Alias: Beast Man
Real Name: Lyle Underwood
Genre: Superhero
Powers/Special Skills: Become any animal, either humanoid or the actual animal
Special Weapons/Tools/Armor: none
Affiliations: The Dynamos
Other Aliases: Animan, The Creature
Status: active
Bio:
As a child, Underwood was taken from his mother, the villainess Fauna, and placed in the care of his father, Abe Underwood, a normal. Lyle at first exhibited no powers, to the relief of his father. But once the baby grew to understand animals, his genetic abilities began to surface. It was soon clear that Lyle could change himself into any animal he wished. As hard as Abe tried, he could not convince his son to hide these powers, and the young boy was soon discovered during an incident at school, earning him the insulting name of the Creature. He was sought after by the M.A.C.H.I.N.E., the organization who gave Fauna her powers but, sensing the danger, he escaped. Lyle and his father secretly fled Caligo City without capture.
No information has been collected as to where they fled. It is known, however, that agents of the M.A.C.H.I.N.E. caught up to the them and killed Abe Underwood. Lyle, who had then grown to 19 years of age, killed the agents and once again escaped.
From there he joined the Arken Travelling Circus, where he put his powers to use before crowds of fans. At this point he began calling himself Animan. Again, M.A.C.H.I.N.E. agents caught up to him, this time bringing Lyle’s mother, Andrea, who has the power of mind control over animals other than humans. Lyle was forced to surrender. He spent 6 years with the organization, much of the time being studied for cloning. Over the years, Andrea was able to gain complete control over her son.
But something she did or said broke her hold over him. It is rumored that she referred to his father negatively, and the boy’s love for his father overpowered Fauna’s spell. Lyle once again escaped, confused by the conflicting nature of his raising. His father had always taught him to be a good, selfless person, but his mother had tried to corrupt him.
Seeing no answer in his own heart, Lyle ended up on the doorstep of a Catholic church, where he was taken in by a sisterhood of nuns. The sisters strengthened Abe Underwood’s teachings of love and kindness, and Lyle at last found his true calling in life. He would protect the world from the evils that had shattered his life and taken his father.
Now on his own, Lyle assumed the identity of Beast Man. He is always looking over his shoulder for members of the M.A.C.H.I.N.E., but doesn’t let that distract him from his newfound life’s mission. His efforts were noticed by the hero Shield, and he was brought into the then young super team The Dynamos. He hopes to one day turn his mother from the forces of evil.
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