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| As a result of the New 52 in 2011, the entire line of DC characters was relaunched, incorporating properties belonging to the company's imprints: Wildstorm, Milestone, and Vertigo. As such, elements of this character's history have been altered in some way from the previous incarnation. For a complete list of all versions of this character, see our disambiguation page. |
The Shaggy Man was a monster created by Professor Ivo and one of the most powerful enemies that the Justice League has ever faced.
History
Created by the brilliant but corrupt Professor Anthony Ivo, the Shaggy Man was an artificial life form that followed the commands of its designated master. At one point, the Shaggy Man battled Superman and the Justice League in the middle of St. Louis, Missouri. A young fan witnessed this spectacle, silently watching while the League struggled against the monster. While the Shaggy Man was defeated, a building collapsed during the carnage, paralyzing the boy from the waist down. In a cruel irony, the boy had just watched Batman save his friend from a similar fate.[1]
The Shaggy Man later appeared serving as a watchdog at the Secret Society's mansion. After the Justice League infiltrated the mansion, they soon discovered several of Professor Ivo’s experiments. Their investigation was cut short when the Shaggy Man ambushed them, and a violent battle took place. The League is unable to match the monster’s limitless strength and regeneration, and soon, nearly all members are captured. Thankfully for the heroes, they are freed by Stargirl, who later uses her Cosmic Staff to defeat the Shaggy Man.[2]
Later, the Shaggy Man came under the command of Black Manta, who had recently taken over as leader of the organization N.E.M.O. Manta planned on using the Shaggy Man as a weapon against Aquaman and sent the beast on a rampage through Atlantis. Aquaman, The Drift, and the entire Atlantean military throw their combined might against the Shaggy Man, but the beast is unstoppable. The situation only worsens when the creature’s true target is revealed: Aquaman’s hometown of Amnesty Bay. With the Atlanteans powerless to stop it, the Shaggy Man makes landfall and begins tearing the small town apart. A desperate and badly injured Aquaman finally defeats the Shaggy Man by using his Justice League membership card to transport the beast beyond Earth's orbit.[3]
A short while later, the Shaggy Man manages to fall back down to Earth, crash-landing in the Sahara Desert. The Justice League quickly arrive and attempted to contain the monster, and an intense battle soon begins. The fight is abruptly ended when Wonder Woman arrived on the scene and quickly knocked the beast unconscious.[4] The Shaggy Man was subsequently transported to Monster Rock, a remote island watched over by Congo Bill that acted as a prison for monsters.[5]
When the Justice League exiled Ethan Avery to this island, he found himself being chased by several of its monstrous inhabitants, including Shaggy Man. Fortunately, Ethan was saved when Congo Bill arrives and calls the monsters off. The Shaggy Man and the other creatures soon become the unwilling pawns of the sorceress Echidna, and her plan to take over the island. To help her achieve this, she fuses the island’s monsters into giant mutations, who quickly capture Congo Bill and Ethan.[5] Thankfully, the heroes escape, and with the combined might of Damage and the Golden Gorilla, Echidna is driven off after an intense battle. With Echidna defeated, the fused monsters are separated and return to “normal.” Freed from Echidna’s dark magic, Shaggy Man, and the other creatures happily resume their peaceful lives on the island.[6]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Superhuman Strength: The Shaggy Man is one of the strongest beings on the planet. Throughout his battles with Earth’s superheroes, he has traded blows with the likes of Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman and even Superman. He has repeatedly fought the Justice League to a standstill and was able to withstand the entire might of the Atlantean military.
- Super-Leaping: When the Atlantean forces trapped the Shaggy Man beneath the ocean floor, the beast freed himself by leaping out of the rubble.
- Superhuman Durability: Thanks to his abilities, the Shaggy Man is incredibly resilient. The creature has resisted the combined assault of the Justice League of America as well as the Atlantean army.
- Superhuman Stamina: Nothing seems to slow the Shaggy Man down. His abilities allow him to fight for days with no signs of exhaustion.
- Self-Sustenance: The Shaggy Man is a bio-organic life form, and as such, doesn't need to breath, eat, drink, or rest. He can survive in both the vacuum of space and the bottom of the sea.[7]
- Immortality: As an artificial life form, the Shaggy Man does not age
- Adaptation: The Shaggy Man constantly adapts to any assault made against him. After he experiences one form of attack, he learns how to resist it in the future. The creature is even capable of resisting the Atlanteans data systems, inducing feedback to blow out their scanners.
- Flame-Breath: He gained the ability to spit fire during his fight against Martian Manhunter.
- Regeneration: The Shaggy Man can re-grow any body parts lost in battle and can recover from any injury in seconds without feeling pain. A direct punch from Superman, an airstrike from the Atlantean army, and getting hit by Wonder Woman at Mach Three did little to slow him down.
- Energy Resistance: The Shaggy Man appears to have developed a form of energy resistance against Atlantean weapons after his fight with The Drift.
Weaknesses
Notes
- Shaggy Man was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky, first appearing in Justice League of America #45. However, in the rebooted Prime Earth continuity his first appearance as part of the DC Universe is in Geoff Johns and Brett Booth's New 52 Justice League of America series.
Related
- 15 Appearances of Shaggy Man (Prime Earth)
- 6 Images featuring Shaggy Man (Prime Earth)
- Quotations by or about Shaggy Man (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Shaggy Man (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
  This character, team or organization, is or was primarily an enemy of Aquaman, or members of the Aquaman Family. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Aquaman Villains." |
 This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Justice League, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Justice League Villains." |
 Secret Society of Super-Villains member |
