B'wana Beast
| B'wana Beast | |
|---|---|
Art by Mike Sekowsky.
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Showcase #66 (January 1967) |
| Created by |
Bob Haney (writer) Mike Sekowsky (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Michael Payson Maxwell |
| Abilities | Telepathic control over animals Able to fuse two animals into a chimera Superhuman strength, speed, endurance, and agility Heightened senses (Possibly exclusive to the DCAU only) Experienced wrestler |
B'wana Beast (Michael Payson Maxwell) is a fictional character, a superhero appearing American comic books published by DC Comics.
B'wana Beast appeared in Showcase #66–67 and was created by Bob Haney and Mike Sekowsky. He did not appear again until an issue of DC Challenge, in which he and Djuba teamed up with Congo Bill. His next appearance, around the same time, was in Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985. He then showed up in Swamp Thing Annual #3 in 1987. After that, he appeared in Animal Man #1, 2, 3, 4, and 13 in 1988, subsequently returning as the Shining Man in Animal Man #47–50.
He also makes an appearance in the cartoon tie-in series Justice League Unlimited in issue #29. There he assists Animal Man in defeating the Queen Bee.
In his most well-known incarnation, his given name is Mike Maxwell. Maxwell possesses a helmet and elixir that grant him his powers. These powers are mind control and the ability to fuse together two living animals to make one powerful entity under B'wana Beast's control.
With the help of his gorilla companion, Djuba, in a secret hideout at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, ranger Mike Maxwell drinks the aforementioned elixir and dons the helmet to become B'wana Beast. In the origin issue, he fights Hamid Ali, "He Who Never Dies."
In the initial story arc of Animal Man, written by Grant Morrison, B'wana Beast journeys to America to rescue Djuba, who has been captured by scientists and infected with an experimental form of anthrax. He fails to save Djuba and is himself infected with the disease, but he is cured by Animal Man, who mimics B'wana Beast's powers in order to merge his white blood cells into forms capable of fighting off the disease. In Animal Man #13 (July 1989), also written by Morrison, Maxwell decides to retire and performs a ceremony to find a successor. He passes the helmet and elixir on to a South African activist named Dominic Mndawe, who assumes the name Freedom Beast.
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