Tiger (DC Comics)

Tiger
Tanaka as the Avatar. Art by Dick Giordano
Publication information
Publisher	Originally Charlton Comics, now DC Comics
First appearance	Judomaster #91 (October 1966)
Created by	Joe Gill (writer) Frank McLaughlin (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Tanaka
Team affiliations	All-Star Squadron
Partnerships	Judomaster
Notable aliases	Avatar
Abilities	Martial artist specializing in judo

Tiger, also known as Avatar, is a fictional comic book character created by Charlton Comics and now published by DC Comics. Tiger first appeared in Judomaster #91 (October 1966), and was created by Joe Gill and Frank McLaughlin.

Tiger was the kid sidekick of the superhero Judomaster (Hadley "Rip" Jagger, a United States Army sergeant in World War II). In the "Nightshade" backup series in Captain Atom, an adult Tiger is shown to be Nightshade's martial arts instructor.

DC Comics purchased the rights to this character and others in 1983, during Charlton's final years. Here he was retconned as a member of the All-Star Squadron, DC's team of World War II superheroes, although he has never appeared in an actual published story as a member of said team.

According to his DC Comics history, during World War II, Tiger was a Japanese orphan who impressed the U.S. soldier Rip Jagger (Judomaster). Despite his young age, Tiger was skilled at martial arts and proved himself a worthy partner of Jagger. The team of Judomaster and Tiger became renowned throughout the Pacific, and both became members of the All-Star Squadron. After the War, Rip wanted to adopt Tiger and take him with him to the US, but immigration services denied his request. For many years, Rip and Tiger traveled the globe seeking out lost secrets of the martial arts. During this time, Tiger's anger grew and he started to unjustly believe that Rip resented him because he was what kept Rip from returning home. In 1953, Tiger had a final falling out with Rip and vanished.