Shrike is the name of multiple characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byDC Comics.[1]
| Shrike | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Hawkman #11 (December 1965/January 1966) |
| Created by | Dave Cockrum,Gardner Fox, andMurphy Anderson |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Toros Tos |
| Place of origin | Moronon |
| Notable aliases | Demon-Bird |
| Abilities |
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Toros Tos is an orphan from the planet Moronon, whose inhabitants possess wings.[1] He is raised on Earth byNative Americans who believe him to be a messenger ofKukulkan, sent to reclaim their stolen treasures from colonizers. As Shrike, Toros encountersHawkman andHawkgirl,Thanagarian police officers who cure his delusion of being a god. They return him to Moronon and help him reclaim his throne from Boros Bron, who usurped it from his parents.[2]
Vanessa Kingsbury is an escaped mental patient who was empowered by theOvermaster, transformed into a bird-likemetahuman, and joined his originalCadre. Her childlike personality renders her easily manipulated and gives her poor control of her powers.[3] After embarking on a religious"spiritual quest" and killing 33 men, Shrike joins theSuicide Squad, where she is killed in battle with the military ofOgaden.[4] InBlackest Night, Shrike's corpse is reanimated as aBlack Lantern.[5]
| Shrike | |
|---|---|
 Shrike, art byJavier Pulido andMarcos Martin. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Robin: Year One #3 (December 2000) |
| Created by | Chuck Dixon,Scott Beatty,Javier Pulido, andMarcos Martin |
| In-story information | |
| Team affiliations | League of Assassins |
| Abilities | Exceptional martial artist |
The third Shrike was created by writersChuck Dixon andScott Beatty, and first appeared inRobin Year One #3.
A member ofRa's al Ghul'sLeague of Assassins, the master martial artist Shrike operated a school for killers called the Vengeance Academy, teaching young children how to be assassins. After a disastrous encounter withTwo-Face forced him to give up his Robin identity, Dick Grayson infiltrated the Vengeance Academy to earn backBatman's trust. When Shrike takes an assassination contract on Two-Face, he sends a number of his students to carry out the assassination, including Dick and Shrike's top student, a boy named Boone. Dick saves both Boone and Two-Face in the ensuing battle, confirming Shrike's suspicions that he is a spy. Batman arrives to save Dick, only to be wounded by Shrike. Two-Face arrives, intending to kill his would-be assassins, and accidentally kills Shrike just as the assassin is preparing to kill Dick.
| Shrike | |
|---|---|
.png) Shrike as depicted inNightwing Secret Files #1 (August 1999). Art byScott McDaniel. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Nightwing Secret Files & Origins #1 (October 1999) |
| Created by | Chuck Dixon (writer) Scott McDaniel (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Unknown |
| Team affiliations | Vengeance Academy League of Assassins The Society Suicide Squad |
| Notable aliases | Boone Wayne Wilkins Jr. Ruby Eyes General War |
| Abilities | Exceptional martial artist |
As a teenager, the boy known only as Boone was a friend ofDick Grayson, who would grow up to becomeNightwing. As Dick is learning under the tutelage of the heroicBatman, Boone travels throughout thePacific Rim, learningmartial arts from a number of teachers, including several former members ofRa's al Ghul'sLeague of Assassins. InHong Kong, Boone encountered Shrike, the "Master" who would turn him into a skilled and disciplined killing machine. Boone was part of the Vengeance Academy that Shrike operated in Gotham City, training young teens to become assassins. Dick Grayson, temporarily fired by Batman, infiltrated the school after an "audition" and formed a hesitant friendship with Boone. After Dick revealed the school to Batman following an abortive assassination attempt by the students on Two Face, leading to the death of Shrike, Boone swore to avenge his master. After meeting withTalia al Ghul, Boone continued his education by members of the League of Assassins. Taking on his mentor's name, the new Shrike became one of the world's foremost assassins, killing throughoutAsia and the formerEastern Bloc, before returning to America to become the new chief enforcer of criminal kingpinBlockbuster. Shrike later appeared as a member ofNyssa al Ghul's new League of Assassins.
In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called "DC Rebirth" which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior to "The New 52". Boone is seen in Zombalia partaking in a card game withFiddler,Psych, andVortex. After Psych admits that he cheated in the game, he uses a psychic projection of everyone who the three villains had killed over the years to kill them.[6]
Following DC's "Infinite Frontier" relaunch, Boone appears alive as a member of theSuicide Squad underPeacemaker. After the deaths ofBolt andFilm Freak, Boone is left to be killed byJoker's laughing gas.[7] His brother, code-namedBlue Shrike, appears as well, battling Nightwing in honor of his brother on Lazarus Island.[8]
Khea Taramka is a Thanagarian who has been the queen ofHawkworld for over two thousand years. After capturing Hawkgirl, she reveals that she is the mother ofPrincess Chay-Ara, Hawkgirl's original incarnation.[9] The Predator, a cosmic entity and source of power for theStar Sapphires, possesses Taramka and states its intent to kill Hawkman and Hawkgirl. The Hawks separate Taramka from the entity, then the skeletons from their past incarnations appear to take the queen to another dimension.[10]
Toros Tos, Vanessa Kingsbury, and Khea Taramka are all winged humanoids who are capable of flight. Toros possesses the additional ability to generate ice, electricity, and powerful winds from his wings.[2]
The third incarnation of Shrike and Boone use a number of bladed and spiked weapons, such as swords, bladedtonfa, knives, and shurikens.
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