Animal Anatomy (hybrid) – The character is a hybrid of two animals. Animal Anatomy in general is also known as Animal Form, Animal Mimicry, Animal Morphing, Animal Physiology, Animal Shapeshifting, Animality (Mortal Kombat), Animorphing, Beast Within (Bayonetta), Faunal Form, Fauna Morphing, Skinwalker Effect and Therianthropy. Similar to (281) Merging (animals).
Literary Critique of Animal Anatomy (hybrid)
If the character is a hybrid of two none human animals then an interesting monster is created. Fighting an eagle is interesting. Fighting a lion is also interesting. Fighting a griffin that is half eagle and half lion is even more interesting and one assumes more challenging.
If the character is a hybrid of two humanoid species then the character is dealt with in (215) Hybrid Anatomy. There is a superficial in-universe similarity between these two super powers. As a plot device these two conditions are very different. Giving a human animal powers via hybridization provides a plausible mechanism for the fantasy of having superpowers that we see in animals in a daily life. What child has not looked at bird flying and wondered about having that power themselves? If one of the animals is a predator then the plot device is often the internal struggle between human ethics and a more ruthless animal nature. The werewolf struggles to control his or her blood lust. A monster created from two animals generally provides the even lesser function of giving the antagonist a more interesting opponent. Additionally, as exemplified by Spock, the author can explore the negative side of mixed race status i.e. a “half-breed“. On a positive note, the hybrid that is the product of two different humanoid species can ascend to the status of cultural broker.
The Man Wolf (Marvel) is not exactly a werewolf (Marvel Legacy: The 70’s Handbook #1).
Werewolf by Night (Marvel) has a werewolf as the protagonist! A very tough guy summons the courage to fight the werewolf in Werewolf by Night V1 #2.
The Wolf is yet another human/wolf hybrid (Who’s Who in the Impact Universe #2).
The DC Silver Age used established characters as werewolves as recurrent plot device. Action Comics V1 #283
Jimmy Olsen V1 #44
Superboy V1 #116
Superboy V1 #180
There are too many transgenic superheroes and supervillains to list here that are hybrids. However there are some titles in which hybrid animals are a major theme and they deserve mention.
In Creature Cops Special Varmint Unit, the reader is exposed to an animal control unit the deals with hybrid animals exclusively.
The Creeptures (Impact) are a team of hybrid animals (Who’s Who in the Impact Universe #3).
The Elephantmen (Image) also have human/animal heroes versus human/hybrid villains (Elephantmen #0).
In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the heroes are a human/turtle hybrid and most of the villains are also human/animal hybrids.
The Griffin (Marvel) in Marvel Team-Up v1 #78 provides a good demonstration why the transgenic route is a bad idea for superpowers!
The DC Silver Age had a couple of colorful hybrid animals (House of Mystery V1 #109, House of Secrets V1 #31, Strange Adventures V1 #165)!
A collection of animal-human hybrids in The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #6 (2016).
Athentia the Great Sphinx – Creature Collection II. Dark Menagerie
Were Vulture – Creature Collection I
Werepanther – TSR 2158 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 2
Wereshark – TSR 2158 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 2
Archie’s Madhouse #22 (1962)
In Savage Game (2018) the reader meets Air-Fang versus Karna.
Bearhound – D&D 3.5 – Monster Manual III
Dracosphink – TSR 2158 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 2
Lhosk – D&D 3.5 – Monster Manual III
Bunyip – TSR 2166 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 3
Dragonne – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Griffon – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Groundling – TSR 2173 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 4
Harpy – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Hippocampus – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Hippogrif – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Jackalware – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Lamia – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Lammasu – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Lythari – TSR 2173 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 4
Man Scorpion – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Manotaur – TSR 2166 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 3
Manticore – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Neogi – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Opinicus – TSR 2145 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 1
Owlbear – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Owlbear – TSR 2166 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 3
Sealion – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Seawolf – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Shedu – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Sphinx – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Squark – TSR 2173 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 4
Thessalmonster – TSR 2166 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 3
Werebadger – TSR 2145 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 1
Werebat – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Werebear – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Wereboar – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Werecrocodiles – TSR 2166 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 3
Weredragon – TSR 2166 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 3
Werefox – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Werejaguar – TSR 2145 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 1
Werelion – Horror from the Tomb #1 (Premier Magazine)
Wererat – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Wereraven – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Werespider – TSR 2166 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 3
Were-Terrier (Vertigo) – iZombie #6
Weretiger – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Werewolf – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Wolfwere – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Next 017) Animal Anatomy (multi)
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