Tasmanian Devil (DC Comics)

Tasmanian Devil
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSuper Friends #7 (October 1977)
Created byE. Nelson Bridwell
Ramona Fradon
In-story information
Alter egoHugh Dawkins
SpeciesMetahuman
Team affiliations
PartnershipsGregorio de la Vega (husband)
AbilitiesTransforms into a were-beast granting:
  • Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, and senses
  • Razor sharp claws and fangs

The Tasmanian Devil (Hugh Dawkins) is a fictional superhero appearing in DC Comics. He is a gay pacifistic Australian metahuman with the ability to turn into a large anthropomorphic Tasmanian devil.[1] Tasmanian Devil first appeared in Super Friends #7,[2] with his first appearance in mainline continuity being in Infinity, Inc. #32.[3]

Fictional character biography

Tasmanian Devil is usually depicted as a metahuman who was born with superpowers. A humorous alternate origin was given, suggesting that he gained his powers from his mother, who possessed similar abilities to him, raised him in a cult, sold his soul to a Tasmanian devil, and injected him with radioactive musk from an alien species resembling Tasmanian devils.[4] Regardless, his parents had a hard time dealing with his alter ego until he saved his father's life.

He served as a superhero in Tasmania, before joining the Global Guardians. He often fought alongside other heroes, such as the Super Friends and Infinity Inc. Later, the Guardians' base is destroyed and the team disbands.[5]

Justice League

Tasmanian Devil helps to rebuild the Justice League's embassy, which had been destroyed during an alien invasion.[6] When Queen Bee reforms the Global Guardians as part of her scheme to brainwash heroes, Tasmanian Devil is left out of the roster due to his connections to the Justice League.[7]

Tasmanian Devil joins the League in a mission to Bialya,[8] which would turn out to be an illegal invasion, as Queen Bee's mole in the United Nations, Heimlich, had fired Captain Atom, Elongated Man, Ice, and Blue Beetle.[9] Once Queen Bee's massive brainwashing efforts are uncovered, Tasmanian Devil learns that Doctor Mist, Jack O'Lantern, and Owlwoman were replaced by imposters, with the real heroes either missing or dead.[10]

In Justice League Quarterly #8 (September 1992), Tasmanian Devil is revealed to be gay. He was previously romantically interested in Justice League liaison Joshua Barbazon and had a crush on Hal Jordan.[11]

Bloodlines

Tasmanian Devil works with the Justice League during the Bloodlines storyline. A group of murderous aliens attack the League's headquarters, a seemingly haunted castle. The hero Lionheart, though his secondary mission is to discredit the League, sees the nobility in Tasmanian Devil and the others and helps them chase off the aliens.[12] Tasmanian Devil is stabbed through the shoulder, but recovers in time to help his JLE teammates and dozens of other heroes defeat the aliens.[13]

Tasmanian Devil later assists the Justice League in battling Overmaster, who kills Ice.[14] Following Ice's death, Tasmanian Devil joins the Ultramarine Corps, living for a time on their floating city of Superbia.[15]

Later, Tasmanian Devil once again rejoins the Global Guardians.[16]

Death and return

In Justice League: Cry for Justice, Tasmanian Devil is apparently killed by Prometheus.[17] In the 2011 Starman/Congorilla one-shot, it is revealed that Prometheus had his body put into a stasis pod. He is fully healed and awakened after being placed in a Lazarus Pit. Tasmanian Devil helps Starman, Congorilla, Malavar and Animal Man fight a group of enemies, and then returns to Australia to tell his mother that he is still alive.

The New 52 and DC Rebirth

In DC Pride, Tasmanian Devil joins Justice League Queer, which his husband Extraño assembles to defeat Eclipso.[18][19]

In the Doomsday Clock storyline, Tasmanian Devil joins the Sleeping Soldiers, Australia's sanctioned superhero team.[20]

Powers and abilities

Hugh Dawkins can turn into a large Tasmanian devil, similar to a werewolf. In this form, he possesses superhuman strength, claws, advanced healing, powerful fangs, and the ability to grow larger in size. Dawkins is a pacifist, but his transformed state is often aggressive and bestial.

References

  1. ^ Misiroglu, Gina (2004). The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia Of Comic-Book Icons And Hollywood Heroes. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1578591546.
  2. ^ Super Friends #7 (October 1977)
  3. ^ Infinity, Inc. #32 (November 1986)
  4. ^ "LGBT Character of the Week: Tasmanian Devil". Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  5. ^ Greenberger, Robert (2008). "Global Guardians". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
  6. ^ Justice League International Annual #3 (July 1989)
  7. ^ Justice League Europe Annual #1 (June 1990)
  8. ^ Justice League America #54 (September 1991)
  9. ^ Justice League Europe #30 (September 1991)
  10. ^ Justice League America #55 (October 1991)
  11. ^ "Tasmanian Devil". Gay League. Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. Retrieved March 17, 2007.
  12. ^ Justice League International Annual #4 (August 1993)
  13. ^ Bloodbath #1–2 (1993)
  14. ^ Justice League Task Force #14 (July 1994)
  15. ^ JLA: Classified #2 (February 2005)
  16. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #10 (May 2006)
  17. ^ Justice League: Cry for Justice #3 (September 2009)
  18. ^ Midnighter and Apollo #6 (May 2017)
  19. ^ DC Pride #1 (2021)
  20. ^ Doomsday Clock #6 (July 2018)
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