Wildcat (Ted Grant)

Wildcat's origin is chronicled in Sensation Comics #1 as well as Secret Origins #3 (1973) and All-Star Squadron Annual #1 (1982). Henry Grant vowed on his baby son's crib that the child would not grow up afraid of life, so he encouraged his son to participate in sports. Orphaned during the Great Depression, Ted Grant found himself unemployed in the big city. One night, he saved "Socker" Smith, the heavyweight boxing champion, from a mugging. "Socker" took Ted under his wing, and soon Ted became a heavyweight boxing champion in his own right. He also became tangled unknowingly in his manager's sinister plans. His mentor "Socker" Smith was killed by Grant's managers Flint and Skinner who used a syringe, loaded with poison, in a boxing glove. The dose was only intended to slow down Smith, but the duo misjudged the potency. When Grant was arrested for the crime, Flint and Skinner, afraid that he might know what had really happened, arranged for the young fighter to be killed. Grant escaped the attempt and survived, but the policemen with him were killed. As a result, he became a fugitive. Later, he came upon a child who had been robbed of his Green Lantern comic. The boy, describing the mystery-man Green Lantern, inspired Grant to create the costume of a large black cat. He took the name Wildcat and vowed to clear his name. He brought Flint and Skinner to justice; the criminals were forced to confess, clearing Grant's name, and obtaining justice for Smith. Using the identity of Wildcat, Grant continued to fight crime.^[6]

By issue #4, Wildcat had a custom motorbike, the Cat-o-Cycle and a comedy sidekick named

In the pages of All Star Comics, Wildcat had a few adventures as a member of the Justice Society of America (JSA). In the 1980s, when the All-Star Squadron was published, it created a retroactive continuity in which the majority of WWII mystery-men interacted with each other. Wildcat had a place as a member of that conglomeration of heroes as well. The 1970s run of All Star Comics (1976–1979) had Wildcat play a central role as a JSA member. In the story arc, which saw Green Lantern go berserk, and Commissioner Bruce Wayne issue arrest warrants for the JSA, it was Wildcat's ability to look fear in the face that allowed him to defeat the real mastermind of the disaster: the second Psycho-Pirate.

In 1985, during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Ted's legs were shattered by an out-of-control Red Tornado and he was told he would never walk again. He soon discovered that his goddaughter Yolanda Montez had recently become the second Wildcat.

Earth-One

An Earth-One version of Ted Grant existed Pre-Crisis and teamed up with Batman, himself a retired world heavyweight champion like his Earth-Two counterpart, on five occasions. This version of Ted Grant had a relatively minor career and his origin and early years were not chronicled.^[9]

This version of Ted Grant ceased to exist following the events of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, with the Earth-Two version becoming the dominant version in the new unified universe.

Post-Crisis

After the Crisis, the injuries that Ted had sustained were downgraded from paraplegia to less severe injuries from which he recovered quickly. He was also still a former heavyweight champion of the world. In addition, Ted is credited with being an expert at combat, though he prefers to trade punches as part of his brawling style. Even in his advanced years, on several occasions Ted has knocked out experienced fighters with a single punch.

Later, Ted was present when the JSA willingly exiled themselves into Limbo to prevent Ragnarök as part of a time loop. He remained there for several years until he was freed with the rest of the JSA in Armageddon: Inferno. He was present during the Justice Society's disastrous fight with Extant during Zero Hour and fell victim to Extant's time manipulation powers, which restored Wildcat to his proper age, that of an elderly, sickly man.

In the wake of Zero Hour, Wildcat retired from active crimefighting and again became a full-time trainer in his role as a professional boxer. In private, he continued to train younger superheroes in the martial arts. In addition, new details were revealed about Wildcat's past, one being the existence of two sons. His eldest son Jake was kidnapped by the Yellow Wasp and later murdered by Killer Wasp. His youngest son Tom was raised exclusively by the boy's mother without Ted's knowledge.

Ted also had torrid affairs with Selina Kyle,^[10] as well as an affair with a time-displaced Hippolyta.^[11]

Twice during his Post-Zero Hour retirement, Ted was severely injured defending innocent lives. He received the first injury defending patrons of the bar Warriors, run by the ex-Green Lantern Guy Gardner.^[12] Later, he was injured in rescue operation during a planet-wide snowfall.^[13] On both occasions, he was treated on site at Warriors and miraculously recovered from his injuries.

It was later revealed that Ted possesses "nine lives", the result of the magician Zatara altering a curse placed upon him by a sorcerer named King Inferno after Ted refused to throw a boxing match for the wizard. It was intended to transform him into a cat, but instead gave him nigh-immortality, meaning that he can only die if he is killed nine times in rapid succession.

DC Universe

In the "Watchmen" sequel "Doomsday Clock", Wildcat is among the superheroes that return after Doctor Manhattan undos his experiment on the timeline that erased the Justice Society and the Legion of Super-Heroes.^[14]

In the pages of "Dark Nights: Death Metal", Wildcat was with Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, and Doctor Fate guarding the Valhalla Cemetery.^[15]

In the pages of "

When the Ultra-Humanite mind-controlled all the heroes and villains on Earth, he was unable to control Wildcat. Wildcat's resistance was never explained, other than by Ultra-Humanite quoting Mark Twain who said that a cat can never be "made the slave of the lash". Whether this was another cat-like ability Wildcat gained from the magical spell, or there is another reason, was never explained or referred to again. He can also cut through metal with his claws and land on his feet.

Enemies

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2020)

Wildcat had his own rogues gallery during his career:

• Buzzard Bernay – A crooked boxing manager.^[22]
• The Caveman – John Grimm is a caveman-themed villain.^[23]
• Flint and Skinner – The managers of Ted Grant who orchestrated "Socker" Smith's death.^[6]
• Giles and Hogg – Two jewel thieves that posed as private detectives. Their activities led to Wildcat first meeting "Stretch" Skinner when the jewel thieves tried to scam him.^[7]
• The Headless Horseman – Van Brunt is a criminal who masquerades as the Headless Horseman.^[24]
• The Huntress – A female villain who is the mistress of traps and tracking.^[25]
• The Laughing Pirate – A pirate-themed villain.^[26]
• The Porker – A crime lord.^[27]
• The Purple Mask Gang^[28]
• Second Chance – Steve Styles is a criminal who took up the name Second Chance after being saved by Wildcat. He dies when a bullet meant for Wildcat ricochets back at him.^[29]
• The Yellow Wasp – A
  Killer Wasp.^[33]

Wildcat cameos as the world heavyweight champion, defending his title against Cassius Clay.

Kingdom Come

In