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Fang

Fang

A werewolf and lead guitarist for Scare Tactics.

Name:
Fang
Publisher:
Real name:
Jake Ketchum
Aliases:
  • Jake Ketchum
Birth date:
None
Gender:
Male
Powers:
  • Agility
  • Claws
  • Feral
  • Stamina
  • Super Speed
  • Super Strength
First issue:
Weird Mystery Tales (1996) #1
cover

Origin

Jake was born into a werewolf clan, the Ketchums, a family who lived in relative solitude deep in the Appalachian mountains. Their only neighbours were the Kingsbridges, another clan. A bitter rivalry existed between the two families for years.

Jake never knew his real father, and was raised by his mother's new partner, a fellow wolf named Warden. At best, Jake's relationship was strained - at worst, Warden was a bully, coming down hard on Jake at every opportunity.

Creation

Fang was created by Len Kaminski, Andy Lanning and Anthony Williams.

Character Evolution

Fang
Fang

After years of quarrelling, the two feuding families came up with a plan to end the bad blood between them. They planned a wedding, between Jake and one of the Kingsbridge girls, a young lady named Pearl. However, Jake could not go through with the wedding, and did not want to live the rest of his life like the clan.

He ran away, and was quickly picked up by R-Complex, a shady government organization with a base in New Mexico. Jake was taken to the facility, and held captive - it is implied that he, like the others, was held for the purposes of experimentation.

Eventually, Jake was rescued by a man named Arnold Burnsteel. With the help of Fate, Burnsteel saves Jake, along with three other teenagers, and takes them on the road. mainly for the purposes of camouflage, the group form a rock band, named Scare Tactics.

Major Story Arcs

Fang left the band and become the star of a TV show called "Wendy the Werewolf Stalker", after saving the star and members of Young Justice from a werewolf named Turk.

Robin Plus

Between issues 9 and 10 of Scare Tactics, the gang split up, each featuring in a special crossover issue with an established DC character. Fang teamed up with Robin in Robin Plus #2. In this issue, he encounters Robin while being chased down in Gotham City by a gang of werewolves. Fang is sent to Gotham by Arnold Burnsteel, to keep an eye on Scream Queen. He is in human form when he meets Robin, and struggles to conceal his true identity - he tells Robin that he is a roadie for Scare Tactics, and needs help looking for his friend. By the time Robin realises that Jake and Fang are the same person, Fang is long gone.

Powers and Abilities

As Jake is a werewolf, he naturally has a feral side, and can change into the form of a wolf. He also possesses super speed and strength.

Issues

December 1996

January 1997

February 1997

March 1997

April 1997

May 1997

June 1997

July 1997

August 1997

December 1997

January 1998

February 1998

March 1998

July 2001

August 2001

Volumes

1996

1997

1998

Authors

Friends

Enemies

Teams

Enemy teams