Real Name: Corporal Animal

Identity/Class: Human weapon-user

Occupation: Marines

Group Membership: International Strike Force assembled to capture Fantomex

Affiliations: Fellow marines

Enemies: Fantomex, Phoenix (Jean Grey), Professor X (Charles Xavier)

Known Relatives: Unidentified father (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Paris, France

First Appearance: New X-Men I#129 (September, 2002)

Powers/Abilities: Corporal Animal was a loyal and highly trained marine with athlete strength and reflexes. He appeared to be almost 7' tall and muscular with orange-brown hair. As a marine, he was highly aggressive, overconfident and brash, and considered himself tough and strong. He knew how to handle guns and assorted weaponry, and was trained in various fighting techniques.

History:

(New X-Men I#129 (fb) - BTS) - Animal's father died when he was four. He couldn't deal properly with the grief and made himself tough and strong, and sought to emulate his father, then joined the armed forces.

(New X-Men I#129) - Hunted by a military force established to capture him, Fantomex, bleeding heavily, demanded sanctuary from Phoenix and Professor X near the top of the building at the X-Corporation Headquarters in Paris, France. The International Strike Force cordoned off the building, surrounding it with troops and at least three armed helicopters. The troops at the base of the building were concerned about the telepaths in the X-Corp HQ, with a call made for a soldier with no mind of his own worth controlling to engage the mutants. Corporal Animal immediately volunteered and pushed past his comrades to take on the task.

(New X-Men I#129 - BTS) - Animal ascended the X-Corp building, probably by stairs, from the foyer to confront Fantomex and his protectors on nearly the top floor.

(New X-Men I#129) - Distracting the helicopters using EVA, Fantomex, with Phoenix and Professor X in tow, sought to escape the X-Corp tower, but were confronted by a somewhat melodramatic Corporal Animal, who declared himself to be their "death in human form." Fantomex wanted to shoot Animal, but offered the soldier to Phoenix and Professor X to stop.

    Animal's soldier colleagues found him sitting on the floor, baring his emotions and questioning his role in the military after being floored by a telepathic attack. He then declared that he'd like to work with handicapped children or something.

Comments: Created by Grant Morrison (writer) and Igor Kordey (artist).

    It was not specified which nationality Animal was, although I'd narrow it down to British or American.

Profile by Grendel Prime

Clarifications:

Animal has no known connections to:

• Animal Liberation Front (ALF) - Sextet of youths that freed animals being experimented upon, scared off by Spider-Man after encountering him @ Web of Spider-Man Annual#2
• Ani-Mates (Bird Brain) - evolved animals created on island of Paradise by Ani-Mator @ New Mutants#55
• Ani-Men, agents of Organizer, Count Nefaria & Madame Masque, briefly empowered by Nefaria's scientists, killed by bomb Spymaster set for Tony Stark @ Daredevil I#10
• Ani-Men, successors, Ape-Man & Cat-Man subsequently killed by Death-Stalker @ Daredevil I#157
• Animen, New Men, sent to sabotage one of the Jackal's labs, opposed the Scarlet Spider and the Cult of the Jackal, @ Scarlet Spider Unlimited#1
• Ani-Men, defeated by Avengers @ GLA#1
• Any other "Corporal" or "Anim-" characters.

images:
New X-Men I#129, p6, panel 4 (main);