Hightower

HIGHTOWER

Real Name: Unrevealed

Class: Extraterrestrial (Daemonite)

Occupation: Invader

Group Affiliation: Cabal

Known Relatives: Mr. White (relative)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: NYC, NY, Earth-50

First Appearance: WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy (Image) #1 (June, 1993)

Powers: As a Daemonite Hightower was extremely long-lived, a shapeshifter who could possess humans and he possessed superhuman strength and fierce claws.

History: (WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy (Image) #1) - The Cabal tried to rebuild their power base, and Cabal member Hightower agreed to work with Coda sister Artemis to destroy their mutual enemy the WildC.A.T.S. WildC.A.T. Grifter’s informer Lonely said he had a hot tip for him, that there were armed guards at the waterfront unloading heavy machinery and the operation was being supervised by the Cabal and the Coda. Grifter went to investigate, and Lonely reported to Artemis and Hightower, who’d paid him to lure his friend into a deathtrap, and Artemis murdered him, saying a traitor deserved no better. Grifter fought his way past come security guards on the waterfront only to stumble upon a group of Hybridroids that opened fire on him. He survived, but was waylaid by Hightower, who caught him unaware by shapeshifting and appearing to Grifter as Lonely. Void sensed Grifter was in distress and informed Emp. Grifter woke to find himself bound, and Artemis began to torture him. She’d happily see him dead, but said she’d keep him alive because his blood bond with Zealot would draw her to him. Artemis knew that if Zealot came after him the WildC.A.T.S. would follow and she and Hightower planned on killing them all. Zealot arrived, and Artemis said she’d die for dishonoring her and getting her expelled from the Coda. Artemis and Zealot agreed to fight to the death, and Artemis warned Hightower not to interfere.

(WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy (Image) #2) - As they fought Zealot tried to convince Artemis that there was more to the Coda than precepts, that the blood bond was as important. She’d formed a blood bond with Artemis the first day they started training together, and their bond was the reason Zealot had not given her an “honorable” death after the Trojan War. Zealot defeated Artemis, but found that she could still not bring herself to kill her former friend. Hightower wanted to order his Hybridroids to kill Zealot, but Artemis reminded them they were not to interfere. Hightower said the Cabal would be best served if Artemis died alongside Zealot and Grifter, and ordered the Hybridroids to attack. The WildC.A.T.S. teleported to the scene and ran through the Hybridroids. Artemis fled, and Zealot thanked her teammates for their help, starting to truly see them as friends, but said she had to pursue Artemis by herself. Grifter wanted to come with her, but Emp convinced him that Zealot had to handle her business by herself. Hightower possessed Voodoo, forcing her to attack her teammates. She punched through Spartan’s chest, disabling his android body. The Hybridroids joined the onslaught, defeating the WildC.A.T.S. Zealot caught up with Artemis, who demanded she battle her for the life of her friends. Coda oracle Delphae used her scrying pool to locate Zealot, and during Zealot’s battle with Artemis a gateway opened, discharging Coda majestrix Andromache and several of her Coda sisters.

(WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy (Image) #3) - Hightower hooked Emp up to an energy siphon, bragging that he’d absorb his powers and his life essence, which would ensure his rule of the cabal. While he was gloating Spartan recovered enough to ask Grifter for help in healing him. Grifter grabbed cel-packs from Spartan’s thigh pouch and rubbed them on his chest, healing his wound. Emp pleaded with Voodoo to fight Hightower’s control, and she confronted him on the psionic plane, managing to cast him out of her body. Hightower was shocked by Voodoo’s immense mental will and power. Grifter shot Hightower numerous times, annoying him, and Spartan took the opportunity to hit him with a plasma charge. The wounded Hightower fled, taking his Hybridroids with him. While his teammates tended to their injuries Grifter ran off to help Zealot. Andromache wanted not just Zealot dead, but Artemis as well. She had been fomenting revolution, believing the Coda had been led astray from the path of noble warriors by becoming paid assassins. Artemis admitted she was torn between wanting to fight Zealot to the death and asking her to return to Themiscrya with her to overthrow Andromache. Zealot and Artemis tore through the coda, with Zealot saying her old friend should have reached out to her instead of trying to kill her and her friends, and Artemis conceded she had a point. With only Andromache standing Zealot promised she’d remain in exile with Artemis and never bother the coda again if they kept their distance. Andromache still demanded blood, and another cadre of coda poured in through the gateway. Andromache threw a spear at Zealot while her back was turned, but Artemis dove in the way, sacrificing her life for Zealot’s. Zealot cradled her coda sister and Grifter arrived, getting the drop on Andromache with his gun. He threatened to kill her if the coda didn’t leave, and Grifter realized Andromache had grown soft, because any other majestrix would have sacrificed their life before surrendering in battle, but she hesitated. The rest of the WildC.A.T.S. arrived, and Emp threatened to burn down all of Themyscrya if Andromache didn’t forget her grudge. Andromache relented, and Zealot insisted she take Artemis back to Themyscrya to be given a warrior’s funeral and grave.

Comments: Created by Brandon Choi, Dafydd Wynn & Jae Lee.

Hightower was originally published by Wildstorm Comics, an imprint of Image Comics, which DC acquired the rights to in January, 1999.

Hightower's appearance in WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy (Image) #1-3 was reprinted in the WildC.A.T.S. Trilogy TPB.