Vixen
Character » Vixen appears in 654 issues.Mari Jiwe McCabe, better known as Vixen, is a successful fashion icon, talk show host, animal activist and superhero who is able to channel the powers of any animal that has walked or evolved on Earth through the mystical object given to her ancestor by the god Anansi called the Tantu totem.
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- Vixen appears in 654 issues
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Justice League of America
Suicide Squad
Justice League of America
Justice League of America
26 appearances
Origin
Vixen
as Queen of the wildMari McCabe was born in Africa (though the actual country is often changed depending on the story.) She is the daughter of Reverend Jiwe who later possessed the magical Tantu Totem. This is a magical artifact, supposedly created by Anansi the Spider, the African trickster god, which bestowed the wearer the same powers as Anansi. Soon, Mari found herself as an orphan after her mother was killed by poachers, and her father was killed by Maksai, his half-brother. She then moves to New York City where she began a career as a model. She later returns to Africa to reclaim the totem.
Creation
Vixen was originally stated to become the first African American female superhero to lead her own series, yet the series was canceled before its publication (though these issues were later printed in a collection). This was during an event known as the DC Implosion. Although her series had been canceled, the character was not and eventually made her first appearance in the DC universe in Action Comics #521 - The Deadly Rampage of the Lady Fox / Grow, Little Growfish! in 1981, created by Gerry Conway & Curt SwanCharacter Evolution
This
was the first concept of VixenDespite nearly being the first female African character to be featured in her own comic book series, Vixen was subsequently characterized somewhat stereotypically as a stock African American character for the period after her eventual introduction into the DC Universe. Undoubtedly, one of the most important moments for the character was her induction into the Justice League of America. At the time in the early 1980s, the comic book industry was dominated by youth-oriented series. The main source of this was at Marvel where the X-Men were leading sales across the entire industry, but at DC the Teen Titans were equally one of the best sellers. With this formula in mind, it was decided to relaunch the Justice League of America with a younger and less mainstream cast. While most of these new characters were entirely new creations, Vixen was one of the more experienced of the new members, and one with a publication history (albeit limited) prior to her joining.
Despite the attempt to give the title new life, this version of the League (dubbed by many as Justice League Detroit as it was based in Detroit) was not popular as fans did not take to the disappearance of the traditional League members very well. Soon after, the series was canceled, but Vixen did not stay in the background for long as John Ostrander chose her as a member of his new Suicide Squad. This version of the character was a bit grittier as she wrestled with the fact that despite being a hero she had killed for revenge against some drug dealers that had killed some of her modeling colleagues. Despite this, she eventually found peace with her past and became a valued member of the team, and during this time developed one of her most enduring relationships, Ben Turner. After the dissolution of this version of the Squad, she would stay mostly in the background, appearing only during company-wide crossovers, until she rejoined the post-Infinite Crisis version of the team in 2006.
Major Story Arcs
Suicide Squad
During her first appearance in the League, the team battled many threats, among the most daunting the Overmaster’s Cadre and Despero. During her time with the Suicide Squad, she partook in a majority of the missions, being a major player in such storylines as the hunt for Rick Flag and Senator Cray and the Janus Directive. At one point Vixen worked with Wally West to take down Gorilla Grodd, who was using a machine to give the animals of Keystone City advanced intelligence and turning them against the humans. During the battle, Grodd would use his machine on Vixen, forcing her to become largely useless animals, such as a slug. Luckily Wally broke free of the cage and defeats Grodd.Justice League of America
Vixen vs Amazo.After her departure from the Squad, she would occasionally work with Animal Man. She would return shortly to the Justice League during the events of Infinite Crisis. During the events of One Year Later the Justice League is reformed once again behind the direction of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. She was not initially considered as a member but everyone who partook in the story arc The Tornado’s Path was offered membership as the spontaneous nature by which the team came together was considered a sign. Her role in the story arc was small but key. Amazo had been using her totem to channel his energy, and as she regressed to a more animalistic nature she sought only its return, the end state of which was her defeating Amazo almost single-handedly. During her time with the team though she did take part in numerous story arcs, the most relevant one being between her and Animal Man after she had started to steal the powers of other superheroes. This was later revealed to be the work of Anansi.
Sinestro Corps War
During the Sinestro Corps War, Vixen was with the Justice League when they tried to capture Professor Zoom, to question him about Sinestro. She was also with the group on the Watchtower, in Earth's orbit, when Cyborg Superman attacked. Later she was part of the team of superheroes who tried to bum rush Superboy Prime before sunrise and failed.Final Crisis & Blackest Night
She was soon after featured in her own miniseries, Vixen: Return of the Lion. In this series, she returns to Africa to hunt for her mother’s murderers but discovers new focus when using her powers. It is also revealed that Intergang is interested in her. She later plays a small part in Final Crisis. Following Final Crisis, the Justice League is forced to go on without many of its key members and a smaller and less powerful team is maintained with Vixen as its leader. During Blackest Night the League takes part in the action, but she is injured and takes a leave of absence.Justice League International
With the reboot of the DC Universe into the New 52, Vixen was a founding member of the new Justice League International. Vixen is shown as one of the many heroes chosen to join the Justice League.Vixen: Rebirth
Vixen with the
Justice League of AmericaWith the changes in the universe as a result of DC Rebirth, Vixen's history has been partially rewritten. Her story starts in Zambesi, living with her father Richard after her mother died defending her people. One day, she is seen sitting in her father's church mourning her mother. When he comes in, they remember her mother's sacrifice. Mari wishes she could have killed the warlord responsible, but her father replies that doing so would have only doomed the village. He then offers her the Tantu Totem. As his mother cannot fulfill the duty of passing it along, he took it upon himself to do so. However, she refuses it because she does not believe in its power. Then the two hear gunfire outside, cutting the conversation short. Her father hears the voice of his brother outside, and orders Mari to hide the totem and stay inside. He then goes outside to try to talk his brother down. Mari does what she is told, but looks outside underneath the door. The two argue because Mari's uncle wants the Totem, but her father sees his selfish nature and refuses.He threatens to him and his niece, but Richard is prepared to sacrifice them both for the sake of the Totem. In response, Mari watches as her father is gunned down. Traumatized, she flees the church with the totem.
In the present, Mari has risen from street orphan to a top-tier fashion designer, model, reality show star, and animal activist. On a talk show, Mari's latest project, a series of after-school programs for children. Then, a surprise guest appears on the show; Charlotte, a girl who was part of one of her programs. The girl explains that while Mari tells everyone she is involved in her programs, she has never actually shown up at one. She then tells Mari that her mother is missing and that she reached out to Mari for help. When she did, Mari never responded. She then rants about her caring more about animals than other people, moving her to tears. Later, Mari is checking her messages, when she finds several from Gary, her agent. Upset about a child is falling through the cracks of her system, Mari tells Gary she will track down the girl's mother herself.
Having a friend track down the girl's address, Mari, now wearing the Tantu Totem, taps into its power for the first time. Using the powers of an eagle, she travels to the Charlotte's home in Brooklyn. Seeing the living room torn apart overwhelms her, as it reminds her of the loss of her mother. Getting over it, she gets to work, and taps into the totem again, realizing that everything her father told her about the totem was true. Even though no police dog could find a scent, Mari uses the superior nose of a bear to track the trace scent of Charlotte's mother. Along the way, Mari gets a call from Eunice, her social media coordinator, saying that her movements have been spotted across the internet. She tries to dissuade Mari, but she hangs up on her. As she closes in, Mari thinks about how she was so caught up in herself, she failed to see that she had the power to actually help people. She then reaches her target: Charlotte's mother, several other people trapped in cages, and their jailer, who's surprised that someone came to him.
Mari asks who the perp is, and calls himself Spiderbite, an ex-convict. He reveals that he was jailed for murder, and when he got out, he felt further punished because he was denied any rights to be near his of his daughter. He then reveals that everyone he kidnapped was on the jury that put him away. Mari responds that even though he says he is fighting back against everyone who wronged him, his circumstances are his fault and that he's only hurting others to protect himself, and she will not let it happen again. However, he replies that she is in his element, and she is then surrounded by thousands of spiders that he managed to train. However, Mari easily scares them off using the strength of an elephant. Since spiders tell predator from prey by sensing the vibrations they give off with their legs, the shockwave scared them away despite how well trained they were. He says that she can't do that, but she replies that no matter how many time's she's heard people tell her that, she's never listened. Using the tail of a dolphin, she easily takes out Spiderbite, then works on freeing the victims. Mari personally returns Charlotte's mother home and sees them happily embrace.
Later, Vixen is seen flying to an engagement, after announcing that she was stepping back from running her multiple operations. On the same talk show, she was on earlier, Mari is asked about what she is planning to do next. She tells that she is taking up a new mission to help others, and officially declares herself to be Vixen.
Powers & Abilities
Vixen channeling her
powersVixen is one of the most powerful and versatile female characters in DC. She possesses a connection to the Red, the magical link that connects all animal life in the DC universe. Originally Vixen required the Tantu Totem to use her animal-based abilities but later stories show the totem only helps her focuses her innate powers. Vixen's connection to the Red allowed her to channel the abilities of various animals around the world, giving her a variety of superhuman powers. Normally, she uses this power for flight and to enhance her speed, strength, senses, and healing abilities. She occasionally uses the poisonous abilities of certain animals and has even been seen to fully transform into animals. Vixen ability is so wide that she can use the light of an Anglerfish to create a powerful laser, use the armor of Armored Beetle to withstand a punch from Superman and create a force field with the energy from the Red.
DC Rebirth
Following the events of DC Rebirth, Vixen now appears to require the totem to access her powers. Through the totem, all animals large or small are connected with Mari being referred to as the focal point allowing her to borrow their might. So far, she has been able to call upon:Strength
- Elephant
- Hippopotamus
- Blue whale
- Spermwhale
- Great White
- Buffalo
- Constrictor
- The Wishers (Humans)
- Puma
- Cheetah
- Hare
- Wildebeest
- Sail Fish
- Spur-Winged Goose
- Peregrine
Falcon
- Through the spirit of various birds and mammals, Vixen is
able to fly, glide or hover.
- Tick
- Armadillo
- Spermwhale
- The spirit of the rat and bear gives her an incredibly
strong sense of smell. The latter allowed her to track a missing
woman across an entire state.
- Jellyfish
- Poison dart frog
- Through the spirit of the Electric Catfish Vixen is able
to generate blinding flashes of light.
- The Axolotl allows Vixen to remove her hand and not bleed out while it grows back.
- Flatworms allow her to regenerate her entire body from
almost nothing after it had been vaporized.
- Through the Tantu totem Vixen is able to link her mind to
every animal on the planet, including humans and communicate
with them.
- When her powers are active Vixen generates a glowing
visual of the animal she is channeling. Large animals such as
Hippos, Whales, Elephants, Bears or Buffalos completely surround
her person while smaller ones such as bats, rats, birds or frogs
appear either behind her or on her shoulder. It is unknown if
other characters can see this image or not.
- The totem is able to identify the origins of any animal
or person even allowing Vixen to deduce that her foe was from
another dimension as his physical body was a void in the red.
Mimicking Green
Lantern's ring.For a period Vixen was able to mimic the powers of other superhumans, though this was due to Anansi’s influence, and she can no longer do this.
She possesses razor sharp claws which she is skilled in using in combat. She also possesses some abilities in animal control.
Characteristics
Calming the wild- Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
- Weight: 140 lbs (64 kg)
- Eyes: Amber
- Hair: Brown
Status
- Identity: Secret Identity
- Occupation: Former Model and Queen
- Citizenship: Zambesian
- Place of Birth: Zambesi, Africa
- Marital Status: Single
- Known Relatives: Reverend Richard Jiwe
(father, deceased), Jeanne-Mari Jiwe (mother, deceased), General
Mustapha Maksai (uncle, deceased), Tantu (ancestor), Amaya Jiwe
(Grandmother).
Other Media
Animation
Justice League Unlimited
Vixen in Justice
League Unlimited.Vixen was a relatively common member on the television show Justice League Unlimited, appearing for a time as the girlfriend of John Stewart. She appeared in the episodes “Initiation,” “Hunter’s Moon,” “Wake the Dead,” “Shadow of the Hawk,” “Grudge Match,” and “Ancient History."
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Vixen and B'wana
Beast.Vixen also appeared in the television show, Batman: Brave and the Bold, where she began a relationship with B'wana Beast.
Teen Titans Go!
Vixen upset that she
did not make it in the Justice LeagueVixen makes a cameo appearance in the Teen Titans Go! episode "You're Fired!" as one of the superheroes auditioning to replace Beast Boy. She also appears in the episode. Justice League's Next Top Talent Idol Star. This episode was a parody of American talent show like America Next Top Model and American Idol.
Vixen
Vixen and the spirit
of her ancestorsStarting in 2015, Vixen star in her own animated series on CW seed. The show focuses on Vixen origin story, but with a twist. The twist is that they gave her a sister. The plot of the series is that Vixen was a fashion student looking for work, but was jailed after stabbing a man for saying that her fashion designs lacked character. She discovered the power of the Tantu Totem and got approached by Flash and Arrow, but she declined their offers. She went to another man for her then was kidnapped by her sister. After, this event, she adopted her superhero name and designed her costume. She stopped a few crimes then later fought the fire totem bearer.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Vixen/Vamp in JL:
Crisis on Two EarthsAn evil version of Vixen called Vamp appears in the movie Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Justice League Action
Vixen debuts in Season 1 Episode 17 "Plastic Man Saves the World". She, with Batman, Cyborg, Superman and Plastic Man, fights Brainiac, who is trying to miniaturize Metropolis.
Calling on the power
of a gorilla.She appears again in Season 1 Episode 25 "Garden of Evil", teaming up with the League against Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn and a mind-controlled Swamp Thing.
Vixen makes a cameo in Season 1, Episode 38 "The Ringer" in an imaginary speech from The Atom.
She makes a cameo in Season 1, Episode 39 "Forget Me Not" in the Watchtower monitor.
She appears in a cameo in Season 1, Episode 46 "Party Animal", attending Green Arrow's Christmas party.
She is voiced by Jasika Nicole
DC Super Hero Girls
Mari makes her debut in Season 3 Episode 10 "Wildside Pt. 2". She is a volunteer in Metropolis' Zoo and doesn´t show to have any powers. However, because she is wearing her totem, one can assume that she does have her powers, but does not want to use them.
Live Action
Arrow
Vixen makes her debut in Arrow season 4 episode "Taken", in continuity with the Vixen Web Serie. The actress who voiced her, Megalyn Echikunwoke, portrays her in live action. In the episode, Green Arrow enlists Vixen to help him to find his son William, who has been taken by Damian Darhk.
Legends of Tomorrow
The other Totems of
ZambeziVixen is a big part of the Legend of Tomorrow Tv Show. In fact, the fouth season was focused around her mythos. As the story goes, long ago there was a demon named Mallus who wanted to destroyed the world, so six village chiefs came together and prayed to the god Anansi for protection. As a result, Anansi, the trickster god gave six totems; the spirit totem, the fire totem, the death totem, the water totem, the air totem, and the earth totem. Combined, the powers of the totems would kill Mallus for good. However, alus was able to corrupt the death totem bearer and as a result he sided with Mallus. The other five totem bearers was able to emprisoned Mallus into a barrier of space and time. Even though Mallus was in jail, he could still project himself into the world, and for thst he needed a host, someone whom he could posses and that person would do his biding. He was able to posses Nora Darhk thanks to her father who saw that as a great opportunity to wield Mallus's power for himself, so he could rule the world. When Mallus got tired of being imprisoned, he told the Darkhs to collect the totems since they were the only weapon that could harm him. However, The Legends was able to figured it out, and also set out to collect them as well. The Vixen who is in the this show is Amaya Jiwe, the Grandmother of Mari Jiwe McCabe. She had left her village to go protect the world with the Legends, but at the end of the season, she went back home to her village to do her duty to her people.
Video Games
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
Vixen in Lego Batman
3Vixen is a DLC character in the game.
Injustice 2
Injustice 2 Vixen in
her intro dialogue
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