Tiger Shark (Todd Arliss) is a
fictional character, a
supervillain
A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero.
Supervillains are oft ...
appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics. He is usually depicted as an enemy of
Namor.
Publication history
The character first appears in ''
Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner'' #5 (September 1968) and was created by writer
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibl ...
and artist
.
Fictional character biography
Todd Arliss is a selfish
Olympic swimmer
Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...
who, seeking public acclaim, attempts to rescue a
drowning man. In the process, Arliss suffers a
spinal cord injury when waves push him into a
ship. Desperate to regain his swimming ability, Arliss willingly participates in an experiment by the scientist
Doctor Dorcas who "cures" his injured back by blending his
DNA with that of hero
Namor the Sub-Mariner and a
tiger shark. Although successful, the process changed Arliss both physically and mentally, endowing him with razor-sharp teeth and gills and making him savage and predatory.
Becoming a supervillain and calling himself Tiger Shark, the character finds and threatens the
Lady Dorma and by force demands to be crowned Lord of
Atlantis. Namor, however,
deposes Tiger Shark and the character is imprisoned in Atlantis. Tiger Shark escapes from Atlantis during a rebellion caused by the
artifact Artifact, or artefact, may refer to:
Science and technology
* Artifact (error), misleading or confusing alteration in data or observation, commonly in experimental science, resulting from flaws in technique or equipment
** Compression artifact, a ...
the
Serpent Crown
The Serpent Crown is a fictional mystical power object appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Marie Severin, and first appeared in '' Sub-Mariner'' #9 (January 1969).
Prope ...
and encounters Namor once again.
Tiger Shark battles
Orka Orka may refer to:
* Orca, killer whale
* Orga, Cyprus, a village in Cyprus
* Orka (comics)
Orka is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin, a ...
, the minion of Atlantean noble
Warlord Krang. The pair cause an undersea
avalanche that buries them for several months.
Once free, Tiger Shark discovers he is losing his powers and teams with the villainess
Llyra against Namor and his allies
Stingray
Stingrays are a group of sea rays, which are cartilaginous fish related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae (sixgill stingray), Plesiobatidae ( ...
and
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
member the
Human Torch. Tiger Shark's powers are restored by Llyra, and Tiger Shark accidentally kills Namor's father, Leonard Mackenzie, as the villains retreat. After encountering the
Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
at
Niagara Falls the character reunites with Dr. Dorcas and battles Namor and the hero
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
. On this occasion, Tiger Shark is savagely beaten by Namor and left for dead. Tiger Shark, Dr. Dorcas and Atlantean warlord
Attuma seize the island
Hydrobase and again battle Namor, who allied with
Doctor Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the fi ...
. Dorcas is accidentally crushed to death, with Tiger Shark and Attuma being defeated and imprisoned.
Tiger Shark escapes from Hydrobase and abducts Namor's cousin
Namorita before being recaptured by heroine
Ms. Marvel.
Tiger Shark joins the supervillain team the
Masters of Evil who battle the
Avengers. With the Masters of Evil, Tiger Shark aids villain
Egghead in a plan to ruin
Henry Pym, but is ultimately defeated by Pym. Tiger Shark joins
Baron Zemo's version of the Masters of Evil and invades
Avengers Mansion, escaping when the Avengers retake their headquarters. The character flees with fellow Masters member
Whirlwind to
California, where both are captured by
Avengers West Coast
The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' #1 (Sept. 1984), created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall. It was the fi ...
members
Tigra and
Hellcat.
During the ''
Acts of Vengeance'' storyline Tiger Shark battles
Wolverine; feigns illness to escape prison, and eventually battles Stingray. Tiger Shark ceases the hostilities to help rescue his sister, who is trapped in a cave-in. After being captured for study and then rescued by Namor, a grateful Tiger Shark renounces crime. Renaming himself Arlys Tigershark, he marries a woman from an undersea tribe of nomads. However, he reverts to his savage ways when his pregnant wife and her tribe are slaughtered by savage undersea creatures called the Faceless Ones. He aids Namor against
Suma-ket
Sabra
Sabreclaw
Sabreclaw is a character in the MC2 universe who first appeared in '' J2'' #8 (May 1999). He is the half-brother of Wild Thing and the son of Wolverine.
The character has claws (similar to Sabretooth), a healing factor, enha ...
, the master of the Faceless Ones, who leads an attack on Atlantis that fails when Suma-Ket is killed in battle. Together with the
Inhuman Triton and the Fantastic Four, Tiger Shark reluctantly aids Namor against an attacking alien and after a battle with Namor
clone
Clone or Clones or Cloning or Cloned or The Clone may refer to:
Places
* Clones, County Fermanagh
* Clones, County Monaghan, a town in Ireland
Biology
* Clone (B-cell), a lymphocyte clone, the massive presence of which may indicate a pathologi ...
Llyron features as part of the team
Deep Six and battles the Avengers.
In ''
Thunderbolts
A thunderbolt or lightning bolt is a symbolic representation of lightning when accompanied by a loud thunderclap. In Indo-European mythology, the thunderbolt was identified with the 'Sky Father'; this association is also found in later Hell ...
'', Tiger Shark has inexplicably mutated into a more shark-like being, complete with grey skin and a natural fin as opposed to a costume ornament. Tiger Shark joins
Justine Hammer's version of the Masters of Evil and has several skirmishes with maverick superheroes the Thunderbolts.
[''Thunderbolts'' #3 (June 1997); #18 - 20 (September-November 1998) & #24-25 (March-April 1999). Marvel Comics.]
Tiger Shark — once again in human form — joins Attuma's version of Deep Six (consisting of Nagala, Orka,
Piranha, and
Sea Urchin
Sea urchins () are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard shells (tests) of ...
) to conquer Atlantis, initially successful the villains are eventually defeated, with Tiger Shark quickly defeated by cosmic hero the
Silver Surfer.
The character appears next — again in mutated form — in the title ''
She-Hulk
She-Hulk (Jennifer "Jen" Walters) is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in ''The Savage She-Hulk'' #1 (cov ...
'', and is imprisoned in the prison facility called the Big House, where inmates are kept at miniature size. Escaping with several other inmates at
microscopic size by riding on the back of heroine She-Hulk's hand, Tiger Shark and the other villains emerge and attack when she visits a
law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to r ...
. Tiger Shark is defeated when She-Hulk throws the villain
Electro into the water he is standing in,
electrocuting
Electrocution is death or severe injury caused by electric shock from electric current passing through the body. The word is derived from "electro" and "execution", but it is also used for accidental death.
The term "electrocution" was coined ...
Tiger Shark and
short circuiting Electro. Tiger Shark appears (in human form) during the mass supervillain breakout at prison facility the Raft and is recaptured, along with fellow villain
Armadillo
Armadillos (meaning "little armored ones" in Spanish) are New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata. The Chlamyphoridae and Dasypodidae are the only surviving families in the order, which is part of the superorder Xenarthra, along wi ...
, by the group the
New Warriors. The character is seen briefly as an employee of the criminal the
Owl in the limited series ''
Underworld''.
In the 2007
limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
* Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number ...
''
Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America'', Tiger Shark steals an artifact called the "Horn of Gabriel", and uses it to summon huge sea monsters and direct them against the surface world. He is, however, defeated by the
Mighty Avengers. Tiger Shark also features as part of a supervillain enclave being solicited by new crime boss the
Hood, who hopes to take advantage of the split in the superhero community caused by the
Superhuman Registration Act
Discrimination against superheroes is a common theme and plot element comic books and superhero fiction, usually as a way to explore the issue of superheroes operating in society or as commentary on other social concerns. Often in response to ...
.
Al Kraven, the son of long-time
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
foe
Kraven the Hunter, briefly captures Tiger Shark when collecting animal-themed superhumans. Tiger Shark attempts to
extort money from
Norman Osborn, the leader of a revamped version of the Thunderbolts, but is beaten into submission by
Venom and forced to secretly work for Osborn.
During the 2008 "
Secret Invasion" storyline, Ms. Marvel saves Tiger Shark from being killed by an alien
Super-Skrull
The Super-Skrull (Kl'rt) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, generally as an enemy of the Fantastic Four, the powers of whom he possessed. The character, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, first appeared ...
in Raft. Tiger Shark also skirmishes with the
mercenary character
Deadpool at the direction of Osborn. The
Elder of the Universe
The Elders of the Universe are a group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Collector was the first Elder to appear, and featured in '' The Avengers'' #28 (May 1966), but the idea that he was a member ...
the
Grandmaster also recruits the character to be part of a team called the Offenders in a bid to thwart the
Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
.
[''Hulk'' (vol. 2) #10-12 (April-June 2009). Marvel Comics.]
Tiger Shark joins a new version of the Lethal Legion, led by the Grim Reaper, in a three issue
limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
* Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number ...
which ties into the 2008-09 "
Dark Reign" storyline.
During the 2011 "
Fear Itself" storyline,
Liz Allan and Normie encounter two men, one of whom was wounded by Tiger Shark during his bank robbery. Tiger Shark later joins Attuma (in the form of Nerkodd: Breaker of Oceans), Tyrak, and Attuma's sister Aradnea in taking over New Atlantis. As Namor and his allies fight off Nerkodd's forces and the
Undying Ones
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several fictional teams and organizations and this page lists them.
0–9 198
A A-Force
A-Next
A.I. Army
Because of his revelation that he is now a simulated A ...
,
Loa is attacked by what appears to be a two-headed Tiger Shark.
During the 2016 "
Avengers: Standoff!" storyline, Tiger Shark was an inmate of Pleasant Hill, a gated community established by S.H.I.E.L.D.
Tiger Shark attacked a cruise ship which Stingray and Diane Newell were on. Stingray fights Tiger Shark which continues underwater. Namor breaks up the fight and demands their allegiance. After Stingray is attacked by War Sharks summoned by Namor when he tried to reason with him, Tiger Shark reluctantly took up Namor's offer and became a member of his Defenders of the Deep.
Powers and abilities
Before gaining his powers, Todd Arliss was a record-breaking Olympic swimmer but otherwise an ordinary human. After Dr. Dorcas' experimental genetic engineering process, he becomes an amphibious humanoid with the traits of a human, an Atlantean (''
Homo mermanus''), and a
tiger shark. As Tiger Shark, he possesses the same, albeit weaker superhuman strength, stamina, water speed and durability compared to Namor, although he must be immersed in water to achieve his full strength as he weakens outside of the water. On land, he must wear his special costume containing a water circulation system which bathes him with a thin layer of water, to retain his strength. Tiger Shark also possesses an innate hunting instinct inherited from his shark genes, as once he locks onto prey he cannot stop tracking it until it has been captured or he has been forcibly repulsed. He has the ability to survive indefinitely underwater via gills on his cheeks and has razor-pointed
adamantium teeth.
Tiger Shark gained the tenuous ability to shift between a more monstrous shark form and his humanoid state, either given to him by the thieves' guild or something he grew into over his criminal career.
This vastly increased his physical abilities due to excess bulk and muscle mass, and he even gained a healing factor powerful enough to regenerate damaged brain tissue over time.
During the "Fear Itself" event, Todd was temporarily mutated via mysticism into a twin-headed monstrosity through the craft of the Undying Ones.
Other versions
* In the alternate timeline of the 1995–96 "
Age of Apocalypse" storyline, Tiger Shark is one of
Dark Beast's secret creations, concocted in his lab in The Yucatán and kept away from both
Mister Sinister and
Apocalypse
Apocalypse () is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imager ...
. The
Exiles
Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
encounter him in Dark Beast's lab while searching for lab notes for the M'Kraan Crystal.
* In the
Ultimate Marvel universe, Tiger Shark is a pre-cataclysm Atlantean who is more bestial than the mainstream Marvel version. During the 2009 "
Ultimatum" storyline, the
Thing,
Invisible Woman, and
Dr. Arthur Molekevic fight Doctor Dorcas alongside Namora and Tiger Shark in Atlantis and defeat him.
* In the alternate reality of the 2008 ''
Marvel Apes'' miniseries, Tiger Shark is a
gorilla named Tigorilla.
* In a 2014 storyline in ''
The Amazing Spider-Man'', following Spider-Man's defeat of Goblin King, it was revealed that Roderick Kingsley sold one of Tiger Shark's old costumes to an unnamed criminal as seen when he and the other former Hobgoblin minions encounter Electro at the Bar with No Name. During the 2014 "
AXIS" storyline, Tiger Shark was among the supervillains that Missile Mate assembled to join the side of
Phil Urich (who was operating as Goblin King) and the remnants of the Goblin Nation upon claiming that Roderick Kingsley "abandoned" them.
In other media
Television
* Tiger Shark appears in ''
The Avengers: United They Stand'' episode "Command Decision", voiced by
Carlos Diaz. This version is a member of the
Masters of Evil.
* Tiger Shark appears in ''
Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers'', voiced by
Tarusuke Shingake in the Japanese version.
[''Voice(s) of Tiger Shark''](_blank)
''Behind the Voice Actors''.
* A variation of the Ultimate Marvel version of Tiger Shark appears in the ''
Avengers Assemble'' episode "Shadow of Atlantis", voiced by
Matthew Mercer.
This version is a former general of Attuma's who rebelled against Atlantis in protest of the treaty between his homeland and the surface world and secretly a member of the mysterious
Shadow Council, who seek to conquer Atlantis,
Wakanda, and the world.
Video games
Tiger Shark appears as a boss in ''
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance'', voiced by
Beau Weaver.
Miscellaneous
In 2015,
Marvel Legends released a figure of Tiger Shark in the Infinite Series Ant-Man wave.
References
External links
Tiger Sharkat Marvel.com
*
{{New Warriors
Characters created by John Buscema
Characters created by Roy Thomas
Comics characters introduced in 1968
Fictional characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability
Marvel Comics characters who are shapeshifters
Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds
Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing
Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength
Marvel Comics hybrids
Marvel Comics mutates
Marvel Comics supervillains