Powers/Abilities: Howard is a master martial artist (one of a few dozen of the world's greatest), specifically trained in Quack Fu (see comments), and he apparently prefers to use a bo staff. He can leap close to 7' vertically.

    An anthropomorphic duck, Howard has webbed feet, a bill and feathers, but lacks wings.

    Howard is either blind (perhaps even missing his eyes) or he wears a blindfold for some reason, perhaps to enhance his focus and/or quasi-mystical senses, or perhaps he's such a good fighter that he wears the blindfold to handicap himself.

Height: 2'7"
Weight: 40 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed (at least formerly brown)
Feathers: Yellow
(the above stats are adapted from mainstream Howard, see comments)

History:

(J2#11 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Howard earned the title "Master of Quack-Fu."

(J2#11 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Howard started wearing a blindfold.

25 or so years later (see comments)

(J2#11 (fb) - BTS) - Bored and seeking a "good ol' fashioned super-brawl" to help him staying in shape, Deadpool anonymously sent invitations to a few dozen of Earth's greatest martial artists to participate in a contest of champions tournament on an unidentified island.

     Only Howard and a few other "old fogies" (Abe Brown, Bob Diamond, Cat, Shang Chi, Lin Sun, White Tiger) showed up, and Howard figured the younger warriors had nothing to prove. Suspecting that this was a trap of some sort, Howard resolved to bring in a ringer to take his place in the tournament while he investigated to learn who had lured them there. To this end, Howard either sent an amulet to the Avengers' American Dream, or this was the invitation sent by Deadpool, but Howard arranged to intercept her at the point of arrival.

(J2#11 - BTS) - While American Dream had no interest in the contest, J2 was intrigued and picked up the amulet.

(J2#11) - J2 was transported to the island of the contest, and Howard -- thinking it was American Dream, advised the arrival to prepare to prove worthiness for this contest of champions by facing the Master of Quack-Fu. Leaping into the air, Howard struck J2 over the head with his bo, at which point he realized that this was not American Dream. After J2 introduced himself, Howard explained the mysterious nature of the contest and his suspicions. Howard then approached the host, apparently Weasel, who showed them to their training area.

     Noting that he was sure the tournament's mastermind would reveal himself at the proper time, Howard advised J2 that he must train. J2's arguing his own unstoppable nature, but Howard insisted that true master of the martial arts would turn his own power against him. For the next hour or so, Howard instructed J2, who relucantly went along. Eventually, the bored J2 automatically reverted to his human form as Zane Yama, as he had to periodically recharge his power. When Zane revealed that he had no fighting skills, Howard denounced him as the "uncanny useless boy." Zane offered to do the investigating while Howard fought, but Howard insisted he was too vulnerable and told him to hide and stay out of his way.

(J2#11 - BTS) - Wandering the island's coast, Zane encountered Blind Al, who feared the powerless youth getting hurt and announced her plans to try to delay the festivities. Following her, Zane accidentally snapped a twig that alerted Deadpool to his presence, and Deadpool emerged and threatened him. Zane reverted back to J2, and Deadpool fought him for fun, eventually explaining that he had arranged the tournament because he was bored.

(J2#11) - Having been drawn by the sounds of their struggle, the other warriors attacked Deadpool, while Howard explained to J2 that everyone would keep fighting until -- at a critical moment -- they suddenly discovered it had all been a big misunderstanding; then they would take a bow, say their pithy farewells, and follow their separate paths: "Such is the way of the true martial artist."

(J2#11 - BTS) - J2 returned to Avengers headquarters, where he reverted to his powerless form and asked American Dream to train him in combat.