Fang

FANG

Real Name: Jake Ketchum

Class: Werewolf

Occupation: Guitarist, superhero

Group Affiliation: Scare Tactics

Known Relatives: Deke Ketchum (unknown relation), Elwood Ketchum (half-brother), Lemmy Ketchum (unknown relation), unnamed father, unnamed mother (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile, formerly Appalachian Mountains

First Appearance: Showcase '96 #11 (December, 1996)

Powers: Fang could switch between human and werewolf forms at will. As a werewolf he possessed superhuman strength, durability, senses and tracking ability. His werewolf form had sharp fangs and claws. Fang was limited by the fact that he was barely literate.

History: (Scare Tactics #6 (fb)) - Jake Ketchem was born to a clan of werewolves in the Appalachian Mountains. His mother cheated on her mate Warden, and nothing was known about his biological father except that it was rumored he wasn't a werewolf. Jake's mother died of fever when he was an infant, and his Warden resented him because he had no real interest in hunting and preferred daydreaming. When Jake came of age Warden wanted him to marry Pearl Kingsbridge to end the long-standing blood feud between the Kingsbridge and Ketchum clans. Jake didn't like the idea of marriage or being bossed around by his clan, so he ran off. Pearl later committed suicide, and Jake fealt responsible.

(Scare Tactics #1) - Burnsteel drove Fang, Grossout, Slither and Screamqueen to Screamqueen's neighborhood in NYC. The group decided to go their separate ways, but soon banded together again at club Slaughterhouse to save Screamqueen from the Graveyard Shift, a group of vampire hunters. Screamqueen brought them onstage to give an improvised rock performance as the newly named Scare Tactics, with Fang playing lead guitar. They decided to stick together, and as Scare Tactics they intended to go on tour.

(Scare Tactics #2) - Burnsteel bought a tour bus for Fang and Scare Tactics, and they drove to Burnsteel's apartment in Boston to pick up some things befor a long stretch on the road. Burnsteel got lost, and they ended up in Beaumont, CT. They split up to get gas, and Fang ran into what appeared to be the zombie of Pearl Kingsbridge. The other members were confronted with their own worst nightmares until Burnsteel saved them, and the nightmares vanished. When they left the town they learned at a nearby town that there was no such place as Beumont, CT.

(Scare Tactics #3) - Fang and Scare Tactics arrived in Boston, and Burnsteel insisted on going to his apartment by himself, and left Fang in charge of keeping the others on a short leash. The team enjoyed some time at a bar angd grill before changing their mind aboud listening to Burnsteel. They found him on the verge of being captured by R-Complex agents. Scare Tactics beat off the agents, but had a harder time with Scorcher, a former inmate from one of R-Complex' facilities. Burnsteel convinced her to leave them alone, and Scare Tactics made their escape.

(Scare Tactics #4) - Grossout wrote his tragic life story out on Burnsteel's computer for Fang and Scare Tactics to read. Scare Tactics played a small club, with their opening song written by Screamqueen, and inspired by Grossout. The next morning while eating in a diner, their Scaremobile tour bus was stolen by Cain Van Zandt with Screamqueen sleeping inside.

(Scare Tactics #5) - Fang and Scare Tactics met Burnsteel's friend Bud, who hacked into the phone company, then sent a fax to the Scaremobile to pinpoint its location. They confronted Van Zandt, but Screamqueen'd become infatuated with him and wanted him to ride with them. The rest of the group objected because Van Zandt was a serial killer, but the escalating argument became moot when Van Zandt ran off. Scare Tactics went back on the road, and much to Fang's dismay they ended up in the Appalachian Mountains where he was born and raised.

(Scare Tactics #6) - The Ketchum clan told Fang that the Ketchum - Kingsbridge feud escalated when Fang broke off his engagement to Pearl. As a peace offering the Ketchums turned over Fang and Scare Tactics to the Kingsbridge clan to sacrifice to their god Tsathugoth. They escaped with the help of Fang's childhood friend Rod Kingsbridge and Ketchums Deke and Lemmy. Tsathugoth destroyed the Kingsbridge estate in a fury over being denied sacrifices. Fang appreciated them going against the wishes of the clans to rescue him and offered them a place with Scare Tactics, but they declined. Rod gave Fang a letter from Pearl saying she ended her life because she couldn't stand her clan, not because of Fang.

(Scare Tactics #7) - Fang and Scare Tactics opened up for Children of the Beast. During the Children's performance they performed a magic musical ritual from the occult Deus Requiem that transformed them into demons and opened a doorway to Hell. The Demon Entrigan was bound to destroy them, and Scare Tactics decided to help him out. During the fight Sid Vicious emerged from Hell and warned Fang about the power of music. Demon destroyed the Children of the Beast, and then Fate appeared to the heroes because he needed their help.

(Scare Tactics #8) - Fate told Fang and Scare Tactics that forces from Genworld were intent on conquering the Earth dimension. Fate told Scare Tactics they owed him for freeing them from R-Complex, so they agreed to help him. A man claiming to be Sentinel was there to aid them, but soon revealed himself as a disguised army of Emerald Shocktroops. Scare Tactics defeated the army, but afterwards Slither went into a coma.

Comments: Created by Len Kaminski & Anthony Williams