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SANITY CLAWS

Real Name: Sanity Claws

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Earth-8311/Larval Earth) anthrotoon polar bear

Occupation: Unrevealed;
   briefly cult leader

Group Membership: Leader of his cult

Affiliations: His cult followers (John Henpeck, others), Rudolf (all Earth-8311)

Enemies: Occasionally Deerdevil, Marsha Henpeck (all Earth-8311)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: North Pole (Earth-8311)

First Appearance: Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham I#7/2 (May, 1986)

Powers/Abilities: Sanity Claws is a usually kind and charming old bear. However, restricted blood flow to his brain (caused chiefly by tight headwear) causes aggressive or crazed behavior. Once normal blood flow is restored, Sanity Claws has no recollection of his nasty behavior.

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 245 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: White fur

History:

(Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham I#7/2 (fb) - BTS) - The kindly old bear Sanity Claws lived at the North Pole. He was fond of children and gave them presents as part of an annual event. However, the elastic in the stocking caps he wore became too tight and increasingly irritated Claws, maddening him, and turned him villainous. At one point, he went on a break-&-enter spree, climbing down chimneys and leaving coal while also stealing milk and cookies. The heroic vigilante Deerdevil stopped him, having found out tight headwear had set the bear off. Deerdevil urged him to wear looser headgear.

(Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham I#7/2) - Sanity Claws again wore a stocking cap and menacingly began a cult at the North Pole using his natural charm, demanding his followers divest all their wealth to him. However, the wife of one of the cult followers, Marsha Henpeck, alerted the lawyer Batt Burdock (secretly Deerdevil) to Sanity Claws' cult. Deerdevil immediately traveled to the North pole using his super-senses to track Claws' crazed brain patterns. Deerdevil burst in as Claws was addressing his robed faithful followers and pulled off the bear's tight stocking cap. Sanity Claws came to his senses with no memory of what had happened when he became a cult leader. Deerdevil emphasized the need for Claws to wear looser hats, such as a flamenco hat or derby. The cult followers also came to their senses and the cult disbanded.

 

Comments: Created by Steve Skeates & Joe Albelo.

This story followed hot on the heels/hoofs of Daredevil I#229 (April, 1986), which saw the usually villainous Turk, dressed in a stolen Santa suit, stick a knife into Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil).

His name is a nice play on words on Santa Claus. You'd think he'd have a feline pet/sidekick called Kram-puss.

The term "sanity clause" is a humorous, fake contract provision popularized by the Marx Brothers' movie "A Night at the Opera", and is derived from "insanity clause", a legal defense arguing a defendant wasn't criminally responsible for a crime due to severe mental illness at the time, preventing them from understanding their actions or knowing right from wrong.

The term "bipolar disorder" was introduced in a specialist manual in 1980, so I don't think we should read too much into the choice of animal type for this character.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Sanity Claws has no known connections to:

John Henpeck

John Henpeck was married to Marsha but had joined Sanity Claws' cult. He sold all the couple's furniture, most of which was bought by his wife, to reach the cult's location at the North Pole. Heroic vigilante Deerdevil defeated Sanity Claws and the cult followers were restored to their normal state. John and Marsha were soon happily reunited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham I#7/2

Marsha Henpeck

Marsha Henpeck had been bequested money from her aunt and had bought most of the furniture in the suburban home she shared with her husband John. However, John had sold all the furniture to join Sanity Claws' cult at the North Pole, so Marsha sought the aid of lawyer Batt Burdock (secretly the heroic vigilante Deerdevil). She first spoke to Batt's associate Froggy, but was then brushed off by Batt, who recognized the cult leader as a former foe. Once Sanity Claws was defeated, Froggy reunited Marsha with her husband.

 

 

 

 

 

--Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham I#7/2

images: (without ads)
Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham I#7/2, p5, pan4 (main image)
   p4, pan2 (headshot)
   p4, pan1 (cult)
   p5, pan5 (John)
   p2, pan2 (Marsha)

Appearances:
Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham I#7/2 (May, 1986) - Steve Skeates (writer), Joe Albelo (art), Larry Hama (editor)

First posted: 12/25/2025
Last updated: 12/25/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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