PREYY PREYY
Real Name: Preyy
Identity/Class: Terrestrial fauna (leopard);
Wakandan/African;
property of Erik Killmonger
Occupation: Warrior, pet, predator
Group Membership: Formerly Madam Slay's leopard pride
Affiliations: Erik Killmonger (N'Jadaka; owner, companion), Monica Lynne, Madame Slay, Mute, Triathlon (Delroy Garrett; Jr.; later 3-D Man);
loosely affiliated with Killmonger's lieutenants (Baron Macabre, King Cadaver, Salamander K'ruel, Lord Karnaj, Malice, Sombre, Venomm/Horatio Walters) and other agents (including Kazibe and Tayette)
Enemies: Achebe, Black Panther (T'Challa), Deadpool (Jack; aka Wade Wilson), Everett K. Ross, W'Kabi
Known Relatives: None confirmed, although Madam Slay called the leopard that helped Preyy drag T'Challa his brother (it is unrevealed whether that is figurative or literal; that leopard may even be Preyy II)
Aliases: Ukatana (a false alias that Achebe claimed was Preyy's real name)
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
last active in Achebe's base, Wakanda;
formerly N'Jadaka Village, Wakanda;
mobile throughout Wakanda
First Appearance: Jungle Action#6 (September, 1973)
Powers/Abilities: Preyy is an exceptionally
large and powerful leopard, able to run at up to 40 mph, leap in a
single bound 50' horizontally or 10' vertically, and carry up to 220
lbs. with his mouth.
Preyy is skilled in using his sharp claws in combat and instinctively knows how to kill a victim with a neck bite.
Somewhat socialized by his interaction with Killmonger, Preyy liked to play Frisbee.
Like most cats, Preyy has enhanced
olfactory (smell) and auditory (sound) senses. Increased rods in his
retina in addition to the light-reflecting tapetum lucidum greatly
enhanced his night vision; however, relatively few cones in his retina
likely resulted in diminished color vision.
Killmonger implanted a tracker within Preyy, although Achebe later removed it.
Height: 3'5" at the shoulder (approximately 7' long, plus 4' long tail (see comments))
Weight: 176 lbs.
Eyes: Green (they did not
typically glow as shown in the main image, but they would demonstrate a
reflection from the tapetum lucidum, typical of cats and dogs)
Fur: Cream-yellow to orange-brown with black dots
History:
(Black Panther III#24 (fb) - BTS) - The African leopard Preyy was Erik Killmonger's only true friend.
(Deadpool III#44 - BTS) - At some point, Killmonger had a tracker implanted within his leopard, Preyy
(Jungle Action II#6) - After the Black Panther (T'Challa) tracked Killmonger to
Warrior Falls, Killmonger set Preyy on him.
Snarling, Pretty tackled the Panther and clawed at his chest and upper
neck. Gripping Preyy with a hand each on his upper and lower jaws, the
Panther apparently snapped Preyy's mandible (see comments).
Furious at his pet's injury, Killmonger shouted for Preyy to flee.
(Jungle Action II#6 - BTS) - Killmonger hurled the Panther over the falls, believing he would die upon hitting bottom.
(Jungle Action II#6-7 - BTS) - Preyy returned to Killmonger village.
(Jungle Action II#12 (fb) - BTS) - Preyy accompanied Killmonger, King Cadaver, and others of the Death Regiment, into the Land of the Chilling Mist.
(Jungle Action II#12) - Preyy obeyed Killmonger's orders to stay with him as they trudged through the frigid land.
(Jungle Action II#12 - BTS) - Killmonger,
Preyy, and his agents reached the temple of the Resurrection Altar,
where Sombre paralyzed the pursuing Black Panther and cast him out into
the snowy wastes.
(Jungle
Action II#18 (fb) - BTS) - After the apparent death of Killmonger, his
lover, Madame Slay, recovered Preyy, who joined her pride of leopards.
(Jungle Action II#18) - Having
captured the Black Panther, Madame Slay had Preyy and another leopard
-- with ropes from the Black Panther's wrists tied to their collars --
drag the Black Panther across the rocky ground. The Black Panther was
swiftly pulled off balance, and hyenas watched hungrily above as he was
dragged over rocks and skeletal remains. As the leopards seemed to gain
speed, they split paths on cue before a razor-sharp rock.
The Black Panther leapt into the air up and over the deadly-sharp rock edge, landed on the backs of Preyy and the other leopard. Gaining his balance, T'Challa rode them back into the cavern from which they had taken off, using their momentum to slam into Madam Slay's large and powerful assistant, Mute, whom he subsequently overpowered. After Madam Slay was knocked out after her head hit the rock surface while dodging a blast from W'Kabi, Preyy and the other leopard rushed to her side, and the conflict was ended.
(Black Panther III#13 (fb) - BTS / Black Panther
III#21 (fb) - BTS / Marvel Pets Handbook: Preyy entry) - Following
Killmonger's resurrection, Preyy was reunited with him.
(Black
Panther III#13) - After T'Challa's former fiance' Monica Lynne was kicked out of aircraft by
Nakia (later Malice) and landed in the jungle near N'Jadaka Village, Preyy approached Lynne. Whether she
recognized Preyy or just assumed he was a hungry leopard, an exhausted
Monica lied down and went to sleep, and Preyy lied down next to her, protecting her
(Black
Panther III#15 (fb) - BTS) - Preyy accompanied Monica Lynne and Killmonger into the jungle where US government agent Everett K.
Ross was serving as a temporary Black Panther.
(Black
Panther III#15) - After Killmonger took out a bull elephant charging
Ross, Preyy rushed up to Ross, but Monica assured Ross that he was just
a pet.
(Black
Panther III#16) - While Killmonger battled Wakandan warriors, Preyy
stood atop Ross, preventing his interference. When Preyy growled at the
fighting Killmonger and W'Kabi, Monica slapped Preyy on the
shoulder, telling him to let the two warriors work it out.
After Monica smacked Killmonger in the head with a rock to stop him from killing W'Kabi, Killmonger returned to Preyy's side and scratched his head.
Preyy subsequently accompanied Killmonger, Monica, Ross, and W'Kabi to N'Jadaka Village.
(Black Panther III#23 (fb) - BTS / Black Panther III#22) - Preyy accompanied Killmonger, who had defeated T'Challa and had claimed the Black Panther title and costume, as he traveled to Avengers mansion in America and introduced himself to She-Hulk as the new Black Panther.
(Black Panther III#23 (fb) - BTS) - Seeking to restore T'Challa's
rule in order that he might better torment him, Achebe sought to
manipulate the mercenary Deadpool into killing Killmonger.
(Deadpool III#44 - BTS) - Claiming Preyy was his own stolen leopard, Ukatana, Achebe hired Deadpool to recover him.
(Deadpool III#44) - Alongside Triathlon, Killmonger played Frisbee
with Preyy in the yard outside Avengers Mansion. Killmonger tried to
explain that Preyy was not so much domesticated as socialized: He and
Preyy had an understanding.
Posing as a government agent, Deadpool (in his
not-only-normal-but-handsome "Thom Cruz" form) arrived at Avengers Mansion, noting a report about a wild leopard. When
She-Hulk noted that the leopard seemed harmless, but "Thom" noted that
they all do, right before they bite your gazoombahs off.
Noting that you couldn't keep unauthorized
leopards inside city limits, "Thom" called Preyy to his side, offering
him a treat, and then instead apparently placing his (Deadpool's) personal transporter to his collar
(or perhaps injecting something under his skin). As Killmonger argued
that his leopard was part of his diplomatic pouch and exempt from
<such laws>, Triathlon tried to assure Killmonger that as long
as the animal was disease-free, he was sure everything would be
<fine>. Growling as "Thom" handled his collar, Preyy suddenly
turned and growled at Triathlon, who wondered what he had done.
Although Killmonger tried to call him back, Preyy leapt at Triathlon,
and then two were teleported to Achebe's
Wakanda base. Presumably Triathlon being transported along with Preyy was not part of the original plan?
(Black Panther III#23 (fb) - BTS) - Triathlon was somehow
incapacitated during the transport or upon his arrival in Achebe's base.
(Deadpool III#44 - BTS) - As Killmonger and the Avengers fought Deadpool
(who had revealed his involvement), Killmonger wished to kill him, but
Wasp advised him they'd never find Preyy if they killed Deadpool.
Demanding Preyy's return, Killmonger told
Deadpool that Preyy wasn't just a pet, but rather his only friend. Deadpool was defeated and placed in police custody.
(Black Panther III#23 - BTS) - Killmonger accompanied Goliath, She-Hulk, and Wasp in an Avengers Quinjet to Wakanda, with Iron Man flying alongside.
(Black Panther III#23 - BTS) - Achebe apparently implanted Preyy's tracker into Deadpool's transporter.
(Black Panther III#23) - As Triathlon awakened, Preyy bumped him with a Frisbee, trying to get him to play some more.
(Black Panther III#23 - BTS) - Achebe teleported Deadpool to his base, liberating him from police custody.
(Black Panther III#23 (fb) - BTS) - Achebe apparently re-directed Deadpool's transporter, and when he tried to recover Triathlon, Deadpool and Triathlon were each transported to different locations in Wakanda's Techno-Jungle.
(Black Panther III#23) - Iron Man traced the tracker Killmonger had
placed on Preyy into Wakanda's Techno-Jungle, though they all suspected it was a trap.
Killmonger ultimately entered the room
containing the tracker only to find Deadpool there.
Realizing this was a set-up to force him to kill Killmonger, Deadpool revealed he had been employed by Achebe but that didn't know where Preyy was. The fight between Killmonger and Deadpool was ultimately defused.
Both seeking to recover Preyy and disgusted with his Avengers experiences, Killmonger remained in Wakanda when the Avengers departed.
(Black Panther III#24 (fb) - BTS) - Achebe apparently slew Preyy and abandoned his base.
(Black Panther III#24) - Killmonger traveled to Achebe's base to find Preyy dead.
(Black Panther III#24 - BTS) - Killmonger subsequently confronted T'Challa, noting he held T'Challa personally responsible for Achebe's actions and demanding to know Achebe's location. Killmonger was distracted by Hunter baiting him into performing the rite of ascension, which left him comatose.Comments: Created by Don McGregor, Rich Buckler, and Klaus Janson.
In Jungle Action#6, the text says that the Panther NEARLY snaps Preyy's neck, while it shows the Panther forcing his jaws open beyond their maximum range of motion, and there is a cracking sound. So, he presumably broke his mandible, but perhaps he only luxated (dislocated it)...or maybe he broke his temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Or maybe Killmonger used the Resurrection Altar to heal Preyy.
Tail length - leopards typically
have a tail even longer than their body (nose to tail-base), but the
image of Preyy dead is the only one even close to that length...usually
it looks like it's only 3' long. Maybe it was partially severed at some
point?
I really don't enjoy Achebe. He's
just crazy-weird and not that entertaining to me. I'd much rather have
had Preyy kill or at least maim Achebe.
Prey is obviously the term for
animals hunted and consumed by predators. Still, it has a somewhat cool
sound to it, and it's also a verb, describing the act of a predator in
consuming (or preying on) its victim.
There are a number of great additional images of Preyy in Killmonger's profile.
Killmonger showed up with a new
Preyy (Preyy II) after reviving from his comatose state in Black
Panther III#61. Perhaps that was a sibling on son of Preyy...maybe it
was the other leopard that helped drag T'Challa in Jungle Action#18.
Maybe not.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Preyy should be distinguished from:
images: (without ads)
Jungle Action#6, pg. 11, panel 11 (attacking T'Challa)
#18, pg. 13, panel 2 (with "brother" leopard, dragging T'Challa);
Black Panther III#16 cover - as
digitally remastered for Marvel Pets and Official Handbook of the
Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#9: Preyy entry - main image
#22, last page (with Killmonger as Black Panther, plus She-Hulk);
#24, pg. 1, panel 5 (dead)
Deadpool III#44, pg. 8, panel 4 (with Frisbee)
Appearances:
Jungle Action#6 (September, 1973) - Don McGregor (writer), Rich Buckler (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Jungle Action#7 (November, 1973) - Don McGregor (writer), Rich Buckler (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Jungle Action#12 (November, 1974) - Don McGregor (writer), Billy Graham (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Jungle Action#13 (January, 1975) - Don McGregor (writer), Billy Graham (penciler), Craig Russell (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Jungle Action#18 (November, 1975) - Don McGregor (writer), Billy Graham (penciler), Bob McLeod (inker), Len Wein (editor)
Black Panther III#13 (December, 1999) - Christopher Priest
(writer), Sal Velluto (penciler), Bob Almond (inker), Ruben Diaz
(editor)
Black Panther III#15-16 (February-March, 2000) - Christopher Priest (writer),
Sal Velluto (penciler), Bob Almond (inker), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Black Panther III#22 (September, 2000) - Christopher Priest (writer),
Sal Velluto (penciler), Bob Almond (inker), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Deadpool III#44 (September, 2000) - Christopher Priest (writer), James
Caliafore (penciler), John Holdredge (inker), Mike Marts (editor)
Black Panther III#23 (October, 2000) - Christopher Priest
(writer), Sal Velluto (penciler), Bob Almond (inker), Ruben Diaz
(editor)
Black Panther III#24 (November, 2000) - Christopher Priest
(writer), Mark Bright (penciler), Walden Wong (inker), Ruben Diaz
(editor)
Marvel Pets Handbook: Preyy entry (August, 2009) -
Michael Hoskin (head writer/coordinator), Chris Biggs, Ronald Hugh Byrd
Jr., Madison Carter, Jeff Christiansen, Michael Hoskin, Rob London, Sean
McQuaid, Eric J. Moreels, Mark Robert O'English, Mike O'Sullivan, Markus
Raymond, Jacob Rougemont, Gabriel Shechter, Stuart Vandal, David Wiltfong
(writers), Sal Velluto (penciler), Bob Almond (inker), Alex Starbuck (editorial
assistant), John Denning & Cory Levine (assistant editors), Mark D. Beazley
& Jennifer Grunwald (editors, special projects), Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#9: Preyy entry
First posted: 05/31/2020
Last updated: 05/31/2020
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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