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Wildcat (Ted Grant)

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Wildcat
Wildcat as depicted in JSA Classified #27 (August 2007). Art by Matt Haley and Jerome Moore.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSensation Comics #1 (January 1942)
Created byBill Finger (writer)
Irwin Hasen (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoTheodore "Ted" Grant
SpeciesMetahuman
Team affiliationsJustice Society of America
Suicide Squad
All-Star Squadron
Justice League
Abilities
  • World champion heavyweight boxer
  • Superb martial artist
  • Peak physical condition
  • Nine lives at any given time

Theodore "Ted" Grant is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero, known as the original Wildcat and a long-time member of the Justice Society of America (JSA).[1] A world-class heavyweight boxer, Grant became inadvertently entangled in the criminal underworld and developed a costumed identity to clear his name.

Modern depictions of Wildcat show him to be a rowdy, tough guy with a streak of male chauvinism, leading to frequent clashes with the relatively progressive Power Girl, as well as exploring some of the character's insecurities. Additionally, his longevity has been explained as being derived from a magic spell that gives him "nine lives". Like many older JSA members, he has been a mentor to younger heroes, particularly the second Black Canary.

Ted Grant briefly appeared in an episode of Smallville, played by Roger Hasket. Grant’s Wildcat was also a recurring character on the third season of Arrow, played by J. R. Ramirez, and appeared in Stargirl, portrayed by Brian Stapf.

Publication history

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The Ted Grant version of Wildcat first appeared in Sensation Comics #1, and was created by writer Bill Finger and illustrator Irwin Hasen.[2] He continued in Sensation Comics until issue #90 (June 1949).[3]

Fictional character biography

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Theodore "Ted" Grant is a normal human who was magically given nine lives. He remains at the peak of human condition due to his extensive workouts.[4] He is a world-class boxer who trained Batman, Black Canary, and Superman. Grant was in turn trained by ex-boxer Joe Morgan, who also tutored Atom and Guardian.

Earth-Two

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Ted Grant first donned the Wildcat costume in Sensation Comics #1 (January 1942), the same issue in which Mister Terrific premiered.[5]

Wildcat in the 1940s; art by Irwin Hasen.

Wildcat's origin is chronicled in Sensation Comics #1 as well as Secret Origins #3 (1973) and All-Star Squadron Annual #1 (1982). Henry Grant vowed on his baby son's crib that the child would not grow up afraid of life, so he encouraged his son to participate in sports. Orphaned during the Great Depression, Ted becomes a heavyweight boxing champion. He also became tangled unknowingly in his manager's sinister plans. His mentor "Socker" Smith was killed by Grant's managers Flint and Skinner who used a syringe, loaded with poison, in a boxing glove. The dose was only intended to slow down Smith, but the duo misjudged the potency. When Grant was arrested for the crime, Flint and Skinner, afraid that he might know what had really happened, arranged for the young fighter to be killed. Grant escaped the attempt and survived, but the policemen with him were killed. As a result, he became a fugitive. Later, he came upon a child who had been robbed of his Green Lantern comic. The boy, describing the mystery-man Green Lantern, inspired Grant to create a cat-themed costume. He took the name Wildcat and vowed to clear his name. He brought Flint and Skinner to justice; the criminals were forced to confess, clearing Grant's name, and obtaining justice for Smith. Using the identity of Wildcat, Grant continued to fight crime.[6]

By issue #4, Wildcat had a custom motorbike, the "Cat-o-Cycle", and a comedy sidekick named Stretch Skinner.[7][8]

In the pages of All Star Comics, Wildcat had a few adventures as a member of the Justice Society of America (JSA). In the 1980s, when the All-Star Squadron was published, it created a retroactive continuity in which the majority of WWII mystery-men interacted with each other. Wildcat had a place as a member of that conglomeration of heroes as well. The 1970s run of All Star Comics (1976–1979) had Wildcat play a central role as a JSA member, where he defeats Psycho-Pirate.

In Crisis on Infinite Earths, Red Tornado shatters Wildcat's legs, and he is told that he will not regain mobility. Subsequently, his goddaughter Yolanda Montez succeeds him as Wildcat.

Post-Crisis

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Wildcat and Hippolyta as depicted in Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #185 (Nov. 2002). Art by Phil Jimenez.

Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Wildcat regains his mobility and rejoins the Justice Society. Later, the group enters Limbo to prevent Ragnarök before being freed in Armageddon: Inferno. In Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, Wildcat loses his longevity to Extant and retires. During this time, he has affairs with Selina Kyle and Hippolyta.[9][10][11][12]

Wildcat is not present in The New 52 continuity reboot. In Doomsday Clock, this is revealed to be the result of Doctor Manhattan erasing the Justice Society and the Legion of Super-Heroes.[13] After Manhattan undoes his actions, Wildcat and the Society return.[14][15]

Powers and abilities

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Ted Grant is an expert fighter and a world champion heavyweight boxer in peak physical condition. He is also highly skilled at other martial arts, such as capoeira,[16] hapkido,[16] kickboxing,[17] krav maga,[16] muay thai,[16] and taekwondo.[18] It is later revealed that Ted possesses "nine lives" due to Zatara altering a curse that was intended to transform him into a cat. As such, he can only die if killed nine times in rapid succession.[19][20]

Enemies

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Wildcat had his own rogues gallery during his career:

  • Buzzard Bernay – A crooked boxing manager.[21]
  • The Caveman – John Grimm is a caveman-themed villain.[22]
  • Flint and Skinner – The managers of Ted Grant who orchestrated "Socker" Smith's death.[6]
  • Giles and Hogg – Two jewel thieves who pose as private detectives. Their activities lead to Wildcat first meeting "Stretch" Skinner when the jewel thieves try to scam him.[7]
  • The Headless Horseman – Van Brunt is a criminal who masquerades as the Headless Horseman.[23]
  • The Huntress – A female villain who is the mistress of traps and tracking.[24]
  • The Laughing Pirate – A pirate-themed villain.[25]
  • The Porker – A crime lord.[26]
  • The Purple Mask Gang[27]
  • Second Chance – Steve Styles is a criminal who took up the name Second Chance after being saved by Wildcat. He dies when a bullet meant for Wildcat ricochets back at him.[28]
  • The Yellow Wasp – A wasp-themed criminal who wields a stinger gun, rides the Waspmobile, and uses chemicals to control wasps. He went on a crime wave and kidnapped "Stretch" Skinner before being defeated by Wildcat.[29] The Yellow Wasp later escapes from prison, kills the usurper of his gang, and leads his gang in a raid on Fetterman Arms Works. He and his gang are defeated by Wildcat and "Stretch" Skinner and the Yellow Wasp is returned to prison.[30] The Yellow Wasp later escaped from prison and came up with a crime spree that revolved around him having a large swarm of wasps blanketing the sky. During a fight in the subway, Wildcat and "Stetch" Skinner defeated the Yellow Wasp and his men and returned them to prison.[31] He later dies at some point and is revealed to be the father of Killer Wasp.[32]

Other versions

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  • An alternate universe variant of Ted Grant / Wildcat from Earth-21 makes cameo appearances in DC: The New Frontier.[33]
  • An alternate universe variant of Ted Grant / Wildcat from Earth-22. This version is a humanoid black panther.
  • An alternate universe variant of Ted Grant from Earth-72 appears in The Sandman: Worlds' End.[34]
  • An alternate universe variant of Ted Grant / Wildcat from Earth-2 appears in Earth 2: Worlds' End.[35]

In other media

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Television

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Live-action

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  • Ted Grant / Wildcat makes a cameo appearance in the Smallville two-part episode "Absolute Justice", portrayed by Roger Hasket. This version is a member of the Justice Society of America (JSA), who were primarily active in the 1970s, until the government forced them to retire from superheroics. Despite this, Grant remained active as a professional boxer.
  • Ted Grant appears in the third season of Arrow, portrayed by J. R. Ramirez. This version runs the "Wildcat Gym" as a place to help kids on the streets by training them to box in the hopes it will steer them straight. Additionally, he originally operated as a vigilante who fought street crime in a crime-infested district of Starling City called the Glades, but retired after his partner, Isaac Stanzler, beat someone to death; something he felt was morally wrong. In the present, he trains Laurel Lance, providing her the foundation she would later need to become a skilled combatant while training under Nyssa al Ghul. He later helps the Arrow and his allies defeat Stanzler,[36] and stop Daniel Brickwell's siege on the Glades. Grant is wounded in the battle, but survives.[37]
  • Ted Grant / Wildcat appears in Stargirl, portrayed by Brian Stapf.[38] This version was a member of the Justice Society of America (JSA) before being killed in an attack by the Injustice Society. Ten years later, Yolanda Montez inherits Grant's suit and becomes the new Wildcat.

Animation

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Film

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Video games

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Merchandise

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  • Ted Grant / Wildcat received a figure in the JSA Wave 3 from DC Direct on December 12, 2001.[44]
  • Ted Grant / Wildcat, in his black and blue suits, received figures in the DC Universe Classics line.

Miscellaneous

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Reception

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IGN listed Wildcat as the 71st greatest comic book character of all time stating that, due to his age as a superhero, he is almost more mystifying than the Spectre.[45]

References

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  1. ^ Markstein, Don. "Wildcat". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  2. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 327. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  3. ^ Benton, Mike (1992). Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. p. 180. ISBN 0-87833-808-X. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  4. ^ Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 374–375. ISBN 9780345501066.
  5. ^ Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. p. 293. ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5.
  6. ^ a b Sensation Comics #1. DC Comics.
  7. ^ a b Sensational Comics #4. DC Comics.
  8. ^ Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940–1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 140. ISBN 978-1605490892.
  9. ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #185 (November 2002). DC Comics.
  10. ^ Catwoman: Year One (February 1989)
  11. ^ Guy Gardner, Warrior #38 (January 1996)
  12. ^ The Final Night #1–4 (November 1996). DCComics.
  13. ^ Doomsday Clock #12 (December 2019). DC Comics.
  14. ^ Dark Nights: Death Metal #2 (September 2020)
  15. ^ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #6 (November 2023)
  16. ^ a b c d 52 #23 (October 2006). DC Comics.
  17. ^ JSA Classified #39 (August 2008). DC Comics.
  18. ^ Birds of Prey #78 (March 2005). DC Comics.
  19. ^ JLA #31 (July 1999). DC Comics
  20. ^ Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 (August 2021). DC Comics.
  21. ^ Sensation Comics #13. DC Comics.
  22. ^ Sensation Comics #10. DC Comics.
  23. ^ Sensation Comics #16. DC Comics.
  24. ^ Sensation Comics #68. DC Comics.
  25. ^ Sensation Comics #6. DC Comics.
  26. ^ Sensation Comics #21. DC Comics.
  27. ^ Sensation Comics #3. DC Comics.
  28. ^ Sensation Comics #18. DC Comics.
  29. ^ Sensation Comics #20. DC Comics.
  30. ^ Sensation Comics #25. DC Comics.
  31. ^ Sensation Comics #66. DC Comics.
  32. ^ JSA #9. DC Comics.
  33. ^ DC: The New Frontier #2 (April 2004)
  34. ^ Sandman (vol. 2) #54 (October 1993). DC Comics.
  35. ^ Earth 2: World's End #6. DC Comics.
  36. ^ "Guilty". Arrow. Season 3, Episode 6. November 12, 2014.
  37. ^ Guggenheim, Marc (May 16, 2023). "Did you guys just kill off wildcat? please say no". Tumblr. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  38. ^ Holbrook, Damian (December 17, 2018). "DC Universe's Stargirl Casts Brian Stapf as Wildcat". TVInsider. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  39. ^ "Catman Voice - Justice League (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved April 8, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  40. ^ a b c d e "Wildcat Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved April 8, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  41. ^ "Collider Confirms Rumors: Batman: Brave and the Bold to Feature Green Lantern Guy Gardener!". Collider. Valnet. August 18, 2008. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  42. ^ Harvey, James (January 6, 2024). "Check out a selection of images provided by Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment from the upcoming Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part One. The animated movie arrives Jan. 9, 2024 on digital and Jan. 23 on physical". Twitter. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  43. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 4, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  44. ^ "Wildcat". www.comicbookbin.com.
  45. ^ "Wildcat is number 71". IGN. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
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