#red-headed ant-mimic spider

[ljsbugblog]

we finally found another Myrmarachne ant mimic, in our bathroom of all places.

I've been itching to get some more photos of these spiders since getting my speedlite, but they're very elusive and almost constantly in motion. thankfully this lady was content to explore a sheet of cardboard while I took a million photos of her like a madman.

special shoutout to my wonderful partner for a) spotting the spider in our house and b) wiggling their fingers in front of her to keep her attention while I got these photos (it seems jumping spiders are the wayward cats of the arthropod world lol).

I'll link my other Myrmarachne post here, as its interesting to compare the colouration of the two individuals. likely the same species, but my previous sighting had a much brighter gold on her abdomen.

Red-headed Ant-mimic Spider, female (Myrmarachne erythrocephala).

[crevicedwelling]

spiny, long-legged, and armored, Polyrhachis ants are a common sight in Singapore as they forage for their colonies in a perpetual breakneck sprint. but this creature is no Polyrhachis: this is a jumping spider that looks and moves exactly like one!

he is Toxeus maxillosus*, one of the finest ant mimics I’ve seen.

an elongated first set of legs mime questing antennae while the rest are perfectly sized to match Polyrhachis’ gait. his enlarged chelicerae appear like an ant’s head, and the illusion is completed by pedipalps slung beneath like ant mandibles.

unfortunately I didn’t get a good still photo of the red-rumped Polyrhachis armata that he mimicked. however, a neighboring shrub housed another T. maxillosus who sported a shiny coat of gold hair in the style of Polyrhachis illaudata, a worker of which was also sitting there. side-by side, the mimicry is simply exquisite.

*at least, I think the black and red form is also considered T. maxillosus. the gold-haired form seems to be the most commonly observed type.

[saltycharacters]

[ID: Digital artwork mainly featuring the Mob Psycho 100 character cast. The 1st three images have seven characters re-imagined as real world insects, with Mob and Ritsu both being black carpenter ants, Reigen being a red weaver ant mimic spider, Teru a golden carpenter ant, Serizawa a big headed ant, Tome a green leaf weevil, and Dimple a crypt keeper wasp. The first two drawings are nearly identical, with a slight difference in background color and text listing the character’s names and species, while the third is a doodle page with the cast getting into various insect shenanigans. These doodles include a Reigen screenshot redraw, a potato beetle going to Reigen for parasatoid guidance, Mob and Reigen facing a death ant spiral, Ritsu trying to convince Mob that Reigen isn’t actually an ant, Tome dreaming about contacting jellyfish, Reigen and Serizawa mixing up ant social cues, and Reigen admitting to Mob that he isn’t an ant. The 4th and 5th drawings are of the artist drawn in the Mob Psycho 100 anime artstyle, showcasing a light-skinned man/woman with shoulder length brown hair, a beard stubble, tie, and bug cage in left hand. Once again, both images resemble each other with only a background color and psychic aura difference. The final drawing features Mob resembling Spongebob and Dimple resembling Gary the snail, each labeled “SpongeMob” and “Gimple” respectively, while an opaque drawing of Reigen as Mr. Krabs vibrates in the background. End ID]

Recent MP100 + bugs art :]

[mothzarellaman]

actually you know what

shout out to that one project i started and never finished that was designing every dsmp character. i did a couple collages but never finished. here were the ones done so far. (w/ notes!)

I was just kinda going for the general fanon consensus on their design ngl. i wanted to go for more unique color pallete, i think, and while i haven't seen their stuff, i just put together smth that looked neat ngl

I don't really see any ant designs that like. do anything more than make him a anthro cat. maybe i dont see enough ant designs, who knows. i also never see him in glasses. so i like the concept of him having glasses that kinda have cat ears because i think they're cool lookin. also wanted some puss in boots inspo. wanted to lean into the 'frost' part of his name too, hence the blue-ish tones. and wanted to throw in some red velvet colors for obvious reasons.

I just kinda threw together design elements i've seen and liked in sam lol. i think creeper centaur sam slaps, and i like it when people draw cat like creepers because its funny. I also was trying to go for unique crowns for the like 5 people on the server that had them.

i wanted to go for like the reds and blacks that he's known for obviously, and tried to lean into the cult thing with the egg with some choices. the AI art at the bottom was added because this was before i realized how awful it was, because i thought it would be neat to play around with design choices i wouldn't have thought of otherwise. the spider lily is actually due to my concept of having every eggpire member associated with a certain part of a plant, with bad being the petals.

Again, another streamer i dont really know. just went for things that vibed.

as you can tell i had no ideas for callahan. maybe i was trying to go for like an android?? idk man. the electric mask was for the concept of instead of talking obviously , the words would just scroll across his face. deer cape because capes are cool.

as you can tell, i was losing motivation for cool designs and lacked inspiration. the land siren thing is actually my own concept/explanation for hybrids. basically a species thats highly adaptive that mirrors humans and often eats them. got land, marine, and air. all based off of animals that live there.

i think i just wanted to bully connor ngl. i think his sonic onesie should be like the og movie sonic. terrifying. he also gets participation trophies.

Wanted to go for like a big mix of stuff with dream because i had too many concepts. wanted some stuff from cat because, ya know, green and black. black mamba dream is cool, idk where i saw it, but its cool. i also like the concept of dream with butterfly traits to mimic moth/spider tommy. because butterflies are freaky but most people like em. the gold heart is because i associate that texture with the revive book. yada yada. this was also made before the dream drama came out.

kinda just what i said in the image. the words cut off are made and portal. don't got much else.

i remember seeing an object head for eret that had them as a nether star and its lived in my head rent free for a while. plus me and @espion7971 had an entire joke thing about eret being a god, so there's some vibes there. also the cosplay that isn't eret is by Ihaveakarrotproblem from the dsmp reddit. ( https://www.reddit.com/r/dreamsmp/comments/rnxly4/my_eret_cosplay/ )

and eryn is where i stopped. never finished him. wanted to go for like a parasitic nether fungus i think, to explain his bloody arm because i think it would be neat.

[parakaryote]

I realized I never posted the full Invertober art pages, so here they are!

References used (for the more heavily referenced ones):

Lanternfly

Malachite

Wasp

Goliath beetle

Bumblebee

[Image description: Three art pages with drawings of various invertebrates. Each animal has its common name written above and its full taxonomic classification (sans kingdom) written below. Most of them are shown from above unless otherwise specified.

Image 1 has a light blue background and twelve species:

A peanut-headed lanternfly, a light brown insect with a roughly peanut-shaped head.

A malachite, a butterfly with brown and pale green wings, sitting facing right on top of malachite rock.

A common cuttlefish, white with brown stripes, shown facing right.

A fried-egg jellyfish, a jellyfish with a bell resembling a sunny-side-up egg. A few of its thick tentacles are curled up at the tips, revealing blue and yellow bumps on their undersides.

A greater bee fly, a fly evolved to mimic a bee. It is covered in dark yellow and brown fuzz.

A Mexican redknee tarantula. It is black and orange (despite the name).

A ruby-tailed wasp. It has a blue head and thorax, a pink abdomen, and brown wings.

A hammerhead worm. It is mostly bright orange with a semicircular black head and a black-bordered white stripe going down its back.

An anthropomorphized dinosaur ant, a light brown ant with long mandibles. She is wearing a green onesie with a dinosaur on it and sitting with her knees bent and her upper right hand resting over her lower right hand.

A magnificent sea anemone, a wide anemone with a bright pink body and green tentacles.

A goliath beetle. It is black and white with brown elytra.

A Japanese spider crab, a red-and-white crab with very long and thin front limbs.

Image 2 has a light green background and twelve species:

An early bumblebee. It is yellow and black with the back of the abdomen being orange.

A redwood sideband snail. Its body is dark brown, and its shell is dark purple on the outside gradienting to yellow in the middle.

A comet moth. Its wings are a light yellow-green with a brown eyespot on each one and two long “tails” coming off the hind wings. Its body is yellow, and its antennae are brown and very fluffy.

A yellow-spotted isopod, dark grey with yellow spots.

A wingless dragon based on a female European glowworm. It has pale pink skin and dark brown horns and plating along the back. Bright yellow-green light radiates from the tips of its horns and tail in star shapes.

An Anna’s magnificent sea slug, a blue-and-black nudibranch with orange gills and antennae and an orange-and-white frill around its body.

A yellow tube sponge. It looks exactly the way its name implies.

A three-banded lady beetle, a ladybug with five rectangular spots (two pairs on the outer edges of the body, one band across the middle).

A strawberry squid swimming with its body tilted to the right. It is dark pink, and one of its bright green eyes is noticeably larger than the other.

A Linne’s cicada, green with darker green markings, sitting with its wings folded.

An orange-legged dronefly sitting facing right. It has a yellow head and thorax, orange abdomen, light pink wings, and dark brown legs with orange feet.

A giant Asian mantis standing facing right, only the front of the body shown. It is light green with light yellow eyes.

Image 3 has a light yellow-orange background with seven species:

An Indo-Pacific horseshoe crab. It is a light greenish grey.

An ivory millipede, a black-and-white millipede, walking to the left with its body curved into an S shape.

A yeti crab, a greyish pink crab with thick white fur around its pincers.

A wavy-lined emerald moth, a light green moth with white line markings on the wings.

An anthropomorphized bold jumping spider shown from the waist up. They are dark grey with four black eyes, six arms, and a handful of hairs sticking up around their head, and are wearing a bright green tank top. They’re waving with their upper left hand.

A Johnson’s sea cucumber, red-orange with white “spikes” and tube feet, shown from the side.

A Halloween crab, a black and red crab with purple and light blue front limbs / pincers. It is standing facing the viewer. There are thick yellow markings over its eyes that make it look like it’s doing a pleading face.

End ID.]

[onenicebugperday]

@nulook4summa submitted: look at this gorgeous trickster! I think they’re Myrmarachne erythrocephala (erato form) (weird name choice, neither form has a red head) but your input would be appreciated :) such incredible mimicry of the local golden spiny ant that I don’t think I would have noticed had they not ballooned right onto me. I also love how the particular shade of golden iridescence against my skin makes them appear to have see-through legs. seen on unceded Gullibul Country (Kyogle, NSW, Australia)

Ohohoho incredibly sneaky! Looks just like an ant, very impressive. I'd say your ID looks correct, and you're right, the name makes very little sense. I've never seen one with a red head. Love this little friend, though thanks for sharing!

[pessimisticshapewithablog]

My Cult of the Lamb Theories

I wanted to consolidate my COTL Worldbuilding theories. When commenting on posts I reference them a lot so why not put them all in one place. I'll update this list as needed.

Most of my theories are about how the world of COTL works and my favorite blorbos. Mainly TOWW, his sons and one-off posts about minor characters like Midas or Sozo. I also do character analysis if there's enough information to do so.

They're free to reference as that is the nature of worldbuilding. All that I ask is that some credit be given if they are used. I do NOT allow the use of my work to be used to train AI though.

(This post is always being updated so keep your eyes peeled folks!)

Theory 1 - Why does only TOWW's head transform in battle?

Theory 2 - Why TOWW becomes a follower after his defeat.

Theory 3 - Haro was a Bishop of the Old Faith.

Theory 4 - The Birth of Aym and Baal was what finally caused the Bishops to turn on Narinder.

Theory 5 - Clauneck was the person who originally foresaw the Lamb prophecy.

Theory 6 - Helob is an ant mimic. It's why he looks so different from other spiders.

Theory 7 - Sozo's followers obeyed the mushroom growing from his head, not him.

Theory 8 - Aym and Baal are Narinder's sons.

Theory 9 - TOWW needed to kill us to leave the Realm Beyond.

Theory 10 - Chemach was the one who caused the crowned gods to go extinct.

Micro Theories/Headcanons

¤The Crowns

The Divine Crowns - Possible IRL Inspiration for the Crowns.

What are the crowns? (ask) - speculation on the nature of the divine crowns.

Color and Divinity - is there a connection?

The Crowns and the Mystic Seller - symbiotic lifeforms?

¤The One Who Waits

Role of Death Gods(ask) - some headcanons on how they interacted with the world...

Narinder, God of Man - why he was imprisoned...

TOWW's size - why is he so big...

TOWW's resource(reblog) - What was TOWW's domain resource?

How are Death Gods made? - speculation on TOWW's origin as a death god

The new morgue building - it kinda looks familiar...

Patron Elder God of Death - protector of his kin...

A Wraith God? - Is TOWW a ghost in his natural state?

One Tomb... - the building housing the gate might not be a temple....

Narinder's Veil - what does it mean to him and his former followers....

Wielding death... - what is it to kill?

¤The Bishops

Lands of the New Faith... - where the Red Crown reigned supreme...

A place of significance - where magic is at it zenith...

Where the Bishops and Narinder fought(reblog) - the statue outside the temple ground looks interesting.

Messy Bishops - they look unkept....

IRL Bishop animal counterparts - What creatures could the bishops be inspired from...?

The Binding Ritual (reblog)- what was the kindling for the Sacrement?

¤NPCS

Midas's Robes - They look like knockoff Bishop robes.

Midas and the Gods of Gold (request) - Who is Midas and his patron gods?

Ratoo's lover - who were they...

The Fox - A death god in the making...?

The Mystic Seller - an enigma from the stars...

¤The World Of COTL

Death In COTL (blood moon festival update) - Where do all those souls for weapons and curses come from?

Demons in COTL - my theory on what they are and how they are created...

Orcus the Demon - why is it's design everywhere.

Camellias - Why are Camellia's so important in COTL.

Cursed hearts - What is it to be cursed..

Where is the Realm Beyond? - where does it exist in the world?

¤The Gods

What are Gods in COTL - My Headcanons on the nature of gods (Relics of the old faith spoilers)

Who were the First Gods(ask)- my headcanons on the First Gods and their downfall.

The Remains of an Old God. - a corpse in plain view...

Character Analysis

BAAL, THE FIRST SON

Aym(WIP)...

The One Who Waits(WIP)....

Sozo's Corner

Alate!Sozo - my Sozo focused AU

Cause I love him your honor.

Theories

What really happened to Sozo?

Official Unused Sozo art

Sozo's interesting speech pattern.

Sozo, a chosen sacrifice?

Sozo, Patient Zero? - was Sozo being used to spread Menticide mushrooms?

COTL Ant, Bees, And Wasp sizes

Sozo's Statue - what did it mean to him?

And chance encounter - Sozo appears during a crusade...

[futurebird]

Fairy Tales (but it’s ants)

Cinderella A Formica alate has a polyergus wicked stepmother, and evil polyergus alate step-sisters. The prince is searching for a bride and holds a great nuptial ball. Everyone at the ball is polyergus … except for the prince who was born from an unfertilized egg before his step mom killed his mother. He searches for the one with the “dainty mandibles” (all the polyergus have gaping mandibles)

Snow White and the Seven Rove Beetles Snow White is a bull ant (Myrmecia) her mother the queen can no longer lay fertilized eggs and is hiding it from the colony.  The queen commands a woodlouse to take Snow White into the woods and kill her because of a prophecy that a younger ant will take her throne. The woodlouse can’t bear to murder her and leaves her to be found by seven rove beetles who raise her in a little nest deep in the forest. The queen finds out she’s still alive and tries to poison her with Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, a fungus that will drive an ant mad and make her climb to the highest branch and die there. This backfires and the queen poisons herself, Snow White becomes a gamergate and queen of the kingdom.

Little Red Riding Hood A young worker ant (wood ant) is sent to help out at one of the other nests of her polydomus colony. When she gets to the satellite nest, which is supposed to have a queen in need of assistance with too many brood… there is a spider mimic pretending to be her aunt! Her older sister a brave major kills the spider and they take the orphaned brood back to the main nest.

Hanna and Gretel Two worker ants are foraging far from the nest for the first time when they encounter the mysterious house of a phorid fly. The fly tempts them with honeydew and candy, all along planning on laying eggs in their heads. But the workers are so exhausted she decides to fatten them up first.

[xjumbled-up-brainx]

This is a project I’ve been crafting for a while through my re-run of everything english dubbed Octonauts. A brand new A-Z list of EVERY SINGLE CREATURE THE OCTONAUTS HAVE EVER MET:

*Vegimalese*

What’s that Tunip, you and the Vegimals want to learn about even more creatures?

*Vegimalese*

Well, let’s go again!

The Octocomputer will show you all the creatures the Octonauts, and Octo Agents, have met, on both land and sea!

Cheepa Cheepa!

Anaconda 1

Albatross 2

Anemones 3

Angler Fish 4

Arapaima 5

Adele Penguins 6

Alligator 7

Amano Shrimp 8

Anteater 9

Arabian Camels 10

Armadillo 11

Bowhead Whale 12

Barracudas 13

Beluga Whales 14

Black Caiman 15

Blobfish 16

Blue Whale 17

Blue-head Wrasse… 18

Bottle Nose Dolphins 19

Bat 20

Baboons 21

Barnacle Goose 22

Bear 23

Black Giant Squirrel 24

Black Winged Stilt Bird 25

Blind Shrimp 26

Burmese Python 27

Brittle Stars 27

Bombardier Beetle 28 and

Bomber Worms 29

Capybara 30

Carrier Crab 31

Catfish 32

Conocono Crab 33

Conocono Crab?

Coconut Octopus! 34

Colossal Squid 35

Comb Tooth Blenny 36

Cone Snail 37

Cookie Cutter Shark 38

Cuttlefish 39

Convict Fish 40

Caiman 41

Caterpillar 42

Cave Fish 43

Cave Shrimp 44

Chameleon 45

Clam 45

Chinstrap Penguins 46

Chinese Mitten Crab 47

Christmas Tree Worms 48

Coelacanth 49

Coral Polyp 50

Coral Snake 51

Crawfish 52

Crocodile 53

Crow 54

Crown of Thorns Starfish 55

Dormice 56

Deer 57

Damselfish 58

Dogfish 59

Decorator Crab 60

Duck-Bill Platypus 61

Dwarf Lantern Shark 62

Eel 63

Electric Eel 64

Elephant 65 and Elephant Seal66

Elk 67

Egyptian Vulture 68

Emperor Penguin 69

Fiddler Crab 70

Frogfish 71

Fire Ants 72

Flamingoes 73

Flying Fish 74

Flying Fox 75

Fruit Bats 76

Giant Clam 77

Giant Comb Jelly 78

Giant Isopod 79

Giant Spider Crab 80

Giant Squid 81

Giant Grass Carp 82

Giant Pacific Octopus 83

Giant Panda 84

Giant Weta 85

Golden Coral 86

Golden Mole 87

Giraffe 88

Garden Eel 88

Gray Whale 89

Grey Reef Shark 90

Grouper 91

Guard Crab 92

Gull 93

Great White Shark 94

Gulper Eel 95

Hammerhead Shark 96

And Harbor Seal 97

(Inhale hoo inhale hoo)

Harlequin Duck 98

Harpy Eagle 99

Hippos 100

Hoatzin 101

Honey Badger 102

Hornbill 103

Hourglass Dolphins 104

Howler Monkeys 105

Hyenas 106

Hermit Crab 107

Humpback Whale 108

Humphead Parrotfish 109

(Slower) Humu-humu-nuku-nuku-a-pua-a! Haha! 110

Ice worms 111

Iguanas 112

Indochinese Tiger 113

Immortal Jellyfish, 114

Jellyfish 115

Jaguar 116

Jawfish, 117

Kangaroos 118

Kea Parrots 119

Kelp, Fish 120

Leatherback Sea-Turtle 121

Loggerhead Sea-Turtle 122

Lemon Shark 123

Longfin Eels 124

Leopard 125

Lions 126

Lion Fish 127

Lions Mane Jellyfish 128

Long Arm Squid… 129

Leafy Sea Dragon 130

Mangrove crabs 131

Mantis Shrimp 132

Martens 133

Microbe 134

Monarch Butterfly 135

Mound coral 136

Mountain Goats 137

Mud Skipper 138

Moray Eel 139

Mimic Octo-Pus! 140

Marine Iguanas 141

Manta Ray 142

Mana (Mana?) Mana (Mana?) pause. Manatee…! (Clears throat)3

Narwhal 144

Needlefish 145

Nile crocodile 146

Nile monitor lizards 147

Nine banded armadillo 148

Nutria 149

Okapis 150

Omuras whale 151

Orca 152

Oarfish 153

Octopus 154

Prowfish 155

Pelicans 156

Polar Bear 157

Pilot Fish 158

Parrotfish 159

Piranhas 160

Porcupine Puffer 161

Porcupine 162

Puffin 163

Pangolin 164

Pikas 165

Pin-tailed whydahs 166

Poison dart frog 167

Pygmy 3 toed sloths 168

Quino checkerspot butterflies 169

Queens-land-Lung-fish 170

RedRock Crabs 171

Reef Lobsters 172

Remipedes 173

Remora Fish 174

Rainbow blanket octopus 175

Rats 176

Raven 177

Red deer 178

Red eye tree frogs 179

Red fox 180

River Dolphin 181

Rock climbing gobies 182

Ruffed grouse 183

Sand grouse 184

Sand viper 185

Screaming piha 186

Seals 187

Sehuencas water frogs 188

Squid 188

Skinks 189

Skua bird 190

Skull Spiders 191

Snail 192

Spinner dolphins 193

Suckermouth catfish 194

Sun bear 195

Sunflower Star 195

Sunfish 196

Surfing Snail 197

Sailfish 198

Sardines 199

Salt-water croc-o-dile 200

Sea gulls 201

Sea squirts 202

Sea tulips 203

Sea Otter 204

Sea Pig 205

Sea Skater 206

Sea Snail 207

Sea Snake 208

Sea Sponge 209

Sea Urchin 210

Sea Horses 211

Siphonophore 212

Slime Eel 213

Snapping Shrimp 214

Sperm Whale 215

Spook Fish 216

Sea Star 217

Surgeon Fish 218

Swordfish 219

Shovel Nosed-Guitar Fish 220

Swell (sigh) Shark (sigh) 221

Snot Sea (panicked) Cucumber! 222

Tiger shark 223

Tokay Geko 224

Toucan 225

Tree frogs 226

Tree lobsters 227

Tree snails 228

Trout 229

Turtles 230

Tulum cave remipede 231

Tube Worms 232

Triggerfish 233

Tor-pedo Ray…! 234

U: You? Me? Me? You? V!

Vampire Squid 235

Vent Shrimp 236

Vole 237

Watchman goby 238

Water dikkops 239

Weasel 240

Wisent 241

Wolves 242

Wood louse 243

Wolf Eel 244

Whale Shark 245

Walrus 246

Water Bears 247

Weddell Seal 248

Whale Louse 249

White-Tip-Shark 250

X: Xylophone solo!

Yellow bellied sea snakes 251

Yeti Crab 252

Zebra 253

Zebra fish! 259

Dadadada!

[adrenalinesaint]

@pueritia-aeternam​​ sent  :

The giggles was what gave her away, not that they were easy to hear over the screaming of the bullies. The red-headed fae was sitting a few branches up in a tree, having observed the scene and waited for her trick to catch on. Not far away the ground, where one of the bullies foot had gone through, was alive with angry red ants seeking the one who had been so cruel as to destroy their home. Of course, the poor kid had no idea what he was about to do until it was too late, but at that point the trap had been laid and his foot had gone into the ant hill. “Did you see their faces?” Lori’s own face twisted in an odd mimic of the screaming kid’s as she looked down at Jonathan, still giggling.

Sitting behind the general store and applying shoplifted bandages from his scuffle with the bullies, a young Jonathan Crane sniffles his agreement. He’s smiling despite his wet cheeks -- all the pain from being battered and verbally abused fizzing up into a bubbly sort of pleasure. Like a cold Coca-Cola on a hot day. Speaking of, he pops the metallic cap off the glass bottle he’d lifted too, and offers the first sip to his strange, new friend.

“I think that one is afraid of bugs, too. Not like regular ‘fraid, neither. Like actual afraid. Peed his pants in the second grade when a spider crawled out of his textbook during class.” Jonathan laughs. “Some real nice work, there. Can you do it whenever you want?”

[multiverseforger]

Taskmaster is a mysterious figure believed to have been born in Bronx, New York City. He has the ability to mimic the physical movements of anyone he witnesses; writers differ on whether this counts as a "super power". He claims that he has had this ability since childhood. He works as a combat instructor and trains others to become lackeys for other villains by utilizing the techniques he has learned from his observation of superheroes and participates in mercenary jobs from time to time. Initially portrayed as a villain, he has also been shown training U.S. Agent and other neophyte superheroes at the behest of the US government. As a mercenary, he has no ideology except that of his employer. Due to his ability to imitate the techniques and armory of other heroes and villains, Taskmaster has occasionally been used to impersonate other characters.

Tony Masters first demonstrated unusual abilities during childhood. After watching a cowboy show on television, he found himself able to duplicate the sophisticated rope tricks he had just watched the cowboy perform. Psychiatrists, called in at the mother's request, determined that the boy had a form of photographic memory which they called "photographic reflexes". He employed his power several times during his youth for personal gain, most notably when he became a star quarterback of his high school football team after watching one pro football game. Upon graduation, he briefly considered a career as a crime fighter, but opted instead to be a professional criminal, which he perceived to be far more lucrative.[6]

He then began a program of observing the fighting techniques of numerous costumed heroes and villains (using archival television news broadcasts). He initially used his fighting skills to execute several successful grand larcenies, but he had not properly anticipated the dangers involved. He decided to use his stolen capital to establish a center for training aspiring criminals to turn into polished professionals. His goal was to become a supplier for criminal organizations around the world.

Designing a costume with a white cowl and skull mask, he took the name "Taskmaster" and began to train many thugs at criminal academies he had located around the United States. However, his existence was eventually revealed when Pernell Solomon of the Solomon Institute for the Criminally Insane (a front for one of these academies) used the school's resources to create a clone of himself when the administrator required an organ donation due to possessing an extremely rare blood type; the clone (learning of this fate) managed to contact the Avengers. Taskmaster captured Yellowjacket, the Wasp and Ant-Man when the Avengers invaded the premises;[7] but the Avengers followed, exposing his front operation. Taskmaster held his own against Captain America and Iron Man, however, was subsequently forced to flee after a confrontation with Jocasta since his lack of experience with Jocasta's abilities made it impossible to predict the robot's next move.[6] Taskmaster later established a new training academy in Manhattan, where he battled Spider-Man and Ant-Man, and then escaped.[8] He later used a traveling carnival as a mobile base, where he battled Hawkeye and Ant-Man, and then escaped again.[9] He next trained henchmen for the Black Abbott. Alongside Black Abbott, he battled Spider-Man and Nomad, and escaped yet again.[10]

Deciding to further explore the use of a circus as a front for his academy, Taskmaster took over yet another small outfit, and used it for many months to great success. However, while it was playing a small town in Ohio, the Thing and Vance Astrovik (who would later take the name Justice) assisted a government agent in foiling Taskmaster's activities. While escaping, Taskmaster was captured by a group of U.S. Secret Service agents and taken into custody.[11] There is reason to believe that Red Skull was behind the Taskmaster's capture, since a group of normal men were able to capture him.[citation needed] Through Douglas Rockwell (the head of the President's Commission on Superhuman Activities), Mr. Smith arranged for Taskmaster to train John Walker in order to make him appear to be the real Captain America.[12] In order to conceal Red Skull's involvement, Rockwell had the Commission work out a deal to have years taken off Taskmaster's sentence in return for training Walker. After Taskmaster successfully trained Walker, Red Skull arranged for him to escape from the Commission's detention center so he could continue training lackeys and Red Skull himself.[volume & issue needed]

Having escaped the authorities, he set up a base in a derelict graveyard in Brooklyn, where he battled Spider-Man and then escaped.[13] Taskmaster then competed in a contest against Tombstone, where he battled Daredevil and the Punisher.[14]

Taskmaster's more skilled, successful, and notable students include such characters as Crossbones and Cutthroat (both Red Skull's henchmen), U.S. Agent, Hauptmann Deutschland, Diamondback (Captain America's one-time girlfriend), Spymaster, Spider-Woman, and Agent X. On the other hand, Taskmaster also trains many of his students to serve as low-rent henchmen and cannon fodder. In his early appearances, Taskmaster mentions putting intellect-reducing drugs in the diet of his students. He also routinely sent groups of his more disappointing students to serve as "sparring partners" for Red Skull, routinely engaging several of them at a time and killing them all (Hauptmann Deutschland infiltrated the academy and used one such session as an opportunity to kidnap Red Skull). He has also employed other supervillains, such as when he hired Anaconda as his academy's calisthenics instructor.[volume & issue needed]

On another occasion, Taskmaster was hired by the Triune Understanding—a religious group secretly masterminding a smear campaign to paint the Avengers as being religiously and racially intolerant—to stage an attack on a Triune facility. Posing as Captain America, he contacted Warbird, Ant-Man, Silverclaw and Captain Marvel, claiming that he needed their help to destroy a Triune building containing a mind-control machine. Although they saw through his deception and subsequently defeated him—thanks to Captain Marvel transforming into Rick Jones mere milliseconds away from Taskmaster, thus causing a complete change of attack before Taskmaster could react—the building was destroyed in the ensuing battle and Taskmaster escaped, leaving the heroes lacking any evidence of their story.[15]

Taskmaster continued to train numerous villains and thugs until the Avengers began to search out and shut down some of his academies across the United States. Taskmaster began to spend more time working as a mercenary in order to make up for the loss of profit. This led him to join Agency X at the behest of his love interest Sandi Brandenberg, in missions from time to time, while continuing to teach at his academies around the world. More recently, Taskmaster is once again seen as a hired mercenary, contracted by the Committee to kill Moon Knight (Marc Spector). Taskmaster was misled with information that Moon Knight was broken, friendless and desiring death. During the conflict these factors all proved to be false as Marc's ex-girlfriend and butler came to Spector's defense and found the will to fight back. Despite his superior fighting abilities, Taskmaster was defeated. Moon Knight then carved off part of Taskmaster's facemask, though left him alive.[16]

Taskmaster also worked at training henchmen to copy fighting styles of specific heroes. Taskmaster unleashed Deathshield (trained to fight like Captain America), Jagged Bow (trained to fight like Hawkeye), and Blood Spider (trained to fight like Spider-Man) to face off against Spider-Man and Solo. The three were defeated, while Taskmaster escaped yet again.[17]

When the "Civil War" broke out, Taskmaster was hired by the government and enrolled into a team of Thunderbolts and given temporary amnesty to take down the Secret Avengers.[18] He later battles the Secret Avengers in New York. He attempts to kill Susan "Sue" Storm, only for Reed Richards to take the bullet. Enraged, Sue crushes him with an invisible telekinetic field, rendering him unconscious.[19] He was sent to the Negative Zone Prison with the other "Major-League" members of the Thunderbolts army such as Lady Deathstrike,[volume & issue needed] but was apparently freed by Deadpool.[20] In order to regain his own reputation as a mercenary, Deadpool frees Taskmaster from his imprisonment to have a showdown with him while potential merc contractors watched from their captive position in a nearby prison. Taskmaster is again referred to as Tasky by Deadpool, and a fight ensues between him and the manacled Deadpool. He mentions his professional ethics, but this simply comes down to deciding to simply maim his opponent rather than kill him. In the end, he is defeated by Deadpool who, in spite of the victory, fails to impress his captive audience. After being thanked for letting him win, Taskmaster tells Deadpool that he had not let him win, "The truth is... You're that good. You've always been that good. Which won't get you a cup of coffee until you figure out how to be a professional..."[21] Taskmaster was given a full presidential pardon for his efforts in testing the security of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, in which he was able to break in and place Deputy Director Maria Hill in his sights. Though he was allowed to leave, a threatening message left in Hill's private bathroom revealed that if he ever desired, infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. would be no difficult feat.[volume & issue needed]

Taskmaster replaces Gauntlet as Camp Hammond's drill instructor and is tasked with training registered superheroes for the Fifty State Initiative. Taskmaster would also be involved in MVP's cloning process inputting (via technology) the original's move set for the Scarlet Spiders as well as the move set of Spider-Man.[22]

Taskmaster is hired by Deadpool to help his old enemy and occasional friend defeat the Thunderbolts. Being disguised as Deadpool, he gets captured and is about to be beheaded when the real Deadpool saves him. Deadpool finally pays him, but he expresses annoyance at being paid from an ATM due to his major villain status.[23]

During the "Dark Reign" storyline, Taskmaster is chosen to lead the Shadow Initiative after the Skrull invasion, with their first mission to take down Hardball's HYDRA cell in Madripoor.[24] Along with Constrictor, Bengal, Typhoid Mary and Komodo, Taskmaster stealthily leads the group into the country, but they are soon discovered by HYDRA.[25] Norman Osborn appoints Taskmaster to train criminals for the new Initiative, to behave like heroes. His first task is to retrain Penance.[26] Also, when Blastaar takes control of the Negative Zone prison 42, Taskmaster is ordered to lead a squad to take the prison back.[27] Later, he gives Night Thrasher a severe bullet wound to the head, allowing Osborn to take Night Thrasher prisoner.[28] When Emma Frost and Namor resign from the Cabal, Taskmaster is offered membership.[29] Taskmaster was present at a meeting when Osborn discusses about Asgard.[30][31] He is severely wounded at the meeting as a result of an attack by Doctor Doom. While recovering in a hospital, Taskmaster declined to join the Cabal. Osborn cut the oxygen tank next to Taskmaster's bed, reminding him that it was Osborn who plucked him from obscurity. Taskmaster then agrees to join in the siege of Asgard.[29] During the battle, he fights with both versions of Captain America (Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes).[32] As Asgard falls, Taskmaster finds Constrictor and the two beat a hasty retreat, but not before Taskmaster taunts Osborn about how Taskmaster helped Deadpool. After Osborn's defeat by Captain America and Iron Man, Taskmaster and Constrictor went back to mercenary work.[33]

A false rumor is spread that Taskmaster is leaking information about the criminal underworld to Rogers's new 'heroic' regime. A bounty of $1,000,000,000 is placed on the Taskmaster's head by the mysterious Org. The hordes of AIM, HYDRA, the Secret Empire, ULTIMATUM, the Cyber Ninjas, the Black Choppers, the Trenchcoat Mafia, the Legions of the Living Lightning, the Militiamen, the Sons of the Serpent, and the Inquisition take up the chase to claim the money. Taskmaster, ambushed in a small diner, manages to best his opponents. But the diner's waitress, Mercedes Merced, gets entangled in the saga and is included in the bounty. Taskmaster reveals to Mercedes that his powers cause him to lose his explicit memory, meaning that he cannot remember anything about his personal life, and the only way for the whole ordeal to be over is to re-discover Taskmaster's origins.[34] Taskmaster and Mercedes' quest takes them to Mexico to battle the Don of the Dead,[35] and then to Bolivia to the village where everyone is Hitler. Inside an exact replica of Himmler's Wewelsburg Castle, Taskmaster regains his memories. He remembers being S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Tony Masters that had been sent to Bolivia to terminate Horst Gorscht, the Nazi scientist responsible for a corrupted version of the super-soldier serum. Gorscht had developed a new serum that could unlock the mind's potential to absorb knowledge instantaneously. With Gorscht's serum and test notes destroyed, Masters injected the last of the serum into himself. Having regained these memories, Taskmaster recognizes Mercedes' voice as being the same as 'The Hub', a mysterious voice who works for the Org. Taskmaster shoots Mercedes in the shoulder and threatens to kill her if she doesn't start talking. Mercedes reveals that the Org is a S.H.I.E.L.D. front, and that she is not only an agent, but also Taskmaster's wife. Miles above the Wewelsburg castle in an airship, the Minions' International Liberation Front (a secret group composed of henchmen from all of the major terrorist organizations), led by Redshirt the Uber-Henchman, reveal their deception and plot to rule the criminal underground by using Taskmaster to lead them straight to the Org.[1] Redshirt leads the Minions' International Liberation Front (or the acronym MILF for short) into battle against the Taskmaster and Mercedes. Mercedes convinces the Taskmaster to trust her and work together to fend off the forces of MILF. During the battle, Taskmaster regains his memories of Mercedes and how he fell in love with her. Before they can reconcile, Taskmaster is attacked from behind by Redshirt who has genetically altered his body and mastered superior fighting skills to those of Taskmaster. Redshirt gains the upper hand as the pair push each other to the limits. Mercedes tries to intervene to protect her husband, but is quickly and effortlessly cast to one side. Enraged, Taskmaster attacks Redshirt and delivers a killing blow using Redshirt's own fighting style (which causes Taskmaster to lose his memories once more). Taskmaster, not recognizing Mercedes or his reasons for being there, flees and leaves Mercedes alone once more.[volume & issue needed]

Avengers Academy student Finesse later seeks out Taskmaster, thinking that he may be her long-lost father. When she finds Taskmaster, Finesse ends up sparring with him. After much sparring, Taskmaster finally relents to tell Finesse that he very well might be her father, but that the powers to learn so much about others’ movements and techniques have caused him to forget important things in life. Knowing he likely will not remember the conversation in a couple days, Taskmaster tells Finesse that he wanted to fight her so he might remember her.[36]

During the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline, Taskmaster comes to the aid of Alpha Flight when it comes to forming a resistance against the Unity Party that was formed by Master of the World.[37]

In order for the Masters of Evil to obtain the Crown of Wolves for the Shadow Council, Max Fury hired Taskmaster to retrieve it only for Taskmaster to demand more money for the job and he hid in the Hole. The Secret Avengers went to the Hole in order to get the Crown of Wolves before Fury got his hands on it. This led to a fight between Taskmaster and Agent Venom.[38] However, Taskmaster escaped and returned the crown to Fury, only for Max to apparently kill Taskmaster when he asks for payment. When the crown's effects don't function for Max, Taskmaster takes the crown for himself, which saves his life by making him the Avatar for the Abyss.[39] As the Abyss spreads, the Secret Avengers members Venom and Ant-Man are able to remove the crown and stop the spread, while Taskmaster and the Masters of Evil are left behind when the Avengers leave with Max in their custody.[40]

The criminals of Bagalia imprison Taskmaster and are preparing to offer him up to the highest bidder. S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Secret Avengers come to rescue him and offer him a position. As their inside man, Taskmaster is part of the new High Council of A.I.M. as the Minister of Defense.[41] Mockingbird later goes to A.I.M. Island to assist Taskmaster in helping make contact between the Iron Patriot A.I. drones and James Rhodes.[42] After the mission goes south and Mockingbird is left stranded on AIM Island,[volume & issue needed] Taskmaster works undercover to free her.[volume & issue needed] But when he gets the chance to get her off the island, she doesn't respond to anything he says until both are captured. While being interrogated, Taskmaster is shot and seemingly killed by Mockingbird apparently under the control of Scientist Supreme (Andrew Forson).[43] However, Mentallo discovered that Mockingbird purposely missed any vitals and Taskmaster survived.[44]

At the time when Captain America was brainwashed into being a Hydra sleeper agent by Red Skull's clone using the powers of Kobik, Taskmaster later relocated to Bagalia where he became its sheriff.[45]

When Taskmaster and Black Ant (Eric O'Grady's Life Model Decoy counterpart) found out what was done to Captain America to be made into a Hydra sleeper agent, they planned to have a parley with Maria Hill to discuss this with only for the new Madame Hydra (Elisa Sinclair) to get to them first.[46] Impressed with the fighting skills of the two of them, Madame Hydra made them bodyguards.[47]

During the "Secret Empire" storyline, Taskmaster appears as a member of Hydra's Avengers.[48] During the battle in Washington DC, Taskmaster and Black Ant witness their teammate Odinson having enough of working for Hydra and striking them down. The two of them defect from Hydra and free the captive Champions. When Taskmaster and Black Ant asks for them to put in a good word for them, Spider-Man webs them up anyway.[49]

Taskmaster and Black Ant later attack Empire State University where Dr. Curt Connors was teaching a class. As the inhibitor chip prevents Connors into turning into Lizard, Peter Parker sneaks off to become Spider-Man. During his fight with Black Ant and Taskmaster, Spider-Man is exposed to the Isotope Genome Accelerator that splits him from his Peter Parker side.[50]

In a prelude to "Hunted", Taskmaster and Black Ant work with Kraven the Hunter and Arcade in capturing some animal-themed characters for his upcoming hunt.[51] Black Ant and Taskmaster are talking about the Hunt. Taskmaster betrays Black Ant saying that Black Ant is an animal-themed villain and tasers Black Ant to get more money.[52] Lizard finds Taskmaster at the Pop-Up with No Name. Lizard proceeds to poisons him by slipping a poison into her beer. Lizard offers Taskmaster the antidote if he can take Lizard to Central Park. While traveling there, Lizard and Taskmaster defeat Vermin, freeing innocent bystanders. Taskmaster helps put a taser chip in Lizard's body, and takes him to Arcade.[53] Taskmaster frees Lizard from his binds and Lizard tells Taskmaster that the poison will wear off in 24 hours.[54] Taskmaster makes off with Black Ant before Yellowjacket, Human Fly, Razorback, Toad, and White Rabbit can take revenge on him. As they leave, Taskmaster states that Black Ant would've done the same for him. When Black Ant asks "Do you mean the betrayal part or the rescue part?" All Taskmaster can say is "yeah!"[55]

During the "King in Black" storyline, Taskmaster is among the villains recruited by Mayor Wilson Fisk to be part of his Thunderbolts at the time of Knull's invasion. While having argued with Mister Fear over who was the first villain to wear a skull mask, Taskmaster becomes the de facto field leader of the group. Following the deaths of Ampere and Snakehead, Taskmaster couldn't stop Rhino from walking off and tells the remaining members not to help the Manhattan Defenders. He and the Thunderbolts arrive at Ravencroft to meet with Norman Osborn who Mayor Fisk claims can help them defeat Knull.[56]

[ljsbugblog]

I was so stoked when I saw this Myrmarachne bicolor mimicking a Strobe ant two months ago, but I could've never imagined I would then see another Myrmarachne mimicking a completely different species.

this female is mimicing one of the many species of Polyrachis ants, my guess is P. ammon, the Golden Tailed Spiny Ant. while she doesn't have the spikes on her thorax characteristic of these ants (nor does she have a thorax in general, but is able to emulate one with a 'bump' in her oblong cephalothorax), she does have the incredible shiny golden abdomen and black banding, which I'm sure is convincing enough to make potential predators think twice!

much like the other Myrmarachne I've observed, she incessantly waves her forelegs in front of her to simulate an ant's antennae, and moves quickly and purposefully to further sell the illusion.

Red-headed Ant-mimic Spider, female (Myrmarachne erythrocephala).

[crevicedwelling]

adding my explanation that basically says the same thing to this branch of the thread

also, keep in mind that there’s probably some 150 other jumping spiders in Singapore, and most aren’t ant mimics; there’s no “perfect” way to be a jumping spider. evolution is not a directed process and there isn’t an end goal to it. evolution is a name for what happens when animals change in response to change in their environment or just due to chance.

it’s relatively easy to explain why Myrmaplata looks like an ant (because predators don’t like eating ants), but why does Telamonia have red stripes? does the white spot on Pancorius’ head do anything? maybe it’s a signal of health that mates find attractive, or maybe it’s actually camouflage. maybe it’s not even functional at all anymore, but there’s no pressure to get rid of those features.

evolution isn’t “working towards perfection”, it’s just a reflection of the organisms that were good enough to make more of themselves.

another ant mimic jumping spider from Singapore. this one might have been the most antlike out of any spider I’ve ever seen, with a little crease on its opisthosoma to look like an ant’s segmented abdomen and posterior lateral eyes set to look like an ant’s angular head!

Myrmaplata sp.

[hapalopus]

Because I feel like it, here are some assorted cool invertebrates you may not know of, that definitely deserve more love and attention

Red-dotted planthopper (Lystra lanata) - the ‘feathers’ on its abdomen is actually a waxy secretion that’s meant to deter predators, help it glide while falling, and protect eggs. It’s also hydrophobic, meaning it repels water!

Giant polynoid worm (Eulagisca gigantea) - The first picture actually shows the ventral side! The worm’s back is covered in two rows of large, plated scales called elytra. The ‘head’ (which is really a proboscis) in the pictures is turned inside out and is thus visible, but usually it’s retracted. The worm is about 20 cm/8 inches long.

Whip spider (Ariamnes) - This may look look like some odd non-spider arachnid, but it actually is a true spider! The long ‘tail’ is really it’s abdomen (read: belly/butt). The abdomen apparently isn’t segmented like such parts are with most invertebrates, but it’s still very flexible, almost like a tail.

Antarctic medusa (Desmonema glaciale) - This jellyfish’s bell can grow up to 1 m (3 ft) in diameter, and while it has less than 10 tentacles, they can grow up to 5 meters long!! Like most larger jellies it eats fish and small shrimp, but it has also been known to eat starfish! It’s just... really beautiful and alien-looking.

Trilobite beetle (Platerodrilus) - Yup this is a regular beetle. If you look at photos of the males, it’s pretty clear that they’re just beetles, but for some reason the female looks like this. Because of that insane sexual dimorphism, it took almost a century to even figure out what the males looked like, because they just don’t look like the same species. Also, you see that tiny segment at the front? That’s the entire head!

Fifty-rayed predatory starfish (Labidiaster annulatus) - This is an Antarctic species of starfish that’s roughly 60 cm (24 in) in diameter. It most commonly eats krill and it’s completely harmless despite looking like the spawn of Cthulhu!

Arctiine moth (Creatonotos gangis) - The weird tupes at the bottom are enlarged coremata, a pheromone signaling structure that all male moths and butterflies have. For some reason they’re just exceptionally large in a few species like this.

Piure (Pyura chilensis) - This may look like a rock full of bloody organs, but it’s actually a tunicate, one of the few invertebrate chordates of the world! It eats by sucking up seawater and filtering out the micro organisms. They’re all born male, but become hermaphroditic as they age. No one knows how or why, but its blood is clear and contains an extremely high concentration of the element Vanadium.

Lobster moth (Stauropus fagi) - This is actually the caterpillar. The adult moths look like pretty standard moths. The caterpillar is believed to mimic a spider or ant. When disturbed, it'll thrash around violently like an injured ant, and its front legs are described as "ever nervously twisting about."

There is such an amazingly intricate wealth of animals right under our noses, but they’re so small we rarely give them any thought 💕

[dailybuglenow]

SUNDAY, 24 MAY 2024. EDITED BY J. JONAH JAMESON.

THIS IS AMERICA: OR, OUR NEW ‘AVENGER’ IN CHIEF –

It’s a new age for the people of America. As a world we’ve found ourselves embroiled in an  excess of trouble, chaos and confusion for the last six years and the United States have not been the exception. Today, we write about another day of sorrow and how we can maintain hope for the future. The White House made an order to fly all flags at half-staff in early April following the unexpected passing of President Matthew Ellis. The successor to former one-term President Barack Obama, Ellis had just started his second term when the Cleanse occurred in May of 2018. President Ellis was a victim of Thanos and the controversial Senator Robert Kelly acted as Commander in Chief in the interim. Upon his return he reassumed office for the last year before suffering a pulmonary embolism at the beginning of April.

Public opinion was divide during Ellis’ respective terms. Although Ellis was seen receiving aid from heroes such as Iron Man and Captain America, his stance on superhumans varied. It was Ellis who first introduced the world to be Advanced Threat Containment Union, a group established to deal with the rising numbers of Inhumans but ended up being tangled with Nazi organization H.Y.D.R.A. “The laws of nature have changed.” Ellis said when issuing his executive order. “And until the laws of man change to reflect that, we must do what we feel is right.“ On May 3rd. 2016 President Ellis became one of many leaders internationally to sign the Sokovian Accords that demanded more collaboration and responsibility from the Avengers. The Accords came as a response to events in countries such as Sokovia and Lagos where Avenger efforts led to deaths and needed to be addressed on a global level. "It is crucial that we unite and stand together to ensure that peace and security prevail over chaos and fear,” Ellis stated as he both commended the heroes for their work and chastised their carelessness. Over his political career Ellis worked with the now deceased Glen Talbot and General Thaddeus Ross, who sung his praises during a recent press conference.

Upon the passing of Ellis, it was expected that Vice President Lee would take over but the White House instead issued a statement that took many by surprise. Instead of Lee or any of the other Cabinet members in line for the office taking over, they were appointing former C.E.O. and businessman Norman Osborn into office effectively immediately. This came as a surprise to many as Osborn was believed to be deceased ever since he succumbed to a incredibly rare disease in 2021 during Thanos’ Cleanse. Osborn’s company, OSBORN, fell into the hands of his former partner Mendel Stromm due to Osborn’s teenaged son, Harry Osborn, being a victim of the Cleanse. When Thanos’ work was reversed Stromm agreed to remain in control of the company until Harry turned 18 and could legally take over. While that has yet to happen, Norman Osborn recently reappeared spinning a tale about being kidnapped and held hostage for three years. The Bugle is currently fact checking the story and looking into the supposed terrorist organization, but in the meantime the world not only celebrated the return of Osborn but also capitalized on his story of fighting for freedom against all odds.

The sudden ascent from deceased businessman to President of the United  States is the kind of comeback story that our country eats up, even if this humble reporter isn’t entirely sold on the story. To keep up with the whirlwind pace, Osborn’s Inauguration Gala was held on April 29th, 2020 in Manhattan to celebrate his victory, a date that is situated only a few days after the one year memorial of the Cleanse. Politicians, businessmen, America’s shiniest, world leaders and heroes were all invited to brush elbows and show their support for their new President. Shi’ar Empress Xandra Neramani was photographed along with Inhuman Royalty and Krakoan leaders. While all seemed to be smooth sailing, guests were caught off guard by the surprise unveiling of Osborn’s New Avengers, which saw him front and center as the Iron Patriot. The Patriot armor was briefly used in the past by the current War Machine, Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. The following speech followed his announcement:

“Thank you again to everyone who has taken the time to attend my ceremony today. As I mentioned before, I have a surprise in store for you tonight. As we all know, the backbone of my campaign has been the safety of our people, to ensure we’ll never face a threat like Thanos again. To defend every American from crimes of a less than ordinary nature and keep up with the growing threats. While we have relied on people such as the Avengers, the X-Men, and other groups in the past it is time for a change of pace. I’m grateful for all that they have done to keep our home safe. It is time for us to stop relying on a group of independent crime fighters. They’ve squabbled amongst themselves and each other with innocent civilian casualties too many times now. Which is why I present you with a force to defend our nation from any threat, capable of fighting aliens, robots or other superhumans, the Avengers of America!”

Osborn’s announcement was entirely unexpected as the Avengers had been in good standing ever since their work reversing Thanos’ Cleanse and the sacrifices of founding members Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) and Tony Stark (Iron Man). Some saw this as a direct affront to the existing Avengers while others believe a change of pace will be beneficial for a country that’s struggled  to regain its footing. At the time of the Gala, the official rostered Avengers included: Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel), Spider-Man (Unknown), Scott Lang (Ant-Man), Thor Odinson, Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch), Stephen Strange (Doctor Strange), Sam Wilson (Captain America), James Rhodes (War Machine), Hope Van Dyne (Wasp), Bruce Banner (the Hulk), Clint Barton (Hawkeye) and the Vision. Ms. Maximoff was barely eighteen when first recruited, and it has long been known that masked web head Spider-man is a minor even if we have not matched a face to the mask.

Identities have not been announced yet for most of the heroes, and some bear resemblance to formerly known criminals. The Bugle has requested a comment but are currently waiting for a response.  So far, confirmed members of America’s Avengers include: Star, Spider-Woman (Charlotte Witter),  Yellowjacket (Rita DeMara), the Minotaur, the Enchantress, Baron Zemo (Helmut  Zemo), the Iron Patriot (Norman Osborn), Beetle, Red-Hulk,  Bullseye and Moonstone. Due to most of the initial Avengers being unmasked, the public is unsure if they should trust a new set of heroes with secret identities. One Bugle commenter pointed out that some of the alias are tired to former criminals but no correlation has been confirmed.

The Avengers aren’t Osborn’s only endeavor either. The formerly America based X-Men separated recently to form their own island nation of Krakoa and now have sovereignty and no longer adhere to American laws. Osborn announced via a press conference his own X-Men, which is a “rejuvenating team of American mutants who remember where their true allegiance should be.” The roster currently includes Wolverine (James Hudson Jr.), the Goblin Queen (Madelyne Pryor), Miss Sinister (Claudine Renko), Belladonna (Bella Donna Boudreaux), Mimic (Calvin Rankin) and Melter (Christian Colchiss) and their leader ‘X’. This line-up definitely includes some who have ended up on the wrong side of the law, and X strongly resembles Charles Xavier, the mutant leader who goes by Professor X, right down to the unsettling helmet. All of America’s X-Men are reported to be vetted and redeemed despite their being little shown to support that.

Rounding out Osborn’s new order is his Cabal, a public version of the once rumored Illuminati that brought a group of very powerful leaders together. Osborn’s Cabal stands for “intentional and intergalactic unity on a scale never before seen,” according to Osborn spokeswoman Lily Hollister. Representatives include: Maximus Boltagon (the Inhumans), Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom (Latveria), Loki (Asgard), Ronan the Accuser (the Kree), Cal’ysee Neramani/Deathbird (Shi’ar Empire), Valerie Cooper (United States) and Emma Frost/White Queen (Krakoa). The final nail in the coffin of how the world used to be was Osborn’s decision to disband the government agency S.H.I.E.L.D. effective immediately to be replaced by the newly renewed H.A.M.M.E.R.

What Norman Osborn’s America looks like is a daunting picture to encapsulate. Our world has always grown, shifted and changed but we usually strive for it to be in a positive direction. Here at the Bugle we voice our concerns but also strive to report accurate and up to date news. As President Osborn’s term progresses we promise to be here for every twist and turn. Some say god bless America, but in this case I’ll settle with good luck, America.

— Reported by Ben Urich, senior reporter

FROM CRADLE TO C.R.A.D.L.E: THE CASE AGAINST UNDERAGED HEROES –

Tragedy struck a New Jersey high school last week. Coles Academic High School hosted activist Ailana Kabua who came from the Marshall Islands to speak as a keynote for the Concerned Scientists of America program, which brought together students from different districts. Although it was not disclosed at the time, the Avengers affiliated team the Champions were on the premise acting as bodyguards. In a strange turn of events a dragon crashed the event and the Champions made themselves known. In what appeared to be a field error, the synthezoid daughter of Avenger the Vision, Vivian Vision, phased through an energy based fist being created by Victor Alvarez (Power Man). The results was Vision losing control and pulling all the electricity from the atmosphere until the team managed to subdue her. As it stands, Vision is reported but was not the only one hurt. Student Kamala Khan protected Kabua as the two tried to escape, but Ms. Khan was unfortunately injured. Her parents provided the Bugle with an update that so far Kamala has been unresponsive in the ICU in critical condition.

In the wake of this tragedy, the public and government began to look for the root of the problem and came to one conclusion:  unsupervised teen vigilante acts. As many of you remember, the United Nations passed the Sokovian Accords in 2016 to counteract independent superheroes. Although some of the affiliates of former Captain America Steve Rogers were arrested, the Accords fell apart after Thanos’ 2018 attack in Wakanda and have not been revisited. Congress called in the following Champions - some of  who maintain secret identities - to testify in front of the Subcommittee on Superhumans and Public Safety Legislation Hearing about S.315, aka the Underage Superhuman Welfare Act: Spider-Man (the one in red and black),  Riri Williams (Ironheart), Joaquin Torres (Falcon), Nadia Van Dyne (Wasp) and Nova. Other rostered members who were not subpoenaed include Lana Baumgartner (the former criminal known as Bombshell), Qureshi Gupta (Pinpoint) and Victor Alvarez (Power Man). Avengers Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel), Sam Wilson (Captain America) and the Vision also showed up to speak in favor of the kids, but statements like Danvers “They’re just kids” didn’t hold up against some of the perceived danger of child superheroes. One committee member went as far as to point out Ms. Van Dyne’s history with Russia’s Red Room that the deceased Natasha Romanoff graduated from as proof of child soldiers being detrimental.

The Bugle has attained a transcript of the speech that Senator Patrick gave earlier this morning from the Capitol on behalf of the Committee: Thank you all for coming. As you know, our proposed Bill has taken on new significance in light or recent events. After  careful consideration of Congressional testimony, the devastation caused by the malfunction of Viv Vision, who is missing, and the near death of Ailana Kabua… the Underage Superhuman Welfare Act will be passed into law. I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Senate who voted across the aisle on this legislation. Parents and young people across America will feel a little bit safer at at night knowing that the law will no longer overlook people under the age of 21 who engage in superhero activity. We have already began to assemble the Child Hero Reconnaissance and Disruption Law Enforcement organization: C.R.A.D.L.E. This is an unprecedented collaboration between first responders and military personnel. Our capable and experienced commanders include Jake O, Carolina Washington, Timothy Dugan and former teen heroes Justice, Speedball and Timeslip. My fellow Americans: it is clear that teen superheroes have been given too many opportunities to harm themselves and others. We have denied them the guidance and structure that they deserve. That is not fair to them and that is not who we are. In naming this law, we want to honor an innocent young woman wounded in the Coles Disaster, who is fighting for her life as we speak. We’re all praying for her recovery. In her honor, we’re calling it Kamala’s Law.”

The swift announcement of C.R.A.D.L.E. was supported by President Norman Osborn, who lists Kamala’s Law in his policy change plan for America. Involving former child superheroes have left the population divided as some wonder if it is a glowing endorsement and others if it is a betrayal. C.R.A.D.L.E. operatives were spotted raiding the Champions Mobile Bunker, the home of child genius Lunella Lafayette and Riri William’s lab in Chicago. Current debate is surrounding how to force minor superheroes to comply in a safe and efficient way without harming them is ongoing, and established heroes under 21 must register and become affiliated. As it currently stands, Ms. Marvel is currently at large and wanted and most of the other Champions have yet to comply. The government has not yet issued on a statement on the status of American born mutants living on Krakoa, nor has the Fantastic Four made any comments even though Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic) and Susan Storm-Richards (Invisible Woman) have been reported to Child Protection Services before due to the danger that their underage children have been subjected to.

“Danger has never cared how old I was. Danger never cared about  any of us,” Superhero Ghost Spider was recorded saying recently by a civilian making accusations about underaged heroes. Unfortunately, this goes deeper than just danger and caring is intrinsic to the matter. The road to Kamala’s Law is expected to be rocky and filled with resistance but the government is dedicated to following through. Whether or not this turns out to be for the betterment of society has yet to be seen. The Bugle will provide continual updates on the wellbeing of Kamala Khan and Kamala’s Law.

— Reported by Christine Everheart, senior reporter

IN OTHER NEWS:

Shi’ar royalty made their first pubic appearance in the first time in nearly a decade back in March at the Stark Unity Gala. The appearance of their current Empress - Xandra Neramani - raised a few eyebrows and not just because of her young age. Reportedly, Neramani is the daughter of the late Empress Lilandra Neramani and mutant leader turned diplomat Charles Xavier. A representative for Xavier confirmed the connection and issued a brief statement that: We are thrilled to have Xandra as a guest of Krakoa on Earth to promote good will between the Shi’ar, mutants and Earth as a whole. As saddened as we are to hear the confirmation of former Majestrix Lilandra we look forward to building new bonds for the future.” Empress Neramani is accompanied by her aunt, former disgraced Shi’ar Cal’syee Neramani (Deathbird) and former Emperor Kallark (Gladiator) as well as a select council. As it stands no timeline has been set for the Shi’ar visit and they are not considered hostile.

#NotmyThor and #NotmyCaptainAmerica continue to trend on social media despite protests from Avengers and fans alike. “It’s just so sexist,” high school student Nakia Bahadir blogged last week about the continued outcry against the yet to be unmasked female Thor who took over within the last six months. “People can have secret identities and she’s kicking ass and getting the job done. People can chill out.” There’s been similar anger and disappointment expressed in the last year since the deceased  Steve Rogers passed his shield onto his former partner Sam Wilson. Wilson has come under fire for being what some consider ‘too bipartisan’ on political issues. “The shield has always stood for the good of the American people,” he said when stopped recently. “It still does. Being Cap means fighting for the American people and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.” The Bugle will continue to poll public opinion as time goes on.

— Reported by Melita Garner, junior reporter

KRAKOA CORRESPONDENCE:

We are currently looking into an international cult that could pose a significant threat to us. Sects of humans have risen up who are worshipping mutants like gods but have taken to attempt to drink mutant blood to achieve this. These humans consume the blackmarket  drug Pollen, which is made from Krakoan flowers and allows the consumer to attain vampiric qualities. Humans have been trying to steal Krakoan petals since we first made them known to the world and the Hellfire Trading Company vessel, the Marauder, has been working to provide safe transports for the drugs while we grow the flowers on the  Island. The X-Force team will continue to look into the matter.

An official source for Krakoa announced that mutants Jean Grey and Scott Summers welcomed son Charles Christopher Summers into the world on May 1st, 2024. Both mother and son are reported to be healthy and thankful for the two weeks of privacy. Hopefully this child is one of many to come as we embrace our decree: make more mutants.

The Quiet Council of Krakoa will be sitting down to discuss their current stance on President Norman Osborn at an undisclosed date and will report their agreement shortly after. As with all major issues, they thank you for your patience and encourage any comments or concerns to be brought to a representative. Until otherwise specified, the Hellfire Trading Company will continue to work in accordance with the already established laws with the United States.

As we enter into this new season, Krakoa is officially rolling out a new line of teams. Rosters will be posted shortly, but the Hellion and X-Factor groups will be joining preexisting ones such as the Marauders, X-Force, X-Men, Excalibur and New Mutants.

Be wary of potential conflict from the Fantastic Four. We have long been aware that Franklin Richards is an Omega level mutant and needs to be surrounded by his own kind on Krakoa but there has been resistance from Reed Richards and Susan Storm-Richards so far. Even though Franklin Richards can claim sanctuary on the Island we are trying to mitigate the situation as peacefully as possible. Should you encounter any of the Fantastic Four please attempt to avoid a violent confrontation.

[thedcdunce]

Animal Man

 “I didn't get my powers back just to get killed.” - Animal Man

Real Name: Bernhard "Buddy" Baker

Aliases:

A-Man

Gender: Male

Height: 6′ 0″

Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Blonde

Powers:

Conduit of The Red

Weaknesses:

Time Limit

Universe: 

Earth-One

New Earth

Citizenship: American

Base of Operations: San Diego

Parents: 

Frank Baker, Jr.; father

Phyllis Baker; mother

Marital Status: Married (Ellen Baker; wife)

Occupation:

Actor

Stunt-Man

First Appearance: Strange Adventures #180 (September, 1965)

Last Appearance: Justice League of America Vol 2 #59 (September, 2011)

Powers

Conduit of The Red: Later, Baker learned to draw abilities directly from the "Red", an energy field that connects every animal ever to have lived on Earth. Apparently the Red extends past earth and exists as a universal concept. In 52, Buddy experiences an upgrade that allows him to connect to the Universe's morphogenetic field, providing him unlimited access to all animals in the universe regardless of origin, making him one of the most powerful beings to ever exist. This power also extends to non-animal microogranisms but not to plants, which are part of The Green controlled by Swamp Thing or fungi and molds, which are connected to The Grey.

Animal Mimicry: Buddy can mimic any abilities of any animal as a result of his encounter with a crashed alien spacecraft. He does this by either focusing on a specific animal near him, or, as he learned later, by drawing power from the animal kingdom in general. The nature of these powers has been described in various ways, including the superficial "alien radiation" explanation of his early appearances, the reconstruction of his body by aliens with "morphogenetic grafts" at the cellular level, and currently, mystical access to a "morphogenetic field" created by all living creatures, also known as "the Red". He does not grow wings to fly as a bird, nor does he form gills to breathe underwater when mimicking a fish, but he has occasionally been known to mimic the actual appearances of animals, such as adopting the claws of a wolverine temporarily. His powers have changed considerably in the New 52, after he was killed and reborn by The Red into a body that takes on the aspects of the animals whose powers he is using at the time. This results in him changing into a chimera-like being. Buddy is also able to tap into more than one animal, e.g. during his second fight with B'wana Beast he channeled the regenerative powers of a salamander and the camouflage of a chameleon; this aspect of his power has been shown more frequently in his New 52 series. Among the "animal powers" Buddy has been known to use are:

The strength of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The flight of a bird.

The swimming ability of a fish.

The speed of an ant.

The sonic blast of a pistol shrimp.

The sense of smell of a moth.

The agility of a snake.

The durability of a rhino.

The electricity of an electric eel.

The regeneration ability of a worm.

The wall-crawling of a spider.

The stench of a skunk.

The color changing of a chameleon.

The reproduction abilities of protozoa.

The level of Buddy's abilities are not proportional to the size of the animal they are drawn from. Hence, drawing the jumping ability from a flea would allow him to cover great distances. However, taking the abilities of a larger animal does not result in diminished power for him.

Force Blasts: Tapping into the Red, Animal Man can also fire powerful blasts of force or unidentified energy. He can even use the primordial energies to start a new universe.

Animal Empathy: In addition to his mimic abilities, Animal Man can make contact with animals, empathize with, "talk" to and see their thoughts and memories. This ability to transfer his life essence has allowed him to survive even when his body has been killed.

Animal Control: Animal Man can, to a lesser degree, control animals by entering their minds. He can also transfer his mind to living animals of any kind, using their bodies as long as he wants to.

Weaknesses

Time Limit: Buddy can only absorb the ability of another animal for approximately 30 minutes before having to recharge his connection with that creature.

Origins

In his late teens, Buddy Baker was a happy hell-raising punk rocker. One fall afternoon he went hunting in the Adirondack Mountains and when he returned home, he had changed. Whatever it was, something in the woods had connected him to what is variously referred to as the Red, the Lifeweb, or the Morphogenetic Field - the force that binds together every living animal on Earth. Encountering some escaped animals from a nearby zoo, Buddy discovered that in the presence of an animal, he was able to absorb its special abilities. He was now the Man With Animal Powers.

Animal Man

At the suggestion of his best friend, Roger Denning, Buddy donned an orange-and-blue costume starting a minor career as the super-hero Animal Man. Partly for kicks, partly as a way to promote their rock band, Buddy actually managed to do several heroic deeds, ranging from foiling a few robberies at the local pet store, to battling actual space aliens and odd crooks such as the Mod Gorilla Boss.

After a few years of adventuring, Buddy retired his Animal Man identity, married his high-school girlfriend, Ellen Frazier, and moved to San Diego. Living on the salary from Ellen's work as an illustrator and Buddy's newly-started career as a movie stuntman, the couple mortgaged a house in the suburbs and raised two children, Cliff and Maxine.

Forgotten Heroes

Buddy thought his super-hero days were over, but that was about to change. After stumbling on an ancient golden pyramid, he was contacted by the mysterious Immortal Man. Joining up with other has-been adventurers - including Cave Carson, Dane Dorrance, and Dolphin - who had encountered similar pyramids around the world, Animal Man became part of the organization called the Forgotten Heroes. Under Immortal Man's direction, the group was able to destroy the pyramids, saving the world in the process. For a time, the group stayed together, opposing threats such as Vandal Savage and the Forgotten Villains. During the world-shattering event known as the Crisis, Immortal Man sacrificed his life, and soon after, the Forgotten Heroes disbanded.

Buddy returned to his family life, although the thought of superheroics was still nagging in his head. He wanted to make a difference, but had to support his family as well. Convinced that there was still a place for Animal Man in this world, Buddy resumed his full-time superhero career, battling villains such as the new Mirror Master and a delirious B'wana Beast. He also assisted in foiling the invasion of Earth by the Alien Alliance. Still not satisfied, Buddy made the decision to become a protector of animal life on Earth. He sabotaged foxhunting in England, dolphin slaughter on the Faroe Islands, and animal experiments all over the USA. He worked with Vixen to overthrow the government of M'Changa, and with the Freedom Beast to oppose the apartheid powers of South Africa. About this time, he learned from a scientist named James Highwater that his powers were greater than he initially had believed, due to his previously unknown contact with the morphogenetic field.

Justice League International

Becoming a member in good standing of the European branch of Justice League International, he was also able to draw a monthly salary. As part of the JLE, he battled the Queen Bee, the Time Commander, and the wrath of Dr. Irwin Teasdale. The media wrote lots about him and his popularity increased. Everything was going his way and then it wasn't anymore. After a fireman had accidentally been killed in a fire started by his animal activist group, a shocked Buddy began to reconsider the path he had chosen. Though still a convinced vegetarian, environmentalist and animal rights activist, he asked himself if superheroics and illegal sabotage activities were the right ways to go. Refusing to become a role model, he quit the Justice League and the activist group, attempting to hang up his super-hero costume for good.

Second Crisis and Grant Morrison

Then, when a corporate organization threatened to kill his family if he did not stop doing his deed, Buddy teamed up with the Mirror Master to oppose them. Suddenly, he found himself in the role of a hero once again, getting tangled up in saving the world from a second Crisis at the hands of the Psycho-Pirate, and ultimately, believe it or not, learning the fact that he was a comic book character. He even got to meet his writer, Grant Morrison, in person.

Alternate reality

Naturally, Buddy was not allowed to remember such revelations for long. Some time after these events, he woke up from a coma with amnesia. This would have been his return to normal life, had it not been for the fact that the world he woke up in was that of an alternate Buddy Baker. In this world, Ellen had divorced him, America was controlled by a right-extremist corrupt government, and Buddy himself had no control over his powers. After a series of weird adventures, Buddy could finally return to "his" world.

Antagon and Animal Masters

Once again a movie stuntman, Buddy continued as a part-time superhero, but his life was to get weirder still. His powers continued to malfunction; birds died when he was flying, he absorbed animal behavior and appearance unexpectedly, and animals around him acted strange. After his powers accidentally had killed every animal on the San Diego Zoo, Buddy and his family moved to Ellen's mother's farm in Pownal, Vermont. Later, it was revealed that the reason for this "animal weirdness" was the coming of a hostile Animal Antagon, a.k.a. the Shining Man. During this course of events, Buddy encountered a Native American shaman named "Stone That Cracked Open the Earth Like an Egg", who revealed that Buddy was one of a group of chosen people called the Animal Masters, destined to be the guardians of nature. Together with fellow Animal Masters Vixen and Tristess, Animal Man was able to defeat the Shining Man, who had already corrupted, possessed, and killed B'wana Beast, still another Animal Master. He also learned that his daughter Maxine was an Animal Master as well, developing powers similar to his own.

Apparent death and connection to the Red

Settling down at the farm in Vermont, Buddy's next mission was to fetch back his son Cliff, who had been kidnapped by Ellen's insane uncle Dudley. While looking for his son, Buddy was run over by Dudley's car and actually died. His life-force survived, however, and after many months living in the bodies of various animals, he was reborn as a hybrid animal and saved Cliff. Later, he was able to re-create his original body.

Still, Buddy was now legally deceased, which he did not really mind. He had become tired of city life and superheroics, being content to live in peace on the farm with his reunited family. Fearing that nature would inevitably get rid of the vermin called humans, he started thinking of ways to make them understand what they were doing to their planet. Ellen's mother's farm became something of an "ark", a refuge for outcasts who did not fit in anywhere. Among them were a woman named Annie Cassidy, who also stood in contact with the Red, and her daughter Lucy Cassidy, who started a relationship with Cliff.

More and more, Buddy felt the animal instincts in him taking over. Overwhelmed by the power of the Red, Buddy and Annie made love to each other. The strengthened connection to the Red made Buddy step over the line, and once again adopt the appearance of a hybrid animal. Flying in rage to Washington D.C. , he plagued the city with all kinds of animals, threatening humanity to change their ways or go under. At the end, the authorities captured him, but he was released soon after, partly due to a lot of compassion from many Americans, who believed this "Animal Man" had a point.

Then, Annie came up with an idea; Buddy wanted to change the ways of humanity, they all wanted to make a difference, and they already had many followers. Why not start a cult, or a religion, with Buddy as an "enraged prophet" and Maxine as the savior - the Life Power Church of Maxine? Though they met a lot of resistance from the authorities, the Church immediately grew in popularity, especially among young people. Ellen could not cope with all this, especially not after Buddy revealed that he had had kind of an "affair" with Annie. Alienated by their community, and the forces she did not understand, she finally broke up with Buddy - at least temporarily. Buddy, Maxine, Cliff, Annie, Lucy, and their followers traveled across the state, picking up countless new "disciples" and rebelling animals in a wild caravan on Route 66. Dubbed "the Red Plague" by the media, they finally settled down as a Church in Montana.

Cosmic Phase

After this, Buddy entered what we can refer to as his "cosmic phase". Once again, he died and was reborn, this time with white-and-black-striped hair. While his friends worked with the Church's activities on Earth, Buddy became less aggressive, making an odyssey through various realms in search for universal truth. He had many revelations from agents of higher power, among them a spiritual bulldog named Mister Cow Ultimately battling an evil called the Spider Queen, Buddy finally realized that the truth was inside him. Just as diamonds and coal are the same substance, so is the divine and the human. Buddy, as well as anybody else, was the Body of God and the Soul of the World. With this knowledge, he easily defeated the Spider Queen. Shortly after, Annie gave birth to his second daughter, supposedly a human incarnation of the World Soul.

The Gamesman

The next time Buddy appeared, a competitive supervillain called the Gamesman had kidnapped Maxine, just for playing a hunting game with Buddy. With the help of Aquaman, Buddy was able to defeat the Gamesman and save Maxine. In the process, he guided the temporarily blind Aquaman, making him realize he had elemental connections.

Adventures with the Justice League and Forgotten Heroes

Maybe this adventure was the spark that Buddy needed to return to his super-hero life, because a few months later, Animal Man appeared in public again, dressed in his old colorful garb, and once again with blond hair. He has assisted the JLA on several occasions, even helping them saving the universe in their battle against Mageddon. At the start of the new millennium, Buddy attended a party together with the Swamp Thing, Shade the Changing Man, Black Orchid, and other fringe heroes. Together they helped stopping the coming of a strange new world as envisioned by a Bernie Madden. He has also rejoined the Forgotten Heroes, joining the Immortal Man and Resurrection Man in battle against Vandal Savage and the Millennium Creature. Buddy remains a semi-active member of the Forgotten Heroes, joining up with other members when the need arises.

Murder of Sue Dibny

Animal Man was one of many heroes who helped search for the murderer of Sue Dibny.

Infinite Crisis

He was recruited by Donna Troy as part of a team journeying to New Cronos to try and help stop the threat of Alexander Luthor. During this adventure, he formed a mentoring friendship with the new Firestorm, Jason Rusch. He, along with most of the heroes in space, went missing.

52

Animal Man was stranded on a paradise-like planet with fellow heroes Starfire and Adam Strange after the battle. After several weeks, Adam was able to get his spaceship working, and they departed for Earth. Their ship, however, was attacked by Devilance, who they had encountered on the planet and who had pursued them into space. Lobo appeared just in time to destroy Devilance, and after some negotiation, agreed to help them out. During a battle with Lady Styx and her horde, Animal Man was killed by a necrotoxin, which caused its victims to rise again in the service of Lady Styx. Animal Man made Starfire promise not to let him come back as a zombie. At the moment of his death, Ellen, still on Earth, sensed it, and began to cry.

Moments after Starfire and Adam Strange left Animal Man in space, he came back to life. The aliens that originally granted his powers stood next to him, saying: "And so it begins." After plucking him out the timestream and repairing his body, they left him in outer space. Animal Man reached out to another life form in order to survive, and claimed the abilities of a group of Sun-Eaters, including a homing sense. He then observed his wife from a wormhole in space, pondering whether to return to Earth, or stay in space, as he saw her with another man and putting her grief behind her.

Return

Buddy finally returned, describing the marvels of space to his delighted family. Ellen held a party to celebrate his return, but some followers of Lady Styx appeared, bent upon killing the family. They were eliminated by Starfire, who had partially recovered from wounds suffered in space. She delivered Buddy's jacket and then fainted out of surprise when she saw him alive, leaving the family to care for her.

Fun Facts

Animal Man frequently break the Fourth Wall, and eventually had Baker meet Morrison.

Buddy tells Adam Strange that his favorite Star Wars film is The Empire Strikes Back.