Shaggy Man (comics)

Shaggy Man
The Shaggy Man (background) on the cover of Justice League of America #45 (June 1966).
Art by Mike Sekowsky.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Original:
Justice League of America #45 (June 1966)
Created by Gardner Fox (scripts)
Mike Sekowsky (pencils)
In-story information
Abilities Superhuman strength
stamina
Invulnerability
healing factor
reactive adaptation
Immortality

Shaggy Man is the name of several fictional characters that appear in comic books published by DC Comics.

Publication history

The Shaggy Man debuted in Justice League of America #45 (June 1966) and was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky. Shaggy Man returned in Justice League of America #104 (Feb. 1973). The character reappeared in a one-shot story in Justice League of America #186 (Jan. 1981). The original Shaggy Man reappeared in Crisis on Infinite Earths #9-10 (Dec. 1985-Jan. 1986).

Another version returned in JLA #24 - 26 (Dec. 1998 - Feb. 1999) and was updated and rechristened "The General". The General reappeared in the "World War III" storyline JLA #36 - 41 (Dec. 1999 - May 2000). Another Shaggy Man was created and debuted in Justice League of America Wedding Special (Nov. 2007), the first chapter of a storyline that continued in Justice League of America #13-15 (Nov. 2007 - Jan. 2008).

Shaggy Man returned as a tool of Black Manta and N.E.M.O. in Aquaman Rebirth #8-9 (2016).

Writer Mike Conroy noted that the Shaggy Man was "A mountainous cross between Frankenstein's monster and the Sasquatch".[1]

Fictional character biographies

First Shaggy Man and clone

The Shaggy Man is the creation of Dr. Andrew Zagarian, a scientist who invented "plastalloy", a synthetic human tissue substitute that can be used for organ transplants. Dr. Zagarian built the Shaggy Man by splicing his material with salamander DNA and as a result accidentally created an artificial lifeform that can rapidly regenerate. Essentially mindless, the creature then attacked anything that moved. The Justice League attempt to stop the creature, but the Shaggy Man holds them all off until the Flash suggests Zagarian create a second creature to fight the first. The League then seals the two monsters inside a deep pit, where they can battle each other indefinitely.[2]

One Shaggy Man is eventually freed by villain Hector Hammond and transported to the JLA satellite, Green Lantern uses his power ring to shrink the monster to miniature size and imprison it and is defeated.[3] The second is later discovered to be rampaging across Russia and is finally tricked by Batman and via a rocket is sent into outer space.[4] The creature eventually returns but is apparently destroyed by hero Speedy.[5]

A Shaggy Man's inert body is eventually recovered by General Wade Eiling and his Ultramarine Corps. Eiling, diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, transfers his mind into the creature's body, shaves off the body hair, and refers to himself as "the General". After a battle with the JLA and Ultramarines, the General is teleported into the solar system's asteroid belt.[6] Marooned in space, the General is eventually rescued by Lex Luthor's new Injustice League and they again battle the JLA. After a skirmish with Superman, Orion and the Martian Manhunter, the General falls into the "Ghost Zone", a void which the villain Prometheus uses as a hideout.[7]

Second Shaggy Man

A new version of Shaggy Man appears as a member of the Injustice League. This version was created by Lex Luthor to strengthen the ranks of the Injustice League.[8] Shaggy Man later assaults the hero Geo-Force.[9]

Third Shaggy Man

During the Brightest Day storyline, Simon Stagg performed a similar procedure to transfer the mind of his henchman Java into the body of a Shaggy Man, although is eventually defeated by Outsiders member Freight Train.[10]

Fourth Shaggy Man

In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, a Shaggy Man appeared as a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains. Created by Professor Ivo, this version battled the Justice League of America.[11]

This Shaggy Man reappears in the DC Rebirth storyline as a pawn of villain Black Manta. After a brutal battle, Aquaman finally defeats the creature by attaching his Justice League membership card to the Shaggy Man and ordering the Justice League satellite transport it beyond Earth's orbit.[12]

Powers and abilities

The Shaggy Man is a super-strong and near-impervious creature; which courtesy of retro-engineering with salamander DNA is capable of almost instantaneous regeneration. The creature also does not require food or rest.

In other media

Television

References

  1. ↑ Conroy, Mike. 500 Comicbook Villains, Collins & Brown, 2004.
  2. ↑ Justice League of America #45 (June 1966)
  3. ↑ Justice League of America #104 (Feb. 1973)
  4. ↑ Justice League of America #186 (Jan. 1981)
  5. ↑ Crisis on Infinite Earths #10 (Jan. 1986)
  6. ↑ JLA #24 - 26 (Dec. 1998 - Feb. 1999)
  7. ↑ JLA #36 - 41 (Dec. 1999 - May 2000)
  8. ↑ Justice League of America Wedding Special vol. 2, #1 (Nov. 2007)
  9. ↑ Justice League of America vol. 3 #14 (July 2014)
  10. ↑ Outsiders vol. 4 #35 (Feb. 2011)
  11. ↑ Justice League of America vol. 3 #4 (July 2013)
  12. ↑ Aquaman vol. 8 #7 - 9 (Sept. - Oct. 2016)
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