Shrike (comics)

Shrike
Shrike, art by Javier Pulido and Marcos Martin
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Robin, Year One #3 (Dec. 2000)
Created by	Chuck Dixon, Scott Beatty, Javier Pulido, and Marcos Martin
In-story information
Team affiliations	League of Assassins
Abilities	exceptional martial artist

Shrike
Shrike, art by Patrick Zircher
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Nightwing Secret Files & Origins #1 (Oct. 1999)
Created by	Chuck Dixon Scott McDaniel
In-story information
Team affiliations	Vengeance Academy League of Assassins The Society
Notable aliases	Boone
Abilities	Exceptional martial artist.

Shrike is the name of multiple fictional characters appearing in publications from DC Comics.

Toron Tos was a super-powered orphan from the highly advanced planet Moronon in the distant Mizar system where everyone has wings. He was raised on Earth by Comoc Indians who believed he was a divine messenger from their ancient god Kukulkán, sent to reclaim their stolen treasures from the white man. As the Shrike (in a long-beaked dark blue and gold "demon bird" costume design submitted by a teenage Dave Cockrum), he encountered Hawkman and Hawkgirl in Hawkman #11 where the Thanagarian police officers captured him after an international crime spree . They convinced him that he was not an avenging deity, but in fact a shipwrecked alien prince. They returned him to his home world and, after enduring time-distorting crystal spheres and attacks by flying soldiers and giant lizards, helped him reclaim his throne from the evil dictator Boras Boran who had usurped it from his late parents.

Vanessa Kingsbury was an escaped mental patient who was empowered by the Overmaster and joined his original Cadre. Shrike used her ability to fly and her powerful shriek in battle against the Justice League of America. Her childlike personality made her easily manipulated both by those that wished to use her power and those desiring her body, however her poor grasp of her own strength made her a lethal individual to those she meant no harm. After finding religion and embarking on a "spiritual quest" that left thirty-three men dead, Shrike was assigned to the Suicide Squad. She again tries to continue her religious education with the Squad's priest. She dies in battle against the Ogaden Military. During the events of Blackest Night, Shrike's corpse is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps alongside several other fallen Suicide Squad members. A successor calling herself Starshrike joined the Cadre in her place.