The Ani-Men is the name of several fictional teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Four of them are villain groups, while one of them was introduced as a team of agents serving the High Evolutionary.
The original lineup of Ani-Men ( Ape-Man, Bird-Man, Cat-Man, Frog-Man) were recruited by a man named Abner Jonas under the guise of the Organizer. Abner Jonas was a candidate for mayor of New York City, who sends the Ani-Men on missions to undermine the current administration. Daredevil defeated both the Ani-Men and their leader and sent them all to prison.
Later, Ape-Man, Bird-Man, and Cat-Man formed a team refered to as the Unholy Three and worked with the Exterminator (who eventually becomes the Death-Stalker) and Count Nefaria. The Ani-Men served as henchmen to the count and have come at odds with various heroes. They would go on to under-go a treatment by Count's scientist to become more animal like.
A new band of Ani-Men has risen. These are created by the High Evolutinary and are his servants.
In General
First Appearance: Daredevil Vol. 1 #10
A group of criminals were gathered and given specialized suits in order to commit crimes for... well, whoever needed them, really. While the initial team wore animal themed power suits, they eventually gained powers and appearances based around their animal likenesses.
The initial line-up was made up of Frog-Man, Ape-Man, Cat-Man, Bird-Man and later joined by Dragonfly. The team would evolve into a revolving caste of members, with later additions like Giraffe-Man, Great Horned Owl-Man, Pig-Man, and Rabbit-Woman.
- Animal-Themed Superbeing: After being granted powers by Count Nefaria, they became much more overtly animal like.
- Animal Wrongs Group: In their most recent incarnation, they are seen attacking a fashion show because of it's use and promotion of animal fur.
- Beast Man: An entire team of them. Once they got past their power-suit faze, they fell firmly into this, possessing fur, claws, and other traits associated with their individual animal.
- C-List Fodder: Being a lesser known team at best, the group has lost more than one member. Ape-Man, Cat-Man and Bird-Man have all been killed and replaced by successors who were also killed.
- Clothes Make the Superman: Before they were mutated into Beast Folk.
- Gang of Hats: Animal themed super villain team.
- Put on a Bus: The initial team consisted of Cat-Man, Bird-Man, Ape-Man and Frog-Man. Later, when they reappear, the former three are still present, but Frog-Man is "still in jail". That's because, between their appearances, Stan Lee created another frog-themed supervillain: The Leap-Frog (see below) and didn't want there to be a confusion. Frog-Man never appeared again, although Leap-Frog didn't have much staying power either.
- Revolving Door Band: The team line-up is rarely ever the same between appearances.
- Rogues' Gallery Transplant: Initially Daredevil and Spider-Man foes, they have since done battle with the X-Men, and even the Great Lakes Avengers.
- Token Female: Dragonfly and Rabbit-Woman to their respective teams, as they've never been on the same lineup.
- Winged Humanoid: Bird-Man, Dragonfly, and Great Horned Owl-Man.
Members
Frog-Man
Alter Ego: Francois LeBlanc
Notable Aliases:
First Appearance: Daredevil #10 (October, 1965)
- Berserk Button: During their run-in with the All-New X-Men, Frog-Man flips his lid when Nightcrawler calls him "herr frog".
- Frog Men: Mutated into one.
- One-Steve Limit: He has no relationship to either Leap-Frog or his son Frog-Man. This is why he never reappeared.
Cat-Man
Alter Ego: Townsend Horgan
Notable Aliases:
First Appearance: Daredevil #10 (October, 1965)
Two men have taken the identity of Cat-Man and were members of the Ani-Men.
- Cat Folk: Cat-Man is a humanoid feline.
- Legacy Character: After his death he was succeeded by Sebastian Patane and after his own death by an unnamed successor.
Bird-Man
Alter Ego: Henry Hawk
Notable Aliases:
First Appearance: Daredevil #10 (October, 1965)
Two men have taken the identity of Bird-Man and has served as a member of the Ani-Men.
- Alliterative Name: The first Bird-Man Henry Hawk.
- Back from the Dead: The second Bird-Man was among the many lesser villains revived by the Hood, to be used against The Punisher.
- Bird People: Unsurprisingly Bird-Man is a humanoid bird.
- Legacy Character: After his death he was succeeded by Achille DiBacco and after his own death by an unnamed successor.
Ape-Man
Alter Ego: Gordon Keefer
Notable Aliases: Monk, Gort
First Appearance: Avengers #12 (January, 1965)
Two men have taken the identity of Ape-Man and were members of the Ani-Men.
- Legacy Character: After his death he was succeeded by Roy McVey and after his own death by an unnamed successor.
Dragonfly
Alter Ego: Veronica Dultry
Notable Aliases:
First Appearance: X-Men #94 (August, 1975)
One of Nefaria's Ani-Men, originally just a costumed crook who was later mutated into a permanent form. Can mesmerize others into immobility with the hum from her wings.
- Amazing Technicolor Population: Her red skin.
- Animal Theme Naming: Dragonfly, instead of Dragonfly-Woman.
- Ascended Extra: Only barely, but she appeared more often than fellow Ani-Men, being part of the Femizons and the Masters of Evil.
- Beast Woman: She is a humanoid dragonfly.
- Hypnotic Eyes: She can release a hypnotizing ray through her forehead's antennae, rendering a single victim within 5' susceptible to all her commands.
- Monochromatic Eyes: Her pupils are solid white.
- Sixth Ranger: Dragonfly served as this for the original team.
- Winged Humanoid: Dragonfly has fly-like wings, enabling flight at 45 mph.
Giraffe-Man
Alter Ego:
Notable Aliases:
First Appearance: G.L.A. #1 (June, 2005)
A mutated half man half giraffe member of the newest incarnation of the Ani-Men.
- Genial Giraffe: Well, he's a humanoid giraffe.
- Mysterious Past: Nothing is known about him, not even his real name.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Only appeared in one issue and hasn't reappeared since.
Great Horned Owl-Man
Alter Ego:
Notable Aliases:
First Appearance: G.L.A. #1 (June, 2005)
A member of the Ani-Men for a very brief time.
- Mysterious Past: Nothing is known about him, not even his real name.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Great Horned Owl-Man is this for Bird-Man.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Only appeared in one issue and hasn't reappeared since.
Pig-Man
Alter Ego:
Notable Aliases:
First Appearance: G.L.A. #1 (June, 2005)
Member of the Ani-men for a very brief time.
- Mysterious Past: Nothing is known about him, not even his real name.
- Pig Man: Literally. He's a humanoid pig.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Only appeared in one issue and hasn't reappeared since.
Rabbit-Woman
Alter Ego:
Notable Aliases:
First Appearance: G.L.A. #1 (June, 2005)
Rabbit-Woman is a humanoid rabbit who's history of this incarnation of the Ani-Men has not been disclosed.
- Mysterious Past: Nothing is known about her, not even her real name.
- Leotard of Power: Wears one that allows her to give kicks.
- Playboy Bunny: Rabbit-Woman has traces of this, as she wears very little clothing. Possibly justified, as she is covered in fur already.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Only appeared in one issue and hasn't reappeared since.
