Cheetah

CHEETAH

Real Name: Barbara Ann Minerva

Class: Magically-empowered human

Occupation: Supervillain, archaeologist, treasure hunter

Group Affiliation: formerly Injustice League, the Society

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile, principally Europe

First Appearance: (Barbara Ann Minerva) Wonder Woman II #7 (August, 1987), (Cheetah) Wonder Woman II #9 (October, 1987)

Powers: Cheetah resembled an animal / human hybrid, and possessed superhuman strength, durability and agility. She had night vision and wielded razor-sharp claws. She could use her prehensile tail to strangle opponents.

History: Barbara Ann Minerva was a famed anthropologist, and although she made many valuable contributions to her field, she was known for being ruthless, and doing whatever it took to get what she wanted. Minerva and her companion Dr. Leavens explored the African temple of Urzkartaga, supposedly the home of a mystic tribe that worshipped a cat-goddess. The Urzkartagans captured them, preparing to sacrifice them to their goddess, but they escaped. In hiding nearby they witnessed the resurrection of the cat-god through a blood sacrifice. At that moment villagers tired of being abducted for the sacrifices burst in with heavy artillery and razed the temple. Minerva and Leavens found themselves trapped in the ruins with priest Chuma and the slain cat-god. Minerva craved the power, and asked Chuma about the ritual. He allowed her to have the powers of the cat-god transferred to her, even though she had to make Leavens the blood sacrifice. They escaped, and Minerva, now calling herself Cheetah, started a killing spree to maintain her mystical powers. A cat-goddess was supposed to be a virgin, which she was not, so she needed to recharge her energy using a magic elixir devised by Chuma, and many sacrifices.

(Superman / Batman #3) - Cheetah and a number of other supervillains who attempted to collect the billion dollar bounty President Luthor placed on Superman’s head but failed.

(Villains United #1) -Deathstroke offered Cheetah membership in “Lex Luthor’s” Society. He reminded her about the recent revelation that the Justice League of America had, in the past, mind-wiped their enemies, and promised the Society would keep her safe. She accepted.

(Flash II #217, 219, Wonder Woman II #214) - Cheetah broke into Iron Heights, and her heightened senses let her know the “comatose” Zoom was playing possum. She told him she wanted him and asked him to leave his cell to play. Cheetah asked Zoom to share his speed with her, and in return she’d offer herself as a lover and protection from the Society. Zoom explained that his powers didn’t work like Flash’s did, and that he was a married man. He did promise to make her a better villain in the way he was “helping” Flash be a better hero. He taught her that since her powers were mystic most of her limits were self-imposed. He convinced Cheetah she could only achieve her full potential by killing her predecessor Priscilla Rich, becoming the one and only Cheetah, and she did just that, murdering the elderly woman in her own home. Flash and Wonder Woman confronted the villains, and they fought. The heroes prevailed, but Cheetah and Zoom escaped. Cheetah convinced Zoom to join the Society after meeting Dr. Psycho, a great admirer of Zoom’s work.

(Catwoman III #48) - Strange called a meeting of his East End crew for a progress report. Captain Cold chased two costumed villains out of town who were trying to horn in on their action, Angle Man said he was working angles, and Smart Bomb, Hammer and Sickle forced local car thieves to pay tribute. Cheetah had been defeated by Batman, and arrested by the GCPD.

(Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special #1) - The Society made plans for a worldwide prison break to free every incarcerated supervillain, and one of their targets was Blackgate. Cheetah was one of the released inmates, and together with the other freed villains they managed to get past a group of superheroes sent by Oracle to try and quell the breakout. After the prison break Cheetah and the escaped villains massed in Metropolis. They were confronted by an army of virtually every hero on Earth, and the heroes and villains engaged in an epic battle.

Comments: Created by Len Wein & George Perez.

Cheetah received profiles in Who's Who Update '97 #2 and Who's Who in the DC Universe #4.

Cheetah had a cameo in Catwoman III #58.