History: (Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme III#59) - When Kyllian was five Kranchuk had Kyllian's father killed. (see comments)

(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual#3 (fb) - BTS) - Orphans, Kyllian and Kate were raised by Hatcher, Mordini and Kranchuk to be part of their organization, Kyllian as an enforcer and Kate as a prostitute working for drugs. Eventually "tattoos outta nowhere" appeared on Kyllian's body and he began to hear voices in his head.

(Dr. Stange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual#3) - Sickened by what was happening to his sister, he confronted his employer Kranchuk and rescue her, knowing it would cost him his job. When Kranchuk shot and killed his sister Kyllian finally listened to the voices in his head and unleashed his mystic powers, first destroying Kranchuk's gun, then the entire building. Carrying Kate's body, Kyllian ran.

Dr. Strange arrived to investigate the mystical energy that had been released and Kyllian acted hostily. When he could, he left his sister's body and and fled into a subway tunnel. The voices continued to encourage him to use his power to hunt down and kill the men who had corrupted his sister. He agreed and walked uptown to the headquarters of Mr. Hatcher's escort service. Barging his way into Hatcher's office, Kyllian fought used his powers to fight off security and attempted to kill Hatcher, but this attracted Dr. Strange. After fighting Strange again the voices guided Kyllian to the roof, encouraging him to ride the wind and fly away, but he refused to try because of the pain.

Dr. Strange caught up with Kyllian and ensnared him in his cloak. It was then that the voices in Kyllian's head revealed themselves to be the Celtic gods Morrigan, Taranis and Cernunnos. They told how they were bonded to Kyllian's psyche by an oath. As Strange fought the gods for Kyllian's freedom, Kyllian decided to accept them. He only asked for the conditions that they never take control of his will and only aid him when he wants it. Dr. Strange offered his services to train Kyllian. The gods agreed and said that Kyllian would become a great hero, while they would be rewarded with the souls of those he vanquished which they would feast upon, "then returning them to a new life." With that the Gods vanished leaving him with the Oak Staff of the Druids.

(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual#3/2) - Kyllian went to Dr. Stranges home and they used the Orb of Agamotto to witness the tale of Taleisin and Moiragh and they're oath to plea to the Celtic Gods.

(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme III#54/2) - With Dr. Strange absent, Kyllian attempted to teach himself how to use his staff, but when Wong advised waiting for Stephen's return Kyllian got fed up and left to continue his attacks on Hatcher's organization. But before he could do anything, he was attacked by the Centaurion.

(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme III#55/2) - Centaurion assured Kyllian that he wasn't after him, but rather the gods inside of him. With a single blast Centaurion believed Kyllian to be dead, but Kyllian arose and used his power to best the attacker.

(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme III#56/2) - Bellona arrived to see what delayed Centaurion and found him wounded. When Kyllian demanded to know the reason for the attack Bellona slapped him and he told her that whatever beef she had with the Celts, he was willing to fight about. Bellona realized his youth could be put to her advantage. She and the Centaurion returned to Olympus, telling Kyllian she would return.

(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme III#57) - Under Strange's watch, Kyllian tried to release his astral form, but lost his temper when he couldn't. Strange assured Kyllian that it took him months to learn to do it, but Kyllian accused Strange of being a lousy teacher. When Strange recieved a message from his friend Dr. Palmroth, Kyllian went with him to visit and investigate some newfound magic talismans. He sat with Palmroth's assistant Vicky Barnett while Strange explained the talismans to Palmroth's class. One of the talismans caused Strange to pass out, and later Kyllian was in Strange's home when Vicky explained that that trivet had been in her family for years.

(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme III#58) - The item began to glow and, though Strange had told him not to do anything, Kyllian decided to try to destroy it. A hand came out of it and pulled him into another dimension. Fighting off the ape that had pulled him there, Kyllian found himself in a very peaceful realm, where a woman introduced herself to him as Iskelior.

(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme III#59) - Iskelior welcomed Kyllian to her realm and told him her story. Somehow Iskelior helped him remember a piece of his childhood and his father's face. He demanded she help him remember more, but then Dr. Strange appeared seeking to rescue him. Kyllian refused to go and attacked Strange, even getting the best of him until Iskelior told him to stop because she hated violence. Suddenly Strange noticed that the mystical barriers were being torn down (by Lilith) and declared that he had to return to New York. Kyllian agreed to go, but Strange told him that he now needed him to stay so that he could seal the dimensional rip from that side. Strange told Kyllian that he would return when he could and, though hesistant, Kyllian recited the spell to seal the dimensions.

(Midnight Sons Unlimited#5 (fb) - BTS) - Kyllian was rescued "from oblivion" by Modred the Mystic. In the process Kyllian was drastically changed and apparently lost his staff but gained "my new body... my new life."

(Midnight Sons Unlimited#5) - Agreeing to learn from Modred to become more powerful Kyllian, now called Wildpride lost his temper at being called "disciple" and lashed out with his new animal magicks. But when Modred used his Darkhold-spawned skill to turn Wildpride's attack back on him Kyllian submitted. Modred began a plan to attack Salomé. Modred gathered Vengeance, Morbius and Werewolf and introduced them to Wildpride. They confronted Salomé, with Modred eventually turning on his group. Salomé wounded Modred and the others escaped. Though Kyllian believed that Modred deserved to die, he rescued him because he still desired to learn more about his powers.

(Morbius#29 - BTS) - Modred and Wildpride teleported in to Morbius' funeral to drop some flowers on his gravestone.

(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme III#77) - In the remains of Dr. Strange's old home, Wildpride attacked Strange, who easily bested him. He removed his powers temporarily and offered to help him get back on the right track, but Kyllian refused to be manipulated any more. From a distance, Modred who had sent him there to learn Strange's new magical energy signature said "You tell him, kid. Manipulating you is my job after all." Kyllian ran off.

(Fear Itself: The Fearless#8) - Wildpride joined the DOA under Sin's leadership.

(Fear Itself: The Fearless#11) - Wildpride fought Dr. Strange inside the DOA's HQ in South Carolina, but was unable to break free of his mystic bonds. He watched helplessly as Crossbones handed over Asgardian texts to Strange, which ultimately aided Strange in finding a solution to the Final Sleeper.

Comments: Created by Geof Isherwood, Wildpride created by David Quinn, John Hixson and Mark Tenny

Kyllian was one of the new characters to show up in the 1993 annuals (each was packaged with a card of the new character). And with eight appearances to his name, he is one of the most successful who wasn't Genis-Vell.

The flashback in Strange #59 confuses me. In it Kranchuk has a guy tied up, who at first I thought was Kyllian's father, but this guy was named Boddicker, not Kell. Also, Kranchuk tells this man that he isn't going to kill him, because he still has to work off his debt. But Kyllian does say that he saw his father's face. So, I guess the name is a mistake (or he has the unlikely first name of Boddicker) and that he did indeed kill him and that he's working off the dead through the service of his children. Or, Kyllian's father is another man in the flashback (one of Kranchuk's men), but if so why is he going along with this? OHotMU 2006 A-Z#12 cleared this up by naming Wildpride Kyllian Kell Boddicker.

Modred supposedly saved Kyllian from oblivion. Iskelior's realm didn't seem all that bad, so perhaps it was some sort of ill-advised attempt to free himself that resulted in his near-death and lost his staff and it was after this that Modred rescued him. It's also worth noting that at no point in his return as Wildpride did he mention the Cletic gods. Have they severed their ties, or did they just not come up? Who can say...

Also, I'm not sure what the Celts were doing with the souls of people killed by Kyllian, but since he never got around to killing anyone after Kranchuk, it probably doesn't matter. Speaking of which, Mr. Hatchet and Mordini (the latter never shown on panel) are apparently both still alive.

Wildpride has an entry in OHotMU 2006 A-Z#12.

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