Fictional Character Biography
In his most well-known incarnation, his given name is Mike Maxwell. Maxwell possesses a helmet and elixir which grant him his powers. These powers are mind control and the ability to fuse together two living animals to make one powerful entity under B'wana Beast's control.
With the help of his gorilla companion, Djuba, in a secret hideout at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, ranger Mike Maxwell drinks the aforementioned elixir and dons the helmet to become B'wana Beast. In the origin issue, he fights Hamid Ali, "He Who Never Dies."
In the initial story arc of Animal Man, written by Grant Morrison, B'wana Beast journeys to America to rescue Djuba, who has been captured by scientists and infected with an experimental form of anthrax. He fails to save Djuba and is himself infected with the disease, but he is cured by Animal Man, who mimics B'wana Beast's powers in order to merge his white blood cells into forms capable of fighting off the disease.
In Animal Man #13 (July 1989), also written by Grant Morrison, Maxwell decides to retire and performs a ceremony to find a successor. He passes the helmet and elixir on to a South African activist named Dominic Mndawe, who assumes the name Freedom Beast.
Mike Maxwell returns in Animal Man #47 (May 1992), corrupted and possessed by the destructive force called the Antagon and transformed into the evil Shining Man. In the ensuing battle, Maxwell is killed. B'wana Beast is brought back for the DC reboot Justice League International. He is turned down, but it is unknown whether he will become a member later on.
Read more about this topic: B'wana Beast
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