Joan Sanders (Earth-One)

Tigress
Mainstream Universe‎, 1950s-1986
Gallery
Real Name	Joan Sanders
Main Alias	Tigress
Relatives	Dr. Sanders (husband, deceased)
Affiliation	The Tigresses
Base Of Operations	Tigress Island
Status
Alignment	Good
Identity	Public Identity
Citizenship	American
Marital Status	Widowed
Occupation	Combat Aviator
Characteristics
Gender	Female
Hair	Blond
Origin
Universe	Earth-One
Creators	Dick Dillin
First Appearance	Blackhawk #110 (March, 1957)
Last Appearance	Blackhawk #110 (March, 1957)

At first, it seemed like such a lark ... becoming a female auxiliary aid to the Blackhawks! But now that we've located Ostrec ... now that I see all the dangers, I can't convince the girls to disband! Only YOU can sway them!

— The Tigress, seemingly contrite

Joan Sanders was briefly an ally of the Blackhawk Squadron, who started a similar but all-female team of aviators, the Tigresses.

History

Joan Sanders' husband, Dr. Sanders, was murdered by the terrorist Kurt Ostrec. She sought revenge, especially as the Blackhawks had arrested Ostrec thrice, with him escaping afterward every time. Joan wanted a more permanent solution. To that end, she recruited the widows of several of Ostrec's victims, and formed the Tigresses, an all-girl gang of fighting aviators, modeled on the Blackhawks.

• The Tigresses:
  • Edith, British test-pilot's widow
  • Ilse, Norwegian reporter's widow
  • Rita, Spanish physicist's widow
  • Tina, Italian diplomat's widow
  • Yvettte, French secret agent's widow

On a tropical island they built an airbase, Tiger Island, closely modeled after Blackhawk Island, which they had carefully studied. There they trained, on an obstacle course and a gunnery range and especially in the air, to become commandos and fighter pilots.

Because they could not get to Ostrec and his submarine crew while the Blackhawks were still active, Mrs. Sanders devised a plan that would play off one gang against the other. She would first coax the Blackhawks to come to Tigress Island, and trap them, then she would signal Ostrec with this prize. But Ostrec smelled a trap, and attacked her; the Blackhawks escaped and finished the fight. In the end, Tigress failed in her goal; Ostrec was captured, alive. Blackhawk berated her for her foolish actions.

Powers and Abilities

Abilities

• Aviation
• Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
• Leadership
• Marksmanship
  

Paraphernalia

Transportation

• Tigress and her Tigresses flew delta-winged jet fighters.

Notes

• This version of Joan Sanders (Earth-One), including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022-2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
• Joan "Tigress" Sanders, of Tigress Island, is not known to be affiliated with either Edda Heimat, the Black Tigress, of Egypt, or the anonymous outlaw Tiger Lady of the jungle.
• Sanders and her Tigresses knew the location and structural layout of Blackhawk Island.
• After one adventure together, the Tigresses apparently disbanded.

Related

• 1 Appearances of Joan Sanders (Earth-One)
• 1 Images featuring Joan Sanders (Earth-One)
• 1 Quotations by or about Joan Sanders (Earth-One)
• Character Gallery: Joan Sanders (Earth-One)

Footnotes

Blackhawks Villain(s) This character, team or organization, is or was primarily an enemy of the Blackhawk Squadron. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Blackhawk Squadron Villains category."