SHRIKE

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Alternate reality (Earth-7931) human vampire

Occupation: Vampire slayer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Warheads Kether Troop (Tigon Liger, Gregory O'Sullivan, Leona McBride, Misha Bushida, Shawn Duncan, Stacy Arnheim)

Enemies: Unidentified vampire leader, vampires

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: St. Patrick's Cathedral, Manhattan, NYC, Earth-7931

First Appearance: Warheads: Black Dawn#1 (July 1993)

Powers/Abilities: Shrike was an exceptional hand-to-hand combatant, and experienced at fighting vampires. He presumably had enhanced strength, durability, and healing thanks to his own vampirism, as well as perhaps enhanced senses. He wore armored gloves to make his punches more effective and wielded a chain like a whip, capable of wrapping it round a vampire's head and then decapitating them when he yanked it back. He also rode an armored bike on at least one occasion. He claimed to have been bitten many times without becoming "like the others"; whether this means he never turned (until he eventually did) or that he retained some of his humanity despite turning remains unconfirmed (see comments).

Height: 6'7" (by estimation)
Weight: 240 lbs. (by estimation)
Eyes: Yellow
Hair: Brown

History:
(Warheads: Black Dawn#1 (fb) - BTS) - Shrike lived in NYC on an alternate Earth that had become overrun and ruled by vampires. After they came out to openly hunt humans the vampires spread like a plague, their numbers doubling daily, and no matter how many he wiped out, more took their place. Despite being bitten several times, he never became like the others (see comments), something he suspected could be attributed to divine intervention. All he knew for sure was that (in his mind at least) he was the "toughest son of a dog there is."

(Warheads: Black Dawn#1) - After a interdimensional wormhole deposited the Kether Troops Warheads from Earth-616 in Shrike's world they almost immediately came under attack from a vampire horde. Despite being heavily armed they were massively outnumbered and soon running low on ammunition when Shrike came to their aid. Unwilling to take on their regular nemesis face to face, the vampires retreated and Shrike introduced himself. Warning them that the vampires would return with greater numbers, he took the new arrivals to the safety of St. Patrick's Cathedral, presumably safe because it was holy ground. Hearing that the Warheads had a way to leave if they could hold out until another wormhole opened, Shrike asked if they had room for one more. Before they could discuss this possibility further however they realized the Cathedral had been set alight by the vampires, and were waiting outside to attack them if they emerged. Tabling the discussion for later, the Warheads and Shrike, the latter on a motorbike, came crashing out the Cathedral ready to fight. The Warheads superior firepower allowed them to hold their ground for the most part, but one of their number, Leona, was captured and dragged off underground to the vampires' main lair. The Warheads made clear their intention to go after her, unwilling to leave behind one of their own so long as there was still a chance to save them, but Shrike stated that he was tough but not stupid, and so he wasn't going to accompany them, though he would watch their backs and make sure no vampires followed them. 

(Warheads: Black Dawn#2) - Shrike continued to wait at the entrance to the tunnels, pondering as to whether he should have gone with the Warheads, especially given they were potentially his ticket out of there as well as the only normal company he'd had in years. As he mused this, a vampire tried to sneak up on him, but Shrike sensed it coming and took it down without even bothering to look. Deciding he should go and save his new friends, Shrike was about to enter the tunnels when the Warheads, including Leona, suddenly burst out the tunnel entrance. Seconds later there was an explosion in the distance, as explosives the Warheads had set in the vampires' lair went off. Impressed, Shrike noted that his new friends didn't mess around, but the Warheads' leader, Liger, stated that there were too many undead for the bombs to do any real damage, though it would hopefully shake their operation up for a while. Unfortunately, at that very moment it became clear Leona had been bitten, and she turned, while simultaneously the vampire leader emerged from the tunnel entrance, having escaped the explosions because he had been pursuing the Warheads. While the other restrained Leona, Liger battled the vampire, but looked like he was going to be overwhelmed until Shrike wrapped his chain round the undead's neck and decapitated him.

   Shrike accompanied the Warheads to where the new wormhole was due to soon reopen, giving them a chance to escape this world. Thanking Shrike for saving his life, Liger made it clear he was glad the vampire hunter would be coming with them, but Shrike expressed concern when he saw they had a restrained Leona ready to take with them too. Liger insisted they might be able to find a cure for her, but Shrike noted they also risked the vampire virus ravaging their own world. Liger insisted that was a risk they'd have to take, but as the wormhole opened Shrike said he couldn't let them do that and snatched Leona away from them. Before the protesting Warheads could react, the wormhole closed again, leaving Leona and Shrike behind on the world of the undead. Grinning and displaying his fangs, Shrike mused that besides, he and Leona were made for each other.

Comments: Created by Craig Houston, Charlie Adlard and James Hodgkins.

   When did Shrike become a vampire? In Black Dawn#1 he says he was the only person left that didn't live on an all liquid diet, and that despite being bitten he never went like the others. Plus, he's able to go into a church comfortably. All that implies he was still human at that point, BUT that's some suspiciously ambiguous wording; he didn't say he didn't drink blood, just that he lived on more than just liquids (blood), and he didn't say he didn't become a vampire, just that he never went like the others - and he still doesn't at the end of #2, as the other vampires are all gray skinned and batlike, with pointed ears, and he doesn't display those traits. So perhaps he's more like Blade, a living vampire or a dhampir, or like Spitfire, who is a vampire with all the powers but none of the weaknesses thanks to a number of other factors (mutant genes and android blood transfusions) in the mix. Or was Shrike bitten off panel somewhere near the end of the second issue and finally turned?  I suspect the former, simply because Shrike really did want to leave (as he said as much when he was alone) early in Black Dawn#2, but at the end he chose to stay only when he learned that they intended to take the vampirised Leona, something he feared would spread the virus to other worlds. Since he was already apparently a vampire himself at this juncture, yet not afraid that he might spread the virus, this supports the idea that he had been an atypical vampire all along.

   Leona reappeared alongside Kether Troop in the 2014 Revolutionary War miniseries, apparently no longer a vampire, so her fellow Warheads clearly did eventually go back for her and successfully cure her of vampirism. However, no mention was made of Shrike.

   This profile was completed on 08/13/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary's celebratory event to represent Warheads.

Profile by Loki.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Shrike has no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Warheads: Black Dawn#, p10, pan2 (main image)
Warheads: Black Dawn#2, p22, pan7 (headshot, displaying fangs)
Warheads: Black Dawn#1, p15, pan2 (on bike)

Appearances:
Warheads: Black Dawn#1 (July 1993) - Craig Houston (writer), Charlie Adlard (pencils), James Hodgkins (inks), Michael W. Bennent (editor)
Warheads: Black Dawn#1 (July 1993) - Craig Houston (writer), Charlie Adlard (pencils), David Hine (inks), Michael W. Bennent (editor)

First Posted: 09/29/2026
Last updated: 08/13/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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