.gif)
Hyena (comics)
Encyclopedia
Hyena is the name of two fictional supervillains published by DC Comics
. The first Hyena debuted in Firestorm
#4 (September 1978), and was created by Gerry Conway
and Al Milgrom
. The second Hyena debuted in Fury of Firestorm
#10 (March 1983), and was created by Gerry Conway
and Pat Broderick
.
s. The unique feature of the Hyenas was that they turned into were-hyena forms whenever they were under great emotional stress, not only when there was a full moon
. This meant that they could attack foes in broad daylight
, and that they would revert back into their human forms when their emotional tension was relieved.
. One night in Africa
, she found a native wounded by an arrow. When she called for help, he turned around and bit her face, causing her to pass out. She later discovered that the native had turned into a were-hyena
and would have killed her if one of the Corpsmen hadn't shot the creature. Sometime later, after having an argument with her father on the night of the full moon, Summer first changed into The Hyena.
The Hyena quickly became noted for viciously stopping any criminals she encountered, while also viciously attacking any police officer
s. This was because she wanted to stop criminals, but also hated the police. The very sight of a police uniform filled her with the urge to kill. Luckily for criminals and the police, someone or something (usually Firestorm) stopped her before she went too far. For a long time it was assumed that The Hyena was male and in costume. It wasn't until the Firestorm adventure at the back of Flash
#304 that the truth about The Hyena was revealed. After this adventure, Summer was sent to a treatment facility in Arizona
in the hope that modern medicine would cure her. It didn't, and she continues to be plagued by both the were-hyena curse and an increasing madness that seems to be a result of the curse. Summer wrote of being driven mad and (explaining why the Hyenas are so vengeful).
whom Summer Day had fallen in love with while he was attempting to treat her were-hyena condition. He also had issues with authority, but in his case it was with doctors rather than police officers. This was because he had a successful medical practice in India
, but had to start all over in America, becoming "a lowly intern". One night, as Summer and Jivan were embracing, Summer transformed into The Hyena and infected Jivan with the were-hyena curse. According to Who's Who in the DC Universe
#10, Jivan purposely manipulated Summer into becoming the Hyena so he could become a were-hyena himself and get his revenge on the doctors who had demoted him. As The Hyena, he would have killed many people if not for the efforts of Firestorm and Day as The Hyena. During the battle with Shi, Firestorm became infected with the were-hyena curse himself. He was cured soon afterwards by an African healer who was killed before he could give Firestorm the secret that would cure the other Hyenas.
Professor Stein noted that being The Hyena seemed to have warped Jivan Shi's mind. According to Fury of Firestorm #10-13, the madness suffered by the were-hyenas is one's bestial side taking over coupled with an exaggeration of negative emotions.
killed one of the Hyenas after a prison break out. Which died is unknown, although other supervillains speculated that the surviving Hyena, appearing soon thereafter in Batman
#647, looked possibly female, particularly from behind, but neither Deathstroke
nor Black Mask
cared to verify.
in the Justice League of America Wedding Special. That unnamed Hyena is one of the villains featured in Salvation Run
. In Batman
#647, the surviving Hyena has a different appearance from that portrayed in Salvation Run. He or she resembled a Spotted Hyena
and had brown fur, orange eyes, and a skinny abdomen. Either way, this Hyena was shot and killed by Parademon
s attacking the villains' camp.
A pack of at least five new were-hyenas, presumably suffering from the same curse as Summer and Jivan, were seen in San Francisco some time after the death of their remaining predecessor. They were promptly defeated and permanently returned to human form thanks to Zatanna
, Vixen
, and Black Canary
. How these people came to bear the curse of the Hyena in the first place is unknown, though a remark from a woman who had been transformed into one of the Hyenas indicates that it was against their will.
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 first Hyena debuted in Firestorm
Firestorm (comics)
Firestorm is the name of several comic book superheroes published by DC Comics. Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein, the first Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm, the Nuclear Man #1 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom. Martin Stein, by himself as Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm the Nuclear...
#4 (September 1978), 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 Al Milgrom
Al Milgrom
Allen "Al" Milgrom is an American comic book writer, penciller, inker and editor, primarily for Marvel Comics. He is known for his 10-year run as editor of Marvel Fanfare; his long involvement as writer, penciler, and inker on Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man; his four-year tenure as West...
. The second Hyena debuted in Fury of Firestorm
Firestorm (comics)
Firestorm is the name of several comic book superheroes published by DC Comics. Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein, the first Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm, the Nuclear Man #1 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom. Martin Stein, by himself as Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm the Nuclear...
#10 (March 1983), 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 Pat Broderick
Pat Broderick
Pat Broderick is an American comic book artist known for his work on the Micronauts. Broderick also pencilled the four-part Batman: Year Three storyline, written by Marv Wolfman, which detailed the first meeting of Batman and Tim Drake.-Early career :Fresh from high school in Tampa, Florida,...
.
Fictional character biography
Both were-hyenas had problems with authority and resented Firestorm for interfering in their vendettaFeud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
s. The unique feature of the Hyenas was that they turned into were-hyena forms whenever they were under great emotional stress, not only when there was a full moon
Full moon
Full moon lunar phase that occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. More precisely, a full moon occurs when the geocentric apparent longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180 degrees; the Moon is then in opposition with the Sun.Lunar eclipses can only occur at...
. This meant that they could attack foes in broad daylight
Daylight
Daylight or the light of day is the combination of all direct and indirect sunlight outdoors during the daytime. This includes direct sunlight, diffuse sky radiation, and both of these reflected from the Earth and terrestrial objects. Sunlight scattered or reflected from objects in outer space is...
, and that they would revert back into their human forms when their emotional tension was relieved.
Summer Day
Summer Day first appeared in Firestorm #4. Summer is the older sister of Ronald Raymond's girlfriend, Doreen Day. Summer's father was a police officer who resented Summer because he wanted a son instead of a daughter. Over the years, Summer tried everything she could to live up to her father's expectations, including joining the police academy, but nothing she did pleased him. When she failed at becoming a police cadet, he refused to speak to her. This was the final straw for Summer, and she developed an immense hatred for her father and all policemen. In an attempt to get away from her troubles at home, she joined the Peace CorpsPeace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
. One night in Africa
Africa
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...
, she found a native wounded by an arrow. When she called for help, he turned around and bit her face, causing her to pass out. She later discovered that the native had turned into a were-hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
and would have killed her if one of the Corpsmen hadn't shot the creature. Sometime later, after having an argument with her father on the night of the full moon, Summer first changed into The Hyena.
The Hyena quickly became noted for viciously stopping any criminals she encountered, while also viciously attacking any police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s. This was because she wanted to stop criminals, but also hated the police. The very sight of a police uniform filled her with the urge to kill. Luckily for criminals and the police, someone or something (usually Firestorm) stopped her before she went too far. For a long time it was assumed that The Hyena was male and in costume. It wasn't until the Firestorm adventure at the back of Flash
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 ....
#304 that the truth about The Hyena was revealed. After this adventure, Summer was sent to a treatment facility in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in the hope that modern medicine would cure her. It didn't, and she continues to be plagued by both the were-hyena curse and an increasing madness that seems to be a result of the curse. Summer wrote of being driven mad and (explaining why the Hyenas are so vengeful).
Jivan Shi
Doctor Jivan Shi first appeared Fury of Firestorm #10. He was a psychiatristPsychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
whom Summer Day had fallen in love with while he was attempting to treat her were-hyena condition. He also had issues with authority, but in his case it was with doctors rather than police officers. This was because he had a successful medical practice in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, but had to start all over in America, becoming "a lowly intern". One night, as Summer and Jivan were embracing, Summer transformed into The Hyena and infected Jivan with the were-hyena curse. According to Who's Who in the DC Universe
Who's Who in the DC Universe
Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe is the umbrella title for a number of comic book series which DC Comics published to catalogue the wide variety of fictional characters in their imaginary universe, the DC Universe.-History:Who's Who was the creation of Len Wein, Marv...
#10, Jivan purposely manipulated Summer into becoming the Hyena so he could become a were-hyena himself and get his revenge on the doctors who had demoted him. As The Hyena, he would have killed many people if not for the efforts of Firestorm and Day as The Hyena. During the battle with Shi, Firestorm became infected with the were-hyena curse himself. He was cured soon afterwards by an African healer who was killed before he could give Firestorm the secret that would cure the other Hyenas.
Professor Stein noted that being The Hyena seemed to have warped Jivan Shi's mind. According to Fury of Firestorm #10-13, the madness suffered by the were-hyenas is one's bestial side taking over coupled with an exaggeration of negative emotions.
Infinite Crisis
DeadshotDeadshot
Deadshot is a fictional character, a supervillain/assassin in the DC Universe and an enemy of Batman. He first appears in Batman #59 and was created by Bob Kane, David Vern Reed and Lew Schwartz....
killed one of the Hyenas after a prison break out. Which died is unknown, although other supervillains speculated that the surviving Hyena, appearing soon thereafter in Batman
Batman
Batman 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...
#647, looked possibly female, particularly from behind, but neither Deathstroke
Deathstroke
Deathstroke the Terminator , originally simply the Terminator, and known by the Teen Titans as Slade, is a fictional character, a supervillain and sometimes antihero in the DC Comics Universe. He is a mercenary and assassin who first appeared in The New Teen Titans #2...
nor Black Mask
Black Mask (comics)
Black Mask is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. An enemy of Batman, he first appeared in Batman #386 . Black Mask was created by Doug Moench and Tom Mandrake.-Dark beginning:...
cared to verify.
One Year Later
One of the Hyenas (the one that Deadshot didn't kill) appeared as a member of the Injustice LeagueInjustice League
The Injustice League is the name of two fictional teams of supervillains in the .-Original League :The original Injustice League was the brainchild of the interplanetary conqueror Agamemno. Bored of his dominion, he set out to conquer Earth and their champions, the Justice League...
in the Justice League of America Wedding Special. That unnamed Hyena is one of the villains featured in Salvation Run
Salvation Run
Salvation Run is a seven-issue 2007-2008 DC Comics limited series which was designed to tie in to the company's major event series Final Crisis in 2008.-Premise:The premise of the series, which is based on a pitch by George R. R...
. In Batman
Batman
Batman 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...
#647, the surviving Hyena has a different appearance from that portrayed in Salvation Run. He or she resembled a Spotted Hyena
Spotted Hyena
The spotted hyena also known as laughing hyena, is a carnivorous mammal of the family Hyaenidae, of which it is the largest extant member. Though the species' prehistoric range included Eurasia extending from Atlantic Europe to China, it now only occurs in all of Africa south of the Sahara save...
and had brown fur, orange eyes, and a skinny abdomen. Either way, this Hyena was shot and killed by Parademon
Parademon
Parademons are a fictional group of aliens in the . They are monstrous shock troops of Apokolips used by Darkseid to maintain order of the planet. The original Parademons were created by Jack Kirby in The New Gods #1 .-Fictional history:...
s attacking the villains' camp.
A pack of at least five new were-hyenas, presumably suffering from the same curse as Summer and Jivan, were seen in San Francisco some time after the death of their remaining predecessor. They were promptly defeated and permanently returned to human form thanks to 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...
, Vixen
Vixen (comics)
Vixen is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics universe. She debuted in Action Comics #521 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Bob Oksner.-Publication history:...
, 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...
. How these people came to bear the curse of the Hyena in the first place is unknown, though a remark from a woman who had been transformed into one of the Hyenas indicates that it was against their will.
Powers and abilities
- Both of the Hyenas can speak, which frightens their victims and makes them wonder what sort of foe they're facing. When the Hyenas talk, they also laugh maniacally. This laugh (described as worse than The Joker'sJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
by a policeman in Firestorm #4) further frightens and unnerves the victim. The Hyenas possess super-human strength, agility, and speed. They can leap great distances and are skilled fighters. They specialized in close quarters fighting.
- The primary weapons of The Hyenas are their razor sharp claws. Early on, Day used gimmicks to augment her natural claws. In Firestorm #5, she was armed with "vibro-claws", diamond edges claws vibrating at ultra-sonic frequency. With these claws, The Hyena could cut down a street light with one slash.