Manitou Raven
Manitou Raven is a male comic superhero who features in DC Comics.
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Biography
Manitou Raven
He came to inherit his mystical tools from his parents and on the night of his ascension he fashioned his medicine stick that was forged from his spirit that was made manifest. During these years, he came to long seek to fight alongside warriors of honor and integrity. (JLA v1 #78) One day, he came to his home only to find that it had been burnt down by a woman named Dawn who had also sold his horses and even bit his dog. Over time, he came to learn that Dawn was unwanted by the clan as she was considered too spirited, fierce and clever with them derogatively referring to her as the Goat. Despite these traits, Raven came to love her with the two eventually getting married. (JLA v1 #85)
Alongside Tezumak, he journeyed to the modern day in an effort to stop the 'seven headed hydra' that was prophecised where they encountered members of the Justice League. Raven had cast his spells to lull them into a sleep state in order for his comrade to sacrifice Wonder Woman. However, Batman managed to free himself and Manitou Raven realised that there were only six foes. It was then that Green Lantern Kyle Rayner arrived to free the Amazon along with the other captured League members. Against their combined assault, Manitou Raven and Tezumak were defeated with the shaman being interrogated through the use of the Lasso of Truth. He was able to, however, cast a spell that allowed him and his comrade to escape capture. Despite Tezumak's anger at being saved, the pair decided to retreat back to the portal and force their foes into the past to fight their own allies. However, Raven found out that the portal was gone and he had to cast a spell to return back through time where he found a means at the ruined site of Atlantis. (JLA v1 #66) They returned back to their time to Atlantis where they reported their failure in their mission to their comrades in the League of Ancients and also revealed that the seven headed hydra appeared to be a team of super-powered beings called the Justice League in the future. The League of Ancients deliberated on this development with Manitou Raven contemplating on the future when he sensed that the Justice League had followed them back to Atlantis. (JLA v1 #70)
In the aftermath, Raven along with his wife were transported to the present where he asked if there was place with them in the world as the Justice League gladly accepted him among them. (JLA v1 #75) He then called the League to show his dedication to them as Raven and his wife Dawn pledged their bodies and soul to the heroes. The heroes quickly voted for him to join their ranks and he was officially welcomed as a member of the Justice League. The first meeting he attended with them was whether to help the planet Kylaq that was being invaded by the Peacemakers. Half the League believed that events on other worlds was outside their jurisdiction whilst others felt that they had a duty to help those in danger. Ultimately, those that favoured intervened were dispatched to Kylaq with these including Superman, Wonder Woman, Major Disaster, Green Lantern, Faith and Manitou Raven whilst the others remained behind to protect Earth. Raven helped taken down soldiers whilst Wonder Woman dealt with the tanks. (JLA v1 #78)
He next decided to check on the current state of his people where he journeyed to the Gontee Ni (Translation: Ground of Four Fingers) that was a traditional site where the tribes gathered in order to commune in spring. Raven was surprised to find a casino there and came to learn more about the 'Native Americans'. He then saw on the television about an incident at the Safe Haven commune in Oregon that had escalated with the Justice League present at the site whereupon Manitou Raven teleported to the location. Once there, Batman briefed him on the matter and that he was investigating the crime scene to prove whether the Justice League was at fault. He then asked Manitou Raven to use his magic to commune with the dead of the location where the shaman determined that there were no spirits lingering there. Thus, according to Manitou Raven, no one had actually died from the earlier incident with this confirming the Dark Knight's suspicions. The heroes then travelled to meet their comrades but were attacked by a team of superpowered individuals calling themselves the Axis America. (JLA v1 #81)
Around this time, a mysterious telepath was affecting the world at large causing a string of changes in behaviour on a global scale. This same force was nearly responsible for murdering Ronnie Raymond as Firestorm whilst on the Moon's surface. To find the perpetrator, Manitou Raven conducted a ceremony to divine their name but this was interrupted by Green Lantern John Stewart who was questioning him about his activities. Whilst shaking hands, Stewart's Power Ring acted suddenly and generated a hidden program showing a message that showcased a map. They then went to a remote location on Earth that was indicated on the map where they found a fortress belonging to Vandal Savage whose men had been killed by an unknown assailant. He revealed that the perpetrator had attacked his stronghold to claim a dimensional storage box that contained a creature he defeated long ago that appeared to be a White Martian. Returning to the Watchtower, the League decided to investigate the Still Zone for escaped White Martians only to find their headquarters had been attacked by the unknown assailant once again who had effortlessly defeated Superman. The heroes intended to rush to save their colleague but Raven warned that this was a trap by their foe who intended to ensnare them with the attacker still in their base. (JLA v1 #85) Despite their alertness, they were unprepared for the power of their foe who nearly killed the had Major Disaster not created a distraction by causing a comet to hit the Watchtower. This allowed the Justice League to escape where they determined that their foe was a Martian with Superman confirming that it was the Martian Manhunter who had inexplicably turned on them. Batman determined they needed aid to fight their foe and looked to use the White Martians but their foe who called himself Fernus had already killed the White Martians. (JLA v1 #86) This led to another battle against their enemy who effortlessly overpowered the Justice League with them only being saved this time by the arrival of Green Lantern John Stewart who performed a desperate gamble that allowed him to teleport his friends to safety. Manitou Raven was re-united with his wife but devoted his time to helping the League instead of spending time with her. Going to Stonehenge, Manitou Raven decided to use the site as a means of mystically delving into the mind of the Martian Manhunter so that he and his friends could help save him. (JLA v1 #87)
Both he and Dawn were eventually recruited into the Justice League Elite by Vera Black, who approached the JLA with a proposition. It seemed that a powerful chaos was emanating from the Earth's very being. The mother goddess, Gaea, was awakening and in her anger she threatened to destroy humanity. Though Superman was understandably hesitant to ally with Vera's new Elite, Raven confirmed Vera's prophesies. The JLA and the Elite subsequently staged an elaborate battle and convinced Gaea that humans were worthy of inheriting the planet. After this, Vera boldly proposed the formation of the Justice League Elite: a black ops team organized to fight extranormal threats before they reach the public. Superman and Batman denied Vera membership in the League, which angered several of their teammates, including Raven, the Flash and Major Disaster, who all believed that Black had proved herself worthy. These members left the main JLA and allied with her in this new venture. (JLA v1 #100) Thus the Justice League Elite became a sort of "not-exactly-sanctioned don't-ask-don't-tell" covert operations unit. Their mission was to hunt and eliminate extranormal threats to the Earth before they went public. This new undercover branch of the League moved to a secret base in New Jersey called the Factory. (Justice League Elite v1 #1) In their first mission, they infiltrated an organization of assassins that led to the take down of the despotic dictator, Hi-Shan Bhat. Once Bhat was in custody he was mysteriously killed by a member of the Elite. (Justice League Elite v1 #3) Vera knew this bode poorly for their future; upon their return, she charged Raven with divining the identity of the team's traitor/Bhat's killer. During this time, Dawn became distanced from her husband. His constant attention to work and the trials of the "Stony Path" kept him from satisfying her needs. Dawn became friendly with Green Arrow, who had vowed to quit the team because of Bhat's death. (Justice League Elite v1 #4) Soon the two engaged in a sexual relationship — which was not unbeknownst to Raven. Raven was angered of course but was soon consumed by his work. He acquired the "Eye of 18 Pupils" in order to divine the truth behind Bhat's death. (Justice League Elite v1 #5) But before Raven could reveal the team's killer, he followed them in pursuit of the villain Aftermath. There Raven invoked his magic one last time and died taking the brunt of a bomb. (Justice League Elite v1 #8)
Overview
Personality and attributes
Normally, his skin retained its original colour but when using his powers they turned into an eerie pale white tone as a result of his magic. (JLA v1 #81) His eyes glowed with a pale green light whilst his tattoos were illuminated when he used his magic. (JLA v1 #84)
He was said to had long sought for warriors of integrity and honor. (JLA v1 #78) Raven believed that there should be no secret among warriors that fought alongside one another. (JLA v1 #85)
Raven did not tolerate brazen entries into his lodge without permission. For those barging in, he offered them a sincere advice never to do so uninvited again. (JLA v1 #85)
Under the customs of his people, he forged bonds of loyalty with a cut on the hand between two people to mix their blood as a sign of their unbreakable pact to one another. (JLA v1 #78)
After arriving in the present, he came to be troubled after seeing the fate of his people in the modern age. He felt that his proud people over hundreds of generations had grown distilled with their souls being hollow. Seeing this caused his heart to go cold and he felt anger as a result which caused him to seek guidance from his ancestors. (JLA v1 #84)
His wife Dawn acknowledged that Raven was very special and that his work was very important but that his spirit often 'ate' him. (JLA v1 #84)
He found Ronnie Raymond to be generous and honourable young man where he was happy that he helped his wife Dawn adjust to the modern age by teaching her English. (JLA v1 #85)
Powers and abilities
As a shaman, he was known to make use of the power of the Great Spirit. (JLA v1 #67) He was said to possess a strong will though his mind was not as well protected as his comrade Tezumak. With his magic, he was able to sense the vile presence of an attacker. (JLA v1 #67) Manitou Raven could casts wards of protection to shield himself from harm or use spells of cloaking to make himself invisible. (JLA v1 #94) It took him weeks in order to prepare for certain spells. (JLA v1 #67) Manitou Raven made use of a variety of tools that he utilised to perform his magic. These included a hatchet that belonged to his father and could not pierce the skin of a good man. Meanwhile, his mother gave him a Dreamcatcher that kept history and secrets within it. The headdress sang with knowledge of those before him and he had a medicine stick which he made on the night of his ascension. The stick in particular was alive and was his spirit made manifest where it was unbreakable with no force from heaven, hell or earth able to break it. (JLA v1 #78) One tool he used as a Word Weaver that was a mystical spider that he allowed into his ear to allow him to understand other languages. This allowed him to communicate to people in the modern age and without it he would not understand English. (JLA v1 #80) A means of divining the future was by casting his telling stones into a drawn circle in the ground and if they did not enter then it was an omen of something evil coming soon. (JLA v1 #94)
Through his mystical senses, he could determine if a person with a vile spirit was within an area. Raven was also able to determine if an attack was caused by mystical means. (JLA v1 #85) He could also use this power to seek guidance from his ancestors who resided within the kingdom of smoke. (JLA v1 #84) Manitou Raven was also able to commune with the spirits of the dead allowing him to elicit information from them. (JLA v1 #81) He was capable of casting a sleep spell on others to lull them into a dream state. (JLA v1 #67) Raven was also able to enter the Dreamwalk that was the land of stars and shade that consisted of the place souls were made with him being able to draw others into that realm. Spirits were able to leave their bodies and walk the land of stars and shades from where all souls were made even those from other worlds. (JLA v1 #88)
Raven had the ability to summon flocks of black Ghost Birds that he could use for a variety of tasks. (JLA v1 #85) He could transport himself from one location to another with his body taking the form of a flock of crows with his body assembling and then reassembling. (JLA v1 #81) He could conduct a ceremony able to divine mystically the name of a person with this manifesting as a flock of ghost birds that were able to function even on the Moon. (JLA v1 #85)
By uttering the words Inukchuk he was able to transform himself into a giant form giving him incredible strength though he was not able to maintain this form for long. (JLA v1 #75)
Notes
- Manitou Raven was created by Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke where he made his first appearance in JLA v1 #66 (July, 2002).
- As noted by CBR, writer Joe Kelly in an interview on Newsrama had created the character to be a homage to Apache Chief from the Super Friends cartoon series. As said in the interview, "Speaking of Manitou Raven a little, as people have figured out by now — he’s Apache Chief. As far as I’m concerned, he’s a Justice League character who has never been in the book, so here was an opportunity to introduce him in a different way, and suddenly reveal to people that he’s Apache Chief, and he’s a different kind of magic user instead of Zatanna."
Appearances
- JLA v1: (2002)
- Justice League Elite v1:
External Links
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