History
First Line-Up[]
The Ani-Men were a group of criminals hand-picked by the Organizer to orchestrate a crime wave that would benefit his reform party. The first line-up consisted of Ape-Man I, Bird-Man I, Cat-Man I and Frog-Man I, known collectively and informally as "the Organization".[1] They were defeated by Daredevil[3] who later fought them on other occasions, during which the team operated without Frog-Man I as "the Unholy Three".
In his bid to take control of NORAD, Count Nefaria returned Frog-Man I to the team along with a new female member, Dragonfly, and gave them all super-powers. Now known as the Ani-Men, they succeeded in taking over the military base for Nefaria, only to be decisively defeated by the new team of X-Men.[4]
Although having lost Dragonfly, who was confined to Moira MacTaggert's mutant research facility on Muir Island, Scotland, the four original Ani-Men continued working for Count Nefaria. During a battle against Iron Man, however, they were all slain by a bomb set by the Spymaster.[5]
Second Line-Up[]
A second line-up of Ani-Men, who also referred to themselves as the Unholy Three, consisted of Ape-Man II, Bird-Man II, and Cat-Man II. Recruited by Death-Stalker, for whom the original Unholy Three had worked for under a previous alias (i.e., the Exterminator), they also fought Daredevil. Ape-Man II and Cat-Man II were later slain by Death-Stalker; Bird-Man II escaped this fate, having already been captured, but was subsequently slain by the Scourge of the Underworld in the "Bar with No Name" massacre in Ohio (he has since been resurrected by the Hood).[6]
Third Line-Up[]
The third line-up of Ani-Men consisted of Giraffe-Man, Great Horned Owl-Man, Pig-Man, and Rabbit-Woman. In their only known appearance they attacked a modeling convention in Milwaukee, citing animal rights issues as their motive. They blamed the modeling industry for everything from animal testing of cosmetics to the wearing of fur. The Great Lakes Avengers showed up on the scene to fight the Ani-Men, but were beaten to it by the Avengers, who quickly dispatched the criminals.[7]
Their current whereabouts and activities are unknown.
Fourth Line-Up[]
Later, a fourth line-up of Ani-Men surfaced, consisting of Ape-Man III, Cat-Man III and Frog-Man III, and robbed an armored car.[8]
Then during the Civil War the same group, now consisting of Ape-Man III, Bird-Man III and Cat-Man III, were among the criminals seen being recruited by Hammerhead.[9][10]Notes
See Also
- 11 appearance(s) of Ani-Men (Earth-616)
- 7 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Ani-Men (Earth-616)
- 4 minor appearance(s) of Ani-Men (Earth-616)
- 3 mention(s) of Ani-Men (Earth-616)
- 3 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Ani-Men (Earth-616)
- 10 image(s) of Ani-Men (Earth-616)
- 15 member(s) of Ani-Men (Earth-616)