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Wild Dog (comics)
Encyclopedia
Wild Dog is a fictional vigilante
based in the Quad Cities
published by DC Comics
. He first appeared in Wild Dog #1 (September 1987), and was created by Max Allan Collins
and Terry Beatty
.
, Terry Beatty
and Dick Giordano
. Shortly thereafter, the character appeared in Action Comics Weekly. Normally a Superman title, at the time Action Comics was going through an incarnation as a high page count weekly anthology title with serialized episodes of various characters' ongoing stories appearing in each issue. There were three major Wild Dog story arcs in Action Comics Weekly; after the third, the character appeared in his own one-shot Wild Dog Special. Wild Dog's final appearance in Action Comics Weekly was issue #641 (cover date March 7 1989). The last issue of Action Comics Weekly was #642, after which the book went back to its standard format of monthly Superman stories.
Armed with a Jatimatic GG-95 SMG PDW and a pair of electrified "shock gloves", his costume consists of camouflage pants, combat boots, a local college football jersey emblazoned with a snarling red dog (hiding his protective body armor), and a hockey mask to conceal his identity.
In the first issue of his limited series, he barges in on a hostage situation and kills all the criminals. He successfully rescues the endangered reporter. His actions in the beginning are mainly directed against domestic American terrorists led by the "Committee for Social Change". He faces other threats, like a social group, the National Legion for Morality, willing to use arson to destroy pornographic material.
Wild Dog changes opponents when he becomes a small part of the effort to resist an earth-wide alien invasion. Later, the alien Lobo is sent to New York to kill the comic book editor Mike Carlin. Wild Dog is one of many recruited to stop Lobo. This group includes Black Condor, El Diablo, Garryn Bek
, Human Flea, Strata, Velvet Tiger and Wotan.
and the current Crimson Avenger
on a Metropolis rooftop. This group, joining in on a hundreds-strong effort to protect the city from the Secret Society of Supervillains, is seen raining bullets down on the Trigger Twins
, Madmen and other villains in Infinite Crisis
#7.
In an alternate timeline accidentally created by Booster Gold
in Booster Gold #6 Wild Dog is part of a resistance cell against Maxwell Lord
, being one of the only heroes still alive or uncaptured. Lord forces Wild Dog to shoot himself.
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
based in the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
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...
. He first appeared in Wild Dog #1 (September 1987), and was created by Max Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins is an American mystery writer. He has written novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations and historical fiction. He wrote the graphic novel Road to Perdition , created the comic book private eye Ms...
and Terry Beatty
Terry Beatty
Terry Beatty is an artist who has worked as a penciler and inker in the comic book industry.-Career:Beatty is the artist and co-creator of the long-running private eye series, Ms. Tree...
.
Publication history
Wild Dog first appeared in a four issue mini-series (issue #1, cover date September 1987). The series is credited to Max Allan CollinsMax Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins is an American mystery writer. He has written novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations and historical fiction. He wrote the graphic novel Road to Perdition , created the comic book private eye Ms...
, Terry Beatty
Terry Beatty
Terry Beatty is an artist who has worked as a penciler and inker in the comic book industry.-Career:Beatty is the artist and co-creator of the long-running private eye series, Ms. Tree...
and Dick Giordano
Dick Giordano
Richard Joseph "Dick" Giordano was an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes, and serving as executive editor of then–industry leader DC Comics...
. Shortly thereafter, the character appeared in Action Comics Weekly. Normally a Superman title, at the time Action Comics was going through an incarnation as a high page count weekly anthology title with serialized episodes of various characters' ongoing stories appearing in each issue. There were three major Wild Dog story arcs in Action Comics Weekly; after the third, the character appeared in his own one-shot Wild Dog Special. Wild Dog's final appearance in Action Comics Weekly was issue #641 (cover date March 7 1989). The last issue of Action Comics Weekly was #642, after which the book went back to its standard format of monthly Superman stories.
Fictional character biography
Jack Wheeler went to college on a football scholarship. He dropped out due to an injury and spent some time in the Marines. He quit that after most of his squad was killed by a terrorist bomb. He returned to the Quad Cities and began taking night classes. His new girlfriend was targeted and slain by hitmen as she was secretly the daughter of a Chicago crime boss.Armed with a Jatimatic GG-95 SMG PDW and a pair of electrified "shock gloves", his costume consists of camouflage pants, combat boots, a local college football jersey emblazoned with a snarling red dog (hiding his protective body armor), and a hockey mask to conceal his identity.
In the first issue of his limited series, he barges in on a hostage situation and kills all the criminals. He successfully rescues the endangered reporter. His actions in the beginning are mainly directed against domestic American terrorists led by the "Committee for Social Change". He faces other threats, like a social group, the National Legion for Morality, willing to use arson to destroy pornographic material.
Wild Dog changes opponents when he becomes a small part of the effort to resist an earth-wide alien invasion. Later, the alien Lobo is sent to New York to kill the comic book editor Mike Carlin. Wild Dog is one of many recruited to stop Lobo. This group includes Black Condor, El Diablo, Garryn Bek
Garryn Bek
Garryn Bek of the planet Cairn is a fictional extraterrestrial character published by DC Comics. Created by Keith Giffen, Bill Mantlo, and Todd McFarlane, the character first appeared in Invasion! #1 , and went on to become a founding member of L.E.G.I.O.N..-Publication history:As a member of the...
, Human Flea, Strata, Velvet Tiger and Wotan.
Infinite Crisis
Wild Dog was recently seen, alongside the current 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:...
and the current Crimson Avenger
Crimson Avenger
The Crimson Avenger is the name of three separate fictional characters, superheroes who exist in the DC Comics universe.-Lee Walter Travis:The original Crimson Avenger made his first published appearance in Detective Comics #20...
on a Metropolis rooftop. This group, joining in on a hundreds-strong effort to protect the city from the Secret Society of Supervillains, is seen raining bullets down on the Trigger Twins
Trigger Twins
The Trigger Twins are the names of two sets of fictional Western themed comic book characters published by DC Comics.-Heroes:The Trigger Twins first appear in All-Star Western #58 , the first issue of that title under its new name , and was one of the features that replaced the previous stars, the...
, Madmen and other villains 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.
In an alternate timeline accidentally created by Booster Gold
Booster Gold
Booster Gold is a fictional DC Comics superhero. Created by Dan Jurgens, he first appeared in Booster Gold #1 and has been a member of the Justice League, DC Comics' all-star team of heroes. The character is initially depicted as a glory-seeking showboat from the future, using knowledge of...
in Booster Gold #6 Wild Dog is part of a resistance cell against 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:...
, being one of the only heroes still alive or uncaptured. Lord forces Wild Dog to shoot himself.
External links
- Wild Dog at the DC Database
- Wild Dog at the DCU Guide