DOVINIA

Real Name: Dovinia

Identity/Class: Genetically engineered human/animal hybrid (Changeling)

Occupation: Unrevealed

Group Membership: Changelings (Centauria, Centaurio, Minotaurus, Neptunius, Pinto, Siren, Woodgod, others)

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Leoninus, Malachi Oz, Roxxon

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Changeling village, Rocky Mountains, Colorado

  

First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents I#76/4 (May 1991)

  

Powers/Abilities: Though she demonstrated no abilities in her brief appearance, Dovinia presumably possessed a degree of superhuman strength, endurance and durability, a resistance to chemical toxins, and an enhanced sense of smell, similar to most other Changelings. Like all Changelings, she gave off a virtually imperceptible radioactive aura, which could be tracked using the right equipment.

 

Height: (not including ears) 5'11"; (including ears) 6'2" (by approximation)
Weight: 160 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde

 

History:
(Marvel Comics Presents I#76/4 (fb) - BTS) - Dovinia was a Changeling, a group of human-animal hybrids living in secret in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Their community had been founded by Woodgod, who had used the same gene splicing techniques combining human and animal DNA once used to create him to in turn give life to the other Changelings. Of similar stock to the satyr-like Woodgod, the deer-like Dovinia became good friends with him, but when their friendship looked like it was blossoming into love Woodgod abruptly backed off, believing that it was his duty to protect their community and that becoming romantically involved might compromise this role.

(Marvel Comics Presents I#76/4) - As Dovinia argued with Woodgod over his decision to end their nascent romance, the pair were unaware that their conversation was being overheard by Leoninus, a bitter Changeling who was jealous of Woodgod's standing in their community, and the way the community's females adored Woodgod while all rejecting his advances. Having encountered a Roxxon scouting team investigating rumors of the Changelings' existence, the resentful Leoninus had struck a deal with Roxxon scientist Malachi Oz to supply him all of the female Changelings for use in Roxxon's crossbreeding program, wanting to create beasts of burden just intelligent enough to be easily directed without being smart enough to be disobedient. Leoninus lured each of the females into traps by claiming Woodgod had sent him to fetch them for a meeting, with Dovinia being his final victim. However, the other Changelings swiftly noticed the absence of their fellows and Woodgod began tracking the abductees by their unique Changeling radioactive signature.

 

   Having been delivered to Oz, the captive Changelings were swiftly transported to a Roxxon facility to begin the experiments. Dovinia was strapped to a table, with Oz intending her to be the first of his victims, but before he could do anything untoward Woodgod attacked, swiftly overpowering the guards and Oz, while Leoninus fled in terror. Viewing Woodgod's rescue as confirmation that he did care, Dovinia tried to thank him after he had finished freeing the captives, but to her dismay he insisted that he had merely being doing his duty as the community's protector, insisting that Roxxon would never have breached the village defenses without Leoninus' help, and that Leoninus only betrayed the Changelings because he was jealous of the relationship he believed Woodgod had with Dovinia. Since by this logic it had been Woodgod's association with her that had endangered them all, Woodgod insisted to the tearful Dovinia that he had to remain forever apart from her.

 

(Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD III#37 (fb) - BTS) - Soldiers from New Mexico's Trinity Base, a project that harbored a long-standing animosity towards Woodgod, located the Changeling village and attacked it, apparently killing all the Changelings except Woodgod (see comments).

 

 Comments: Created by Robert Campanella and Dave Cockrum.

   We see a number of known Changelings among the slain in Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD III#37, but Dovinia was not among them, so there is a slight possibility she could have survived.

   While there a few decent close up views of Dovinia there are only two full body images, both small and somewhat indistinct. Despite this, they do give an idea of her body shape, notably her deer-like legs. I've also included a close up of her feet; while not the best view of the rest of her, it does show more clearly her cloven-hooved toes.

   This profile was completed 09/14/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary's celebratory event.

 

Profile by Loki.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Dovinia has no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Marvel Comics Presents I#76/4, p1, pan4 (main image)
Marvel Comics Presents I#76/4, p3, pan3 (head shot)
Marvel Comics Presents I#76/4, p3, pan2 (standing up straight)
Marvel Comics Presents I#76/4, p1, pan3 (standing, side angle)
Marvel Comics Presents I#76/4, p3, pan3 (feet close-up)

Appearances:
Marvel Comics Presents I#76/4 (May 1991) - Robert Campanella (writer), Dave Cockrum (art), Terry Kavanagh (editor)

First Posted: 09/15/2021
Last updated: 09/14/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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