Shrike (identity)

Shrike is the name of multiple characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.^[1]

Fictional character biographies

Toros Tos

The Shrike
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Hawkman #11 (December 1965/January 1966)
Created by	Dave Cockrum, Gardner Fox, and Murphy Anderson
In-story information
Alter ego	Toros Tos
Place of origin	Moronon
Notable aliases	The Demon-Bird
Abilities	Flight Ability to understand all languages Can generate lightning, powerful winds, and ice from his wings

Toros Tos is a winged alien from the planet Moronon who is orphaned under unspecified circumstances and subsequently raised on Earth by Native Americans who believe him to be a messenger of Kukulkan. As Shrike, he encounters Hawkman and Hawkgirl, who assist him in retaking Moronon from the usurper Boras Boran.^[2]

Vanessa Kingsbury

Vanessa Kingsbury is an escaped mental patient who is empowered by the Overmaster, gains bird-like abilities, and joins the Cadre. She later joins the Suicide Squad and is killed in battle against the Ogaden Military before being temporarily resurrected as a Black Lantern in Blackest Night.^[3]

Shrike III

Shrike
Shrike, art by Javier Pulido and Marcos Martin.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Robin: Year One #3 (December 2000)
Created by	Chuck Dixon, Scott Beatty, Javier Pulido, and Marcos Martin
In-story information
Team affiliations	League of Assassins
Abilities	Exceptional martial artist

The third Shrike was created by writers Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty, and first appeared in Robin Year One #3.

Shrike is a member of Ra's al Ghul's League of Assassins and an instructor at the Vengeance Academy. After a disastrous encounter with the villain Two-Face forces Dick Grayson to give up his Robin identity, he infiltrates Shrike's school to regain Batman's trust. Shrike learns of Dick's deception and Batman arrives to save him, only to be badly wounded. Two-Face arrives and kills Shrike before escaping.

Boone

Boone is a martial artist who studies under several teachers in the Pacific Rim, including the third Shrike. Following Shrike's death, Boone assumes his mantle and joins the Secret Society of Super Villains before being killed by Psych.^[4][5]

In Infinite Frontier, Boone is resurrected and joins the Suicide Squad before being killed by Joker's laughing gas.^[6] His brother, known as Blue Shrike, subsequently battles Nightwing on Lazarus Island.^[7]

Shrike
Shrike as depicted in Nightwing Secret Files #1 (August 1999). Art by Scott McDaniel.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Nightwing Secret Files & Origins #1 (October 1999)
Created by	Chuck Dixon (writer) Scott McDaniel (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Unknown
Team affiliations	Vengeance Academy League of Assassins The Society Suicide Squad
Notable aliases	Boone Wayne Wilkins Jr. Ruby Eyes General War
Abilities	Exceptional martial artist

Queen Shrike

Khea Taramka is the queen of Hawkworld, an ally of Hath-Set, and the mother of Chay-Ara. After killing Hath-Set, she is possessed by the Star Sapphire entity Predator before being imprisoned in the Star Sapphire power battery.^[8]

In other media

• The Boone incarnation of Shrike makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.
• The Boone incarnation of Shrike appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.^[9]
• The Boone incarnation of Shrike appears in Batman: Arkham Shadow, voiced by Rick Gomez.^[10] This version, whose full name is Boone Carver, is a troubled youth, a close friend of Dick Grayson, and a former inmate of Blackgate Prison who became one of the Rat King's top lieutenants. After a failed attempt to assassinate acting police Commissioner Jim Gordon, he is pursued by Batman, who eventually confronts him at the Solomon Wayne Courthouse, where Shrike has taken Dr. Leslie Thompkins and District Attorney Harvey Dent hostage. Batman defeats Shrike and tries to interrogate him to learn the Rat King's identity, but Shrike commits suicide by setting himself on fire and jumping off a balcony.

References

1. Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 324–325. ISBN 9780345501066.
2. Hawkman #11 (January 1966). DC Comics.
3. Suicide Squad #67 (January 2010). DC Comics.
4. Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special
5. The Flash (vol. 5) #61. DC Comics.
6. Suicide Squad (vol. 7) #1. DC Comics.
7. Robin (vol. 3) #1 (April 2021). DC Comics.
8. Brightest Day #18 (March 2011). DC Comics.
9. Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
10. "Shrike / Boone Carver Voice - Batman: Arkham Shadow (Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 24, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.