the techno-psycho criminal, Admiral Cerebrus. In fact, she was a reluctant hero until the Justice League of AmericaJustice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
was reorganized by Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
. She applies for full-time League membership and is accepted. During her time with the JLA, the totem is taken from her by General Maksai, who still sought its power. The totem would only grant its full power to those who would use it to protect the innocent, and it causes Maksai to be transformed into a raging beast. Maksai dies in battle with Vixen. When the team faces the killer android Amazo
Amazo
Amazo is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in The Brave and the Bold #30 and was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson. An android, Amazo's special ability is to replicate the special abilities of various superheroes and...
, Vixen and several of her teammates are beaten into unconsciousness and then left bound and gagged in a walled off pit. Vixen saves the lives of herself and her fellow Leaguers by using her powers to shatter her bonds and dig to freedom. Vixen continues with that particular incarnation of the JLA until two members were killed, Steel and Vibe
Vibe (comics)
Vibe is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Justice League of America Annual #2 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Chuck Patton.-Paco Ramone:...
, and it was disbanded by the Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter
The Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
.
Around this time, Vixen teams up with Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
again. She travels to his suburban house with knowledge of a mysterious murderous force. Animal Man's own powers have become affected because of this force, as he finds himself unable to correctly access the right powers.
Suicide Squad
Vixen returns to modeling, but a Caribbean photo session turns violent; Mari's colleagues are killed by drug smugglers. She appeals to the government, who turn the matter over to the Suicide Squad. She goes undercover to capture the drug kingpin Cujo, who has been revealed by footage shot during the shoot. Along with Captain BoomerangCaptain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang is a fictional character in the . A supervillain traditionally portrayed as an enemy of the Flash...
and Black Orchid
Black Orchid
Black Orchid is the name of three fictional superheroines published by DC Comics. The original version of the character first appeared in Adventure Comics #428 .-Susan Linden-Thorne:...
, she destroys the operation, but not before she loses control and kills the criminal kingpin, too. Revolted by what she has become, she agrees to work with the Squad until her animal instincts can be curbed. She works with the Squad for some time, again seeing more teammates and friends killed. When it is disbanded for a year, Mari returns to modeling and even launches a successful line of clothing. Her failed romance with Ben Turner (the Bronze Tiger
Bronze Tiger
Bronze Tiger is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. He is a martial artist who first appeared in Dragon's Fists, a novel by Dennis O'Neil and Jim Berry, starring Richard Dragon. His first DC Comics appearance was in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter.-Early years:Ben Turner comes...
) makes Vixen decline an offer to rejoin the Squad. She realizes Turner needs mental support, and she reluctantly returns. She ultimately gives up on a future with the Tiger, sensing that he would never admit to needing help, and leaves the team.
Other adventures
After the Suicide Squad's heyday, Mari continues to do undercover work. She is drafted for at least one mission for CheckmateCheckmate (comics)
Checkmate, a division of Task Force X, is a fictional covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in Action Comics #598 and proceeded to have its own ongoing title in Checkmate!...
(the Squad's brother organization). At some point, she signs on to work with Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
's Birds of Prey. She goes undercover to investigate a strange "superhero" cult, where the leader was using mind control and winds up brainwashed by him herself. The Huntress
Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)
Huntress is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Based upon the Earth-Two character Helena Wayne, she is one of several DC characters to bear the Huntress name...
tries to help her and is nearly killed. Vixen regains her senses by channeling the stubbornness of a mule to hold back the mind control of the cult leader. She and Huntress then rescue the other brainwashed heroes.
Vixen may still have trouble controlling her animal side while using the totem, as witnessed when she worked alongside the Flash
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
to stop Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
. She also serves on one mission with the Justice League Task Force
Justice League Task Force (comics)
Justice League Task Force was an American monthly comic book series published by DC Comics from June 1993 to August 1996; it lasted 37 issues. At the time the Justice League was featured in three separate series: Justice League America, Justice League Europe and Justice League Quarterly...
, came to Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
's aid during a battle with Circe
Circe (comics)
Circe is a fictional character, a villainous sorceress and a major adversary of Wonder Woman appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Based upon the Greek mythological character of the same name who imprisoned Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey, the comic book incarnation of Circe first...
, and helps her former JLA comrades protect Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
. She then joins the loose-knit Ultramarine Corps. While part of the Corps, Mari is brainwashed by Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
who sends her and other heroes to battle the JLA. Ultimately, Vixen and the others are freed. The main Corps members move on to another universe. Through all of these adventures she manages to remain active in the fashion industry.
Infinite Crisis
After the murder of Sue DibnySue Dibny
Susan "Sue" Dearbon Dibny is a fictional character from DC Comics associated with the Elongated Man. Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character first appeared in Flash vol. 1 #119...
in the Identity Crisis miniseries, Vixen rejoins her Justice League colleagues. She is present when the original Firestorm dies during a battle with the Shadow Thief. Vixen adopts a new uniform in 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...
#7, similar to the one worn by her television counterpart on Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
.
One Year Later
Vixen is tricked into battle in Hub CityQuestion (comics)
The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...
by a currently intelligent 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...
(whose rebirth came with increased intelligence). The totem is essential to Grundy's plans: he intends to use it as a catalyst to merge his perpetually reincarnating soul with the shell of the Amazo
Amazo
Amazo is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in The Brave and the Bold #30 and was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson. An android, Amazo's special ability is to replicate the special abilities of various superheroes and...
android, and thus gain further power. Grundy uses the totem to increase the metahuman mimicking abilities of Amazo. Without her totem, Vixen finds that her innate connection to the "Red", the 'essence' of animal life', is falling apart. She manages to 'lock onto' the totem, but her mind becomes lost in a flock of migrating birds. After mimicking the abilities of a young boy, Vixen manages to regain her mind and quickly flies to New York to retrieve her totem. Vixen literally drops into the JLA battle against Amazo. After the villains are subdued, Vixen becomes a charter member of the newly revamped Justice League of America
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
.
Justice League of America
Vixen's main story arc in the early issues of Justice League of America vol. 2, center around a change in her powers, which means she is no longer drawing on animal characteristics, but rather the powers of those around her, matching their skill levels and, she suspects, draining powers from the owner him/herself. SupermanSuperman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
is first to catch on to this and she subsequently reveals it to Red Arrow
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...
.
She seeks out her former Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...
teammate Bronze Tiger
Bronze Tiger
Bronze Tiger is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. He is a martial artist who first appeared in Dragon's Fists, a novel by Dennis O'Neil and Jim Berry, starring Richard Dragon. His first DC Comics appearance was in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter.-Early years:Ben Turner comes...
to discuss her situation, and subsequently admits everything to the League. Chairperson Black Canary
Black Canary
Black Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
instructs her to hand in her credentials and removes her from the team, but then discusses with Mari the possibility of seeking Zatanna
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
's assistance in fixing the properties of the totem.
When Zatanna attempts to find the source of the problem, she sees a mystic image of Vixen and Animal Man as puppets. When she tries to break the spell, she is repelled by an unknown force. When Vixen attempts to defeat the newly-restored Amazo by absorbing all his stolen powers, she becomes mysteriously weak. She falls unconscious, with Amazo bearing down on her.
When Zatanna and Red Tornado
Red Tornado
Red Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
finally resolve the crisis, Vixen goes to seek Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
, since he's been affected by similar power fluctuations, and left unable to tap into the powers of Earth-borne animals. There, they are both sucked into the Tantu Totem, where, like in Zatanna's vision, they are entrapped into Anansi
Anansi
Anansi the trickster is a spider, and is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy; and in the Southern United States he has evolved into Aunt Nancy. He is a spider, but often acts and appears as a man...
's net. Anansi, the Trickster God of African folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, reveals his powers and how being the King of the Stories, he changed Buddy and Mari's personal histories and sources of powers to test them.
In an attempt to keep them contained, Anansi restores their connection to the Red, but alters the personal histories of the Leaguers, to prevent them from ever founding the JLA. Vixen however escapes, and seeks the new Leaguers to fight Anansi at their side. Although she succeeds in gathering allies, they are still no match for Anansi's power. Vixen holds a gun to her totem, knowing that if it is destroyed, they will all be destroyed, and forces Anansi to return things to normal. Anansi then reveals to Mari that the whole thing was actually a test. He explains that reality had been changed on a fundamental level, and he needed someone to act as his agent against an individual who could take advantage of the situation. He restores Mari's powers, returns her and the JLA home, and says that he will one day call upon her.
Return of the Lion
Vixen: Return of the Lion is a limited series detailing Vixen's return to her home village for the first time. She finds that a local warlord named Aku Kwesi and his men have taken over several Zambesi villages. It turns out that this is the same man who killed Vixen's mother years ago. When she confronts him, she finds that he has powers that rival and possibly surpass hers. These powers are based on advanced technology and chemicals that were given to him by IntergangIntergang
Intergang is a fictional organized crime group in Superman and other DC comics. Armed with technology supplied by the villainous New Gods of the planet Apokolips, it is a potent foe who can seriously challenge the most powerful superheroes...
lieutenant Whisper A'Daire
Whisper A'Daire
Whisper A'Daire is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, first appearing in Detective Comics #743.-Fictional character biography:...
. The rest of the Justice League of America go to Africa to render assistance only to have several members get doused with Kwesi's specially prepared Vodun zombie potion. This allows A'daire to take control of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
and Black Canary
Black Canary
Black Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
and pit them against the rest of the League.
Final Crisis
During the Final CrisisFinal Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
crossover event, Vixen is shown at the funeral of Martian Manhunter, and later at the Hall of Justice
Hall of Justice (comics)
The Hall of Justice is the fictional headquarters of the Super Friends, in the eponymous animated series. It has subsequently been incorporated into the DC Comics main shared universe, the DC Universe as the new headquarters of the Justice League....
when Empress
Empress (comics)
Empress is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe. She first appeared in Young Justice #16 .-Fictional character biography:...
, Sparx
Sparx (comics)
Sparx, is a fictional superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Adventures of Superman Annual #5, , and was created by Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett and Ed Hannigan.-Fictional character biography:...
, and Más y Menos
Más y Menos
Más y Menos are fictional superhero characters, around the age of 12, from the Teen Titans animated television series, affiliated with the Titans East team. They are among the few heroes on the series not to have originated in the comic book. Taken out of context, their names translate to "More"...
come there seeking help after being attacked by Mirror Master
Mirror Master
Mirror Master is a fictional character and a supervillain in the DC Universe. He is a recurring foe of the Flash with considerable technical expertise and skills involving the use of mirrors. Four individuals have donned the guise of Mirror Master...
and Arthur Light
Doctor Light (Arthur Light)
Doctor Arthur Light is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the third individual to have adopted the persona of Doctor Light, after a Golden Age foe of Doctor Mid-Nite and Arthur's associate Jacob Finlay...
. She later participates in a massive battle with Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
's forces after he nearly conquers Earth with the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...
.
After Final Crisis
In the aftermath of Final Crisis, the JLA is in tatters, with many of its members having to leave. Mari and the remaining team members enlist the aid of HardwareHardware (comics)
Hardware is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics imprint, he first appeared in Hardware #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan...
after Kimiyo Hoshi
Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
Doctor Light is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe.Kimiyo Hoshi is a distinct character from the DC villain of the same name...
goes missing in her search for Shadow Thief and Starbreaker. With help from Superman's friend Icon
Icon (comics)
Icon is a fictional superhero, a comic book character published by DC Comics. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics imprint, he first appeared in Icon #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan...
, the team emerges victorious in the battle with Starbreaker, with Mari having bright hopes for the future of the team.
A short while later, Vixen is shown to have had her leg broken in a battle between the JLA and the dangerous villain Prometheus
Prometheus (comics)
Prometheus is the name of three fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.The first Prometheus debuted in New Teen Titans vol. 2, #24 and was created by Marv Wolfman and Eduardo Barreto . The second version debuted in New Year's Evil: Prometheus Prometheus is the name...
with Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
's mace. While she and the rest of the team try to recover, they are ambushed by Despero
Despero
Despero is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Justice League of America #1 Despero is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Justice League of America #1 Despero...
, who seeks to destroy the weakened League. The JLA eventually defeats Despero, only to be informed by Zatanna
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
of the horrific events of Blackest Night taking effect across the globe. After the Black Lanterns
Black Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
attack, Vixen tells Kimiyo that she is taking a leave of absence from the team in order to recover from her injuries.
According to writer James Robinson, Vixen was initially intended to have a significantly different exit from the team. According to him, issue #41 of Justice League of America was supposed to have Mari returning to Africa in order to help defend the continent in the wake of Freedom Beast
Freedom Beast
Freedom Beast is a fictional comic book character in the DC Universe.-Fictional character biography:A South African by birth, Freedom Beast was born Dominic Mndawe. His first appearance was in Animal Man #13...
's murder in Cry for Justice, eventually establishing a team of African superheroes known as the Justice League of Africa.
Despite no longer working with the League, Vixen appears as one of the heroes hunting down Maxwell Lord
Maxwell Lord
Maxwell Lord IV is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a shrewd and powerful businessman who was very influential in the formation of the Justice League International in DC Comics.-Before the League:...
at the start of Justice League: Generation Lost
Justice League: Generation Lost
Justice League: Generation Lost was a year-long comic book limited series that premiered July 2010. It ran twice a month for 24 issues, alternating with Brightest Day written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi.-Publication history:...
, and is presumably mindwiped by him along with most of the Earth's population. She and Black Canary later travel to San Francisco in order to help Zatanna capture a group of humans who had been transformed into Were-Hyenas
Hyena (comics)
Hyena is the name of two fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The first Hyena debuted in Firestorm #4 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom...
.
Sometime after her resignation from the JLA, Vixen travels to the rundown neighborhood of Liberty Hill in order to recruit Tattooed Man
Tattooed Man
The Tattooed Man is the name of two of Green Lantern's enemies, as well as of one related character.-Abel Tarrant:The first Tattooed Man first appeared in Green Lantern v2, #23 ....
for a new team of heroes she is putting together. However, Vixen discovers that a group of gangbagers who had formerly worked under Tattooed Man have taken control of the community and made a fortune for themselves through crime. Mistakenly believing that Tattooed Man is responsible for the acts of violence committed by his former thugs, Vixen rescinds her offer and attacks him. After a brutal fight, Vixen willingly surrenders and agrees to leave and let Tattooed Man take care of his neighborhood in his own way.
Relaunch
Following the events of the FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
crossover, Vixen is recruited as part of the new Justice League International
Justice League International
Justice League International is a DC Comics superhero team written by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire, created in 1987.-Publication history:...
.
Powers and abilities
Vixen possesses the innate ability to make direct contact with the Earth's morphogenetic fieldMorphogenetic field
In developmental biology, a morphogenetic field is a group of cells able to respond to discrete, localized biochemical signals leading to the development of specific morphological structures or organs. The spatial and temporal extent of the embryonic fields are dynamic, and within the field is a...
, which is sometimes known as the "Red". This contact with the "Red" allows Vixen to mimic the abilities of animals, by simply focusing on a specific animal's abilities and then drawing it directly from the field. Her natural range for mimicking animal abilities is about 150 feet. Vixen wears a mystic artifact called the Tantu Totem, a fox-head shaped talisman given to her ancestors by the African trickster god Anansi
Anansi
Anansi the trickster is a spider, and is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy; and in the Southern United States he has evolved into Aunt Nancy. He is a spider, but often acts and appears as a man...
. It was previously thought that the totem was the source of her powers but according to recent stories, it merely prevents her natural link to the morphogenetic field from overwhelming her mind. It is assumed that the totem also increases her range for mimicking the abilities of animals, as she has been known to mimic the abilities of animals on the other side of the world. She apparently can also call upon the abilities of multiple animals at once and has demonstrated the ability to hold onto the morphogenetic traits of all the animal in a forest.
So far, Vixen has used the following skills: the flight of a hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
, the ability to breath under water like a fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, the swimming ability of a dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
, the speed of a cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
, tapped into the aggression, physical and mental abilities of Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
, the echolocation
Animal echolocation
Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several kinds of animals.Echolocating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects...
of a bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
, the wallcrawling of a spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
, the jumps of a cricket
Cricket (insect)
Crickets, family Gryllidae , are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers, and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets . They have somewhat flattened bodies and long antennae. There are about 900 species of crickets...
, the constriction of an anaconda
Anaconda
An anaconda is a large, non-venomous snake found in tropical South America. Although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the common or green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is one of the largest snakes in the world.Anaconda...
, the sensitive trichromatic color vision
Color vision
Color vision is the capacity of an organism or machine to distinguish objects based on the wavelengths of the light they reflect, emit, or transmit...
of a salamander
Salamander
Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
, the strength of a bull elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
(about 12 tons), the strength of a Rhinoceros Beetle
Rhinoceros beetle
The Rhinoceros Beetles or Rhino Beetles are a subfamily of the scarab beetle family . Other common names – some for particular groups of rhino beetles – are for example Hercules beetles, unicorn beetles or horn beetles...
(about 65 tons) , the senses of a wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, the agility of a monkey
Spider monkey
Spider monkeys of the genus Ateles are New World monkeys in the subfamily Atelinae, family Atelidae. Like other atelines, they are found in tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil...
, the electrical absorption and debilitating shock of an electric eel
Electric eel
The electric eel , is an electric fish, and the only species of the genus Electrophorus. It is capable of generating powerful electric shocks, of up to six hundred volts, which it uses for both hunting and self-defense. It is an apex predator in its South American range...
, accelerate the regenerative abilities of reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s and earthworm
Earthworm
Earthworm is the common name for the largest members of Oligochaeta in the phylum Annelida. In classical systems they were placed in the order Opisthopora, on the basis of the male pores opening posterior to the female pores, even though the internal male segments are anterior to the female...
s, the ability to spit venom like a spitting cobra
Spitting cobra
A spitting cobra is one of several species of cobras that have the ability to eject venom from their fangs when defending themselves against predators. The sprayed venom is harmless to intact skin...
, the body armor of an abalone
Abalone
Abalone , from aulón, are small to very large-sized edible sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae and the genus Haliotis...
and armored beetle (which proved strong enough to withstand a punch from Superman), the nocturnal vision of a cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
, the speed of a mantis shrimp
Mantis shrimp
Mantis shrimp or stomatopods are marine crustaceans, the members of the order Stomatopoda. They are neither shrimp nor mantids, but receive their name purely from the physical resemblance to both the terrestrial praying mantis and the shrimp. They may reach in length, although exceptional cases of...
to catch a bullet, the kick of a horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
, the protective hide of a rhino
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
, the danger sense of seagulls and tern
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
s, the rage of a lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, the eyesight of an eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
, the cold adaptation of Methanococcoides burtonii, the heat tolerance of a Pompeii worm
Pompeii worm
Alvinella pompejana, , is a species of deep-sea polychaete worm...
, and the stubbornness of a mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
(against telepathic attacks and mind control inflicted by Brainiac
Brainiac (comics)
Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
). Recently, she used the bioluminescence of a Marine hatchetfish
Marine hatchetfish
Marine hatchetfishes or deep-sea hatchetfishes are small deep-sea mesopelagic ray-finned fish of the stomiiform subfamily Sternoptychinae...
to produce light from her hand and Anglerfish
Anglerfish
Anglerfishes are members of the teleost order Lophiiformes . They are bony fishes named for their characteristic mode of predation, wherein a fleshy growth from the fish's head acts as a lure; this is considered analogous to angling.Some anglerfishes are pelagic , while others are benthic...
to create a laser-like beam from her head. She has even been shown to be able to channel the powers of extinct animals, such as the saber-toothed tiger
Saber-toothed cat
Saber-toothed cat or Sabre-toothed cat refers to the extinct subfamilies of Machairodontinae , Barbourofelidae , and Nimravidae as well as two families related to marsupials that were found worldwide from the Eocene Epoch to the end of the Pleistocene Epoch ,...
and the Triceratops
Triceratops
Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene...
, domesticated animals like the Doberman Pinscher, and even mystical beast like dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
s.
Vixen's claws/nails are particularly sharp and tough, enabling her to rend through a variety of substances, such as fabric, wood, cinder block and even soft metals with ease. Her claws are magically enhanced and have drawn blood from individuals who are considered highly durable like Geo-Force
Geo-Force
Geo-Force is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Markov is Prince of Markovia and the half-brother of Terra. Geo-Force is one of the founding members of the superhero group the Outsiders. He first appeared in a special insert in The Brave and the...
, Despero
Despero
Despero is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Justice League of America #1 Despero is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Justice League of America #1 Despero...
and Pre-Crisis Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
.
Occasionally, she has been known to physically transform into animals—for example, she has shapeshifted
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
into a wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, a great horned owl
Great Horned Owl
The Great Horned Owl, , also known as the Tiger Owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas.-Description:...
, and a cougar. Vixen can also assume a hybrid form, in which she maintains a humanoid form but with certain animal adaptations, like when she took on the gills, fins, and lack of eyes of a blind cavefish in JSA Classified and later shapeshifted into a humanoid wolf (retaining the cavefish's blindness). The totem also allows her to heal bruises and wounds within seconds by simply touching it.
While the full extent of Vixen's control over the morphogenetic field is unknown, she has on occasions drawn pure energy from it and displayed this energy as a force field and energy claws. While in cooperation with Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
and the woman known as "Tristess", she helped to create an entire universe.
One apparent drawback of Vixen's powers is that she is not always able to control the inputs from the morphogenetic field. Sometimes, she has absorbed unwanted animal behavior, such as instinctive rage. The longer she stays in contact with the morphogenetic field, the less human and more animal she seems to become. Vixen also has the ability to communicate with animals and can override the natural predator/prey instinct found in most wild animals.
It is unknown what would happen if Vixen tried to use her magical abilities on an alien animal, or if she would gain access to the morphogenetic field of another planet. During the time when Vixen was mimicking human abilities she was able to mimic the extraterrestrial abilities of Superman. This might indicate that she is able to mimic the abilities of aliens as long as she is aware of them.
After being forced to tap into the human template as a matter to purge herself from pure animalistic sensations, Vixen is briefly left by the God Anansi with a crippled connection with the morphogenetic field, unable to reach any animal except the human animal. In this state she shows the ability to mimic metahuman
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
powers, such as Jay Garrick's speed, Geo-Force
Geo-Force
Geo-Force is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Markov is Prince of Markovia and the half-brother of Terra. Geo-Force is one of the founding members of the superhero group the Outsiders. He first appeared in a special insert in The Brave and the...
's earth-based powers, and Black Lightning
Black Lightning
Black Lightning was one of the first major African American superheroes to appear in DC Comics. He debuted in Black Lightning #1 , and was created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden.- Publication history :...
's elemental control, as well as the Kryptonian
Kryptonian
Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman...
superpowers
Powers and abilities of Superman
The powers of DC Comics character Superman have changed a great deal since his introduction in the 1930s. The extent of his powers peaked during the 1970s and 1980s to the point where various writers found it difficult to create suitable challenges for the character...
of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, an extraterrestrial. Her abilities are not only limited to that of metahumans, as she was able to duplicate Red Arrow
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...
's archery skills and even Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
's ring in a recent issue of Justice League of America, suggesting that she has gained powers similar to that of Amazo
Amazo
Amazo is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in The Brave and the Bold #30 and was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson. An android, Amazo's special ability is to replicate the special abilities of various superheroes and...
.
It is revealed that this is actually trickery on the part of Anansi. Upon confronting him within the Tantu Totem, Vixen learns the truth about her powers: For unknown reasons, Anansi has made the Tantu Totem his current home. Vixen's family are custodians and guardians of the totem, which they have passed down through the generations. While Mari doesn't need to be wearing the totem to use her powers, she is expected to keep it safe for Anansi.
Anansi restores Vixen's original animal powers, then, after testing her abilities as a hero, he states that she is his "champion".
Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
event, Vixen is a member of Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
's Furies
Female Furies
The Female Furies are a group of fictional women warriors appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Mister Miracle #6 , and were created by Jack Kirby.-Team history:...
and one of the former lovers of industrialist Oliver Queen
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...
. Vixen and Oliver have a daughter who tries to assassinate her father, but is killed by his security team.
Television
- Vixen has made numerous appearances on Cartoon Network's Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
animated series voiced by Gina TorresGina TorresGina Torres is an American television and movie actress. She is known for her roles in science fiction and fantasy. She has appeared in many television series, including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys , Xena: Warrior Princess , the short-lived Cleopatra 2525, as well as Alias , Firefly Gina...
. Vixen powers aren't given any explicit origin; she merely needs to touch the totem on her necklace to activate them. She is apparently unable to fly, but can use animal abilities without any proximity to the actual creature, and at one point does so while on a different planet. She is commonly shown mimicking an elephant to increase her mass by several tons to hit much tougher opponents. While her appearance does not change, a ghostly image of the animal she is mimicking is projected from the totem on her necklace, and temporarily appears over her. Vixen first appeared on the episode "Wake the Dead." Her first scene was on the catwalk, and she was later revealed to be Green Lantern'sJohn Stewart (comics)John Stewart is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2, #87 , and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.-Publication history:...
girlfriend, to the jealousy of his former lover Shayera Hol, who still harbored strong and perhaps requited feelings for him. When she and John face Solomon GrundySolomon 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...
, it appears he has her beat, but she proves herself when she manages to save John while also pushing him back.
Though not a regular on the show, Vixen was later featured in "Hunter's Moon," where she, along with VigilanteVigilante (comics)Vigilante is the name used by several fictional characters appearing in DC Comics. The original character was one of the first DC Comics characters adapted for live-action film, beating Superman by one year.-Greg Saunders:...
, came to terms with Shayera Hol's actions in the ThanagarThanagarThanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...
ian invasion of EarthEarthEarth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. Despite their mutual affection for Stewart, they even established a friendship (more like a friendly rivalry) of sorts. In "Grudge Match," she and Shayera teamed up with Black CanaryBlack CanaryBlack Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
and HuntressHuntress (Helena Bertinelli)Huntress is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Based upon the Earth-Two character Helena Wayne, she is one of several DC characters to bear the Huntress name...
in a forced (and unsuccessful) battle against the powerhouse Wonder WomanWonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
.
As the series ended, John Stewart and Vixen were still a couple, though the durability of their relationship is called into question by the creators' post-show comments and the existence of a possible future son, WarhawkWarhawk (Batman Beyond)Warhawk is a fictional character created for the DC Animated Universe, voiced by Peter Onorati.-Batman Beyond Appearances:...
, between Shayera Hol and John Stewart.
- Vixen appears in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: 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 "Gorillas in Our Midst!" voiced by Cree SummerCree SummerCree Summer Francks , best known as Cree Summer, is a Canadian actress, musician and voice actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Winifred "Freddie" Brooks on the NBC sitcom A Different World...
. BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
requests her help when Gorilla GroddGorilla GroddGorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
replaces the human population with gorillas. She becomes engaged to B'wana BeastB'wana BeastB'wana Beast is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. He first appeared in Showcase #66 , and was created by Bob Haney and Mike Sekowsky.-Publication history:...
at the end of the episode, though he dies in "The Siege of Starro! Part Two" before they can be married. This incarnation of Vixen wears an outfit similar to her modern JLA costume, but with long black boots and gloves.
Film
- An evil version of Vixen, named Vamp, appears as a member of the Crime Syndicate of AmericaCrime Syndicate of AmericaFor the concept of crime syndicates in general, see Organized crime.The Crime Syndicate are teams of fictional supervillains, from one of DC Comics' parallel universes, who are the evil counterparts of the Justice League of America. The original team was specifically known as Crime Syndicate of...
in Justice League: Crisis on Two EarthsJustice League: Crisis on Two EarthsJustice League: Crisis on Two Earths is a 2010 original direct-to-video animated film released on February 23, 2010. It is based on the abandoned direct-to-video feature, Justice League: Worlds Collide, which was intended as a bridge between the then-concluding Justice League animated television...
. Unlike her counterpart, Vamp actually transforms into different kinds of animals rather than just taking on their traits. She was seen taking the form of a lion, a snake, and a bear. Her powers are somewhat similar to Beast Boy's powers, where she is brown in all her forms and has gold protrusions coming from her eyebrows.
External links
- World of Black Heroes: Vixen Biography
- The Unofficial Vixen Biography
- Unpublished Vixen #1 from Cancelled Comics Cavalcade
- Vixen—JLA Watchtower Profile
- Vixen—Blacksuperhero.com Profile
- Vixen—JLU Profile (World’s Finest)
- Vixen—JLU Profile (Burning Knights)
- The original Australian Vixen comic book creation. Created in 1970