Wildebeest is the name of several characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byDC Comics, primarily in association with theTeen Titans. The first Wildebeest is a moniker shared by members of the Wildebeest Society, a cartel that battled the Titans on multiple occasions. The second Wildebeest,Baby Wildebeest, is a creature created by the Society who was adopted by the Titans.
The first Wildebeest is a poacher, mercenary, and enemy ofChris King and Vicki Grant.[1]
The second Wildebeest is the founder of the Wildebeest Society, a criminal cartel that conducts underhanded affairs for financial gain. Although the Society has many members (some of them having previously worked forH.I.V.E.), only one Wildebeest operates publicly, giving the illusion that all of their crimes are committed by a single individual.
The Wildebeest Society later falls under the control of former Teen Titans memberJericho, who has been possessed by the spirits ofAzarath. Under the leadership of Jericho, the Wildebeest Society creates artificial host bodies for the spirits to possess. All of their experiments fail except for the human/panther hybridX-24, who escapes and vows vengeance on the Wildebeest Society. Jericho captures the Teen Titans so they can serve as host bodies, but the Titans are rescued by Pantha,Arella,Phantasm,Red Star, and Jericho's fatherDeathstroke. During the battle, Jericho is killed by Deathstroke. The final experiment by the Wildebeest Society,Baby Wildebeest, is taken into the Teen Titans' custody.[2]
Baby Wildebeest is one of two creations of the Wildebeest Society, the other being Pantha. After dismantling the Society, the Titans adopt Baby Wildebeest, who regards Pantha as his mother.[3][4][5] Baby Wildebeest was killed bySuperboy-Prime during the 2005 eventInfinite Crisis and has remained dead since.[6]
The demonic supervillainGoth allies with Contessa Erica Alexandra de Portanza to create upgraded versions of the Wildebeests which resemble monstrous, anthropomorphic versions of theirnamesake. Goth commands the Wildebeests to attackJFK International Airport andGrand Central Station before they are defeated by the Titans. Another set of Wildebeests are encountered in Brooklyn byBeast Boy andFlamebird later encounter a separate group of Wildebeests, who were tamed by an unnamed man.[7][8]
WhenStarfire andTim Drake are abducted fromTitans Tower, the Teen Titans work with theOutsiders to find them.Nightwing tracks them to the basement of Titans Tower, where they are being held captive by a cybernetically enhanced Wildebeest. The Teen Titans and the Outsiders defeat the Wildebeest and intend to ship it toS.T.A.R. Labs. However, the Wildebeest's creator intercepts the transport carrying it.[9]
It is later revealed that the Wildebeest was created byProject M, an experimental super-soldier program led byElias Orr, and that its cybernetic parts were based onCyborg's technology.[10]
The members of the Wildebeest Society are skilled tacticians and wear strength-boosting exoskeletons, resembling a monstrous, humanoid version of their namesakes. The New Wildebeests are wildebeest hybrids who possess enhanced strength, while the Cybernetic Wildebeest is cybernetically enhanced.
TheTeen Titans animated series incarnation of Wildebeest appears inTeen Titans Go! (2004), which reveals him to be ametahuman child with the ability to transform into a wildebeest hybrid.[13]
