BLOODHAWK

Real Name: Apparently Bloodhawk

Identity/Class: Human mutant

Occupation: Former prisoner and would-be defender of Maura

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Avengers (Beast/Hank McCoy, Black Panther/T'Challa, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Thor Odinson, Vision/"Victor Shade", Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, Wonder Man/Simon Williams, Yellowjacket/Hank Pym)

Enemies: Monolith, Stinger

Known Relatives: Teacher (father, real name unrevealed), unidentified mother (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: The island of Maura, South Seas (between Australia and Papua New Guinea)

 

First Appearance: Avengers I#179 (January 1979)

Powers: Bloodhawk possessed large wings on his back, enabling him to fly at great speeds. He was highly maneuverable and possessed a rapid reaction time. He was sufficiently strong enough to stun the Vision with a single blow. He was highly resilient, although his bones were hollow. He possessed keen eyesight and razor-sharp talons. He could also summon and control most other birds.

   Unfortunately, he was plagued by periodic bouts of insanity, which appeared to occur most frequently under periods of stress.

  

 


Height: 6'3" (by estimation)
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: White (no visible iris)
Plumiage: Red

 

 

 

 

History: (Avengers I#179 (fb) ) - The man known only as Bloodhawk was the result of genetic experiments performed on his pregnant mother by his own father. His father was a reputed geneticist who sought to expand man's evolutionary boundaries and create a proud new race. His mother died in childbirth and his father, not able to accept the monstrosity he had created, allegedly abandoned the infant to the care of the man known only as Teacher, who took the infant to the sparsely inhabited south sea island of Maura. Unfortunately, the mutant was plagued by periodic bouts of savage insanity, which necessitated his caging even on the island.

 

(Avengers I#179) - Teacher and the now-adult Bloodhawk traveled to the United States of America in an effort to return the totem known as "He who Protects" to their island. This totem apparently prevented the emergence of a monstrous entity imprisoned on Maura known as the Monolith. It had been bought or stolen and was being featured at the Museum of Natural History. Bloodhawk entered into a rage upon seeing the totem once again, and was eventually subdued by the combined efforts of the Avengers. Teacher explained the purpose of the totem to the Avengers, who voted to return it to Maura.

 

(Avengers I#180) - The Avengers, Bloodhawk, and Teacher arrived minutes too late to prevent the revival of the Monolith, who rampaged on the island, despite the efforts of the Avengers. Bloodhawk's insanity resurfaced and remembering that he needed the totem, Bloodhawk took it and flew off. The Beast managed to catch up to and knock him out, enabling him to replace the totem and render the Monolith inert. Upon revival, Bloodhawk was pleasantly surprised by the Beast's invitation to return to America with them, where he could be trained by Professor X, alongside other mutants. Bloodhawk accepted the invitation, but sacrificed his life taking an energy blast meant for Thor from a criminal known as Stinger. As he lay dying, he asked his Teacher if his father would be proud of him and love him, and Teacher responded, "He is and he does," apparently indicating that he was himself actually Bloodhawk's father.

  

 

Comments: Created by Tom DeFalco, Jim Mooney and Al Gordon.

   He seemed to be a character with potential, but unfortunately he bit the dust in his first story. He likely suffered from a chemical imbalance, which might have responded to medical therapy (in my non-expert opinion).

   Given how non-human he looked, how the heck did he get through airport security at either end to fly into JFK Airport on a commercial flight? - Loki

 

Profile by Snood.

 

CLARIFICATIONS: Bloodhawk is not to be confused with


Bloodhawk's mother

Bloodhawk's mother permitted her husband to experiment on her while she was pregnant (although it is possible she wasn't fully aware of what he was doing), but later died in childbirth.

 

--Avengers I#179 (fb)


images:
Avengers I#179 cover (main, plumiage recolored to match interior art)
Avengers I#179, p13, pan3 (headshot side view)
Avengers I#179, p7, pan1 (revealing himself)
Avengers I#179, p12, pan2 (as newborn)
Avengers I#180, p16, pan2 (sacrificing himself too save Thor)
Avengers I#180, p17, pan6-7 (death)
Avengers I#179, p12, pan1 (Bloodhawk's mother, with his father, who may or may not be Teacher - if he's not, this is the clearest image we have of him)


Appearances:
Avengers I#179 (January, 1979) - Tom Defalco (writer), Jim Mooney (pencils), Al Gordon (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Avengers I#180 (February, 1979) - Tom Defalco (writer), Jim Mooney (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)


First Posted: 09/02/2001
Last updated
: 10/17/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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