Man-Eater
Context
Yeah, he’s a tiger guy. Man-Eater appeared in 1993, and was almost solely seen in the 1992 run of Silver Sable and the Wild Pack.
The main illustration by by RonnieThunderbolts.
Background
- Real Name: Malcolm Gregory “Greg” Murphy.
- Note: His name has been given as both Malcolm and Greg, so I pulled a Robert Bruce Banner. Official profile released years later by Marvel made the same, traditional choice.
- Marital Status: Unrevealed.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: Intruders.
- Base Of Operations: Symkarian embassy in NYC. Or Symkaria.
- Height: 6’8” (but doesn’t normally has an upright posture). Weight: 244 lbs.
- Eyes: Black slits over green background. Hair: Stripped black and orange.
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Powers and Abilities
Man-Eater is very strong, extremely fast and gifted with feline powers.
According to secondary sources, his eyes are eight times as accurate as a human being’s, he can run on all four at about 35mph and leap at least 30‘ in a single bound. Those numbers align reasonably well with his demonstrated performance.
History
A reputed archaeologist working in the Peruvian Amazon rain forest, M. Murphy was kidnapped by the Genesis Coalition, a Hydra splinter group.
Genesis Coalition leader Ivan Trefkov ordered to use the scientist as a subject in their current experimental program. The project’s goal was melding men and animals to create super-troopers. Thus was Murphy merged with a recently captured tiger from India. The procedure worked exceptionally well, creating a man-tiger hybrid.
Dr. Elmar Lubischt, the head scientist on the tiger/man fusion process that had been used on Murphy, continued to test the capacities of the hybrid creature. That lasted until Silver Sable and her squad invaded the Genesis Coalition labs in Peru. Sable executed Lubischt and freed the experimental subjects, including Murphy.
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Tigers are pack animals
Being apparently the smartest and most human of the captives, Man-Eater decided to stay with his benefactors. He joined the Intruders, Silver Sable’s superhuman squad, when it was formed. Murphy worked along with Fin II, the Sandman, and Paladin, and they were deployed on a number of successful operations.
Man-Eater then fell prey to a chemical imbalance in his composite brain. He thus ran wild through New York City in a frenzy, being aroused by the smell of a female tiger in heat in a zoo. Special police unit Code Blue was scrambled to take him out. However, his colleagues at Silver Sable International managed to snatch him before the cops could.
However, the scientific efforts of SSI employees to fix Man-Eater’s brain were not successful. He thus remains susceptible to such specific stimulus addressing the tiger parts of his psyche.
The Intruders eventually disbanded.
Initiative
In 2007, Man-Eater and his colleague Fin were pressed into service with the Initiative – specifically the Vermont team, called the Garrison.
The pair and a number of soldiers were mauled by rogue superhuman Penance (Robbie Baldwin) while attempting to protect a nuclear launch facility. They were left unconscious as reinforcements came in.
Description
Given how fast he moves, Man-Eater can at times be confused for an actual tiger from a distance. Up close examination will of course result in noticing that he’s an humanoid wearing briefs. Few other tigers wear briefs.
Personality
An aggressive predator. While he seems to have his ferocious instincts under decent control, he’s itching to unleash them. Thus, he may slip even if he doesn’t mean to.
His psyche is an unique mix of man and beast. Man-Eater has two complete sets of confusing memories, with his animal and human sides struggling both for integration and dominance.
It can be difficult for Murphy to determine which memories belong to whom. As part of his job he has spent years in much the same types of environment as the tiger, and the sense of both sets of memories belonging to him is very strong.
Quotes
“RHOOAR !!”
“I know what hunger is like… and Man-eater is not a mere nickname !”
DC Universe History
See Silver Sable’s writeup.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Man-eater
| Dex: 07 | Str: 06 | Bod: 06 | Motivation: Thrill |
| Int: 06 | Wil: 02 | Min: 04 | Occupation: Mercenary |
| Inf: 05 | Aur: 02 | Spi: 03 | Resources {or Wealth}: 005 |
| Init: 018 | HP: 030 |
Powers:
Analytical Smell/Tracking Scent: 06, Claws: 07, Extended Hearing: 03, Jumping: 03, Running: 05, Super Hearing: 03, Swimming: 03, Ultra Vision: 04, Telescopic vision: 03
Skills:
Acrobatics: 08, Charisma (Intimidation): 06, Military Science (Camouflage): 04, Thief (Stealth): 04
Advantages:
Expertise (Archaeology), Iron Nerves, Sharp Eye.
Connections:
Silver Sable International (Low), Battlestar (Low).
Drawbacks:
MIA toward Acting like a feline predator, Traumatic Flashback (freaks out like a tiger would when smelling a tigress in heat), Minor Rage, Strange Appearance.
Source of Character: Silver Sable comics (Marvel comics).
Helper(s): Chris Cottingham, Roy Cowan.