DEATHBIRD
Real Name: Swallow (first name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Extradimensional
(Earth-88469) resurrected human mutate
Occupation: Servant of Death;
formerly vigilante
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Death, Force America (Birdman,
Captain Hero, Clue, Cyberhead, Mother Earth, Shotgun, U-Boat), Force America's
butler (name unrevealed)
Enemies: Dead
Clown, unintentionally
William "Bull" Davidovich
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Birdboy, Swallow
Base of Operations: New York, USA (Earth-88469)
First Appearance: Dead Clown#3 (February,
1994) as Deathbird; Dead Clown#1 (October, 1993) as Swallow/Birdboy
Powers/Abilities: Swallow was initially a male
teenager obsessed with powerful and popular beings, and especially
wanted to be someone's sidekick. After being resurrected by Death as
super-hero Deathbird in adult form, he had flight capabilities plus
super-human strength and durability. He may have been granted
immortality in order to complete his mission.
Height: 6'
(by approximation); formerly 5'3" (pre-transformation) (by
approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed; 135 lbs.
(pre-transformation) (by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Unrevealed (formerly
brown)
History:
(Dead Clown#1 (fb) - BTS) - Obsessed with
super-hero team Force America, especially Birdman, the teenager Swallow
wanted to be
his idol's sidekick, dubbing himself Birdboy. Swallow encountered
Birdman and endeared himself sufficiently to gain a feather and a
promise to go on
joint patrol. He later went to Force America's headquarters and
demanded from their butler
to see Birdman.
(Dead Clown#1) - Birdman fled from the over-eager fanboy, but Birdboy jumped out the window after him. Unable to fly, he fell, but survived. Aware the rogue super-human Dead Clown was being hunted by Force America, Birdboy chanced across him first, but was soundly beaten up by his target. Dead Clown duped Birdboy into thinking he could be his sidekick (self-dubbed "Clown Lad"), so Birdboy switched allegiance and revealed Force America's plans. Dead Clown then maced him and left him to be beaten up by gun-toting bar patrons.
(Dead Clown#2 (fb) - BTS) - Birdboy was taken to the
city hospital to recover from his severe injuries and avoid shocks.
(Dead Clown#2) - Keen to
dispose of Force America and its allies, Dead Clown sent a surprise
present with his skull to scare the boy. The shock killed Swallow; as
his spirit floated away, he saw Birdman trying to extract a gold
filling from his corpse. Birdboy arrived in the afterlife and intended
to confront the demigod Death about his unfair demise.
(Dead Clown#3) - Birdboy climbed a cliff of bones
until he reached the sickly Death. Telling of his rejection and
betrayal, Birdboy was still dismissed by Death -- until he revealed his
connection to Dead Clown, who was despised by Death. Birdboy made a
deal to become Death's sidekick to bring Dead Clown "to justice."
Swallow was instantly granted super-powers in an adult body with cape
and mask, and renamed himself Deathbird. He flew from Death's domain
and hunted down Dead Clown. Meanwhile, Dead Clown had been cornered by
the super-strong Captain Hero and William "Bull" Davidovich (the latter
surgically altered to mimic and replace Dead Clown as a corporate
asset). Seeing "Dead Clown" (actually Davidovich), Deathbird pounded
Captain Hero into the ground and flew away with Davidovich, foolishly
believing justice had been served.
Comments: Created by Chris Ulm, Phil Gosier, and Bobby Rae.
There was something kinda inappropriately sleazy about Birdman initially accepting Birdboy's adulation, then evading him, while teen-aged Swallow expected to find him near the Boys Room. Just... off.
Malibu's Dead Clown follows the violence and parody of DC's Lobo (and later Marvel's Lunatik - with a dash of What The--?).
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Deathbird/Swallow/Birdboy has no known connections to:
images:
(without ads)
Dead Clown#3, p16, pan6 (Deathbird flying)
Dead Clown#1, p10, pan3 (as Birdboy)
Dead Clown#2, p14, pan3 (hospital headshot)
Appearances:
Dead Clown#1 (October, 1993) - Chris Ulm (writer), Joel Thomas
(pencils), Bobby Rae (inks), Roland Mann (editor)
Dead Clown#2 (November, 1993) - Chris Ulm (writer), Joel Thomas
(pencils), Bobby Rae (inks), Roland Mann (editor)
Dead Clown#3 (February, 1994) - Chris Ulm (writer), Phil Gosier
(pencils), Bobby Rae (inks), Roland Mann (editor)
First posted:
11/10/2018
Last updated: 02/18/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
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