Manhunter (Mark Shaw) is a fictional character and antihero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the third featured character called Manhunter.
Mark Shaw was a public defender, unhappy about how easily criminals manipulated the system and got off without punishment. Shaw's uncle Desmond introduced him to an ancient sect of crime fighters called the Manhunters. Shaw contacted the Grand Master, the sect's leader, through a magical lion medallion. Shortly, he assumed the Manhunter name and costume from a previous Manhunter.[1][2]
The Manhunter sect was composed of androids, created billions of years before by the Guardians of Oa to police the galaxy. For millennia, they served the Guardians well. The Manhunters became obsessed with the act of "hunting" criminals. Their code, "No Man Escapes the Manhunters", became more important to them than seeing justice done. Eventually, the androids rebelled against the Guardians, but were defeated by their creators. Those that survived went into hiding.[3]
The latter-day Manhunters attempted to disgrace the Guardians with Mark Shaw at their side. They were opposed by the JLA, especially by League member Green Lantern. Shaw realized that he had been duped by the Manhunters and turned on them, killing the Grand Master, who was revealed to be a robot. Shaw returned as a new hero called the Privateer, but it was soon revealed that he was also working as a villain called the Star-Tsar, in league with the Key. Red Tornado discovered this deception and Shaw went to prison.[4]
While in the midst of serving his sentence, Shaw was offered the chance to accompany the Suicide Squad on a mission again as the Privateer and was released when the mission was completed.[5] Following Millennium, he donned a new costume to distance himself from the Manhunter cult and had his own adventures. Shaw now hunted costumed criminals for the bounty. He kept insisting that he was just operating for the money, but he kept finding himself doing the right thing.
Shaw continued working with the Suicide Squad, but left once again upon learning of a mission against Loa in New Orleans, LA.[6]
During this time, he and his family were threatened by two shapeshifters named Dumas. Shaw killed Dumas I (Stephen Forrest Lee)[7] and his battle with Dumas II (which also ended with the villain's death) led him to give up the Manhunter identity at the end of the last issue of Manhunter (vol. 2).[8] It was later revealed that Shaw was both versions of Dumas and much of his history was actually the result of mental programming by the U.S. government.[9]
Shaw joined the Shadow Fighters to battle the supervillain Eclipso. It was assumed that Mark Shaw was killed opposing Eclipso alongside his other team members in the Shadow Fighters. This was soon revealed not to be the case, however;[10] he was actually undercover at the time he was facing Eclipso, masquerading as his old enemy Dumas at the behest of Sarge Steel.[9] When the call went out for heroes to fight Eclipso, Sarge Steel believed that it would raise too many questions as to where Mark Shaw was if he did not answer the call and Sarge Steel sent along a ringer in Mark's place. The ringer thus only appeared once and is not known to have done anything but attack Eclipso and die as a result.
In Manhunter (vol. 3), featuring Kate Spencer in the title role, Mark Shaw was approached by the Order of Saint Dumas to take up the mantle of Azrael.[11] At some point, it seems he refused, as Michael Lane has now become the new Azrael.
In The New 52 (a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe), Mark Shaw appears in Forever Evil as a U.S. Marshal who is assigned to find Barbara Ann Minerva, a.k.a. the Cheetah. He is referred to as "one of the best manhunters" in the United States Marshal Service.[12]
Head of Leviathan
Years later, an older Shaw was revealed to be the head of Leviathan, having taken control of the organization from Talia al Ghul, assuming its name for himself and transforming it into a highly advanced espionage agency with the goal of taking over the world, which he thought was in chaos. He took on a goal of fixing the world, as he saw the constant struggle between heroes and villains, in addition to the governments making their secret maneuvers, as futile.[13]
Afterwards, Shaw later pretended to ally with the Legion of Doom, stating to Lex Luthor that Lois Lane only revealed his identity because he wanted her to. While the superheroes and Legion of Doom were busy fighting, Shaw betrayed his allies as he saw people like Luthor a part of the problem with the world, teleporting the Legion away to a far off place instead of attacking the League or civilians. Sometime after the battle in Metropolis, Shaw presumably obliterated Dr. Netz for giving Leviathan's technology to Waller and decided to make moves as Shaw soon bought Markovia and appealed to everyone around the world for help in fixing the world.[15]
The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 and the second and modern version, created by John Ostrander, debuted in Legends #3.
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Eclipso is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Haney and Lee Elias, the character would first appear in House of Secrets #61. The character bears notable similarities to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Amanda Belle Waller, also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character featured in some American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Legends #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne. Amanda Waller serves intermittently as both an antagonist and an ally to the superheroes of the DC Universe.
Manhunter is the name given to several different fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and Quality Comics. They are depicted as superheroes and antiheroes.
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Manhunter (Kate Spencer) is a fictional superheroine appearing in DC Comics. She is the eighth DC Comics character to be given the name Manhunter, but was the first woman. The character first appears in Manhunter (vol. 3) #1 (October 2004) and was promoted by DC Comics as relevant to the popular Identity Crisis limited series.
Shadow Fighters were a group of superpowered and non-superpowered DC Comics characters brought together, under the supervision of Amanda Waller, for the sole purpose of battling Eclipso in the Eclipso comic series. They were brought together in issue #11 and disbanded through attrition in issue #13. They were created by Robert Loren Fleming and Audwynn Jermaine Newman.
Everyman is a supervillain published by DC Comics. He debuted in 52 #17, and was created by Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, Keith Giffen and Joe Bennett. His name is a combination of fictional serial killers Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates.
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Libra is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Justice League of America #111, where he formed the first incarnation of the Injustice Gang. Libra made his return with a leading role in Final Crisis in 2008.
Leviathan is a fictional criminal organization in DC Comics, later revealed to be a schism of the League of Assassins under the leadership of Talia al Ghul, the daughter of Ra's al Ghul.
↑ The unnamed Manhunter was created by Jack Kirby and first appeared in 1st Issue Special #5. Shaw reappeared in Justice League of America #140 and in a flashback in Secret Origins (vol. 2) #22. This Manhunter wore a costume similar to Paul Kirk's 1940s outfit.
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