Wildcat (DC Comics)

Wildcat is the name of several superheroes in the DC Universe prominently connected to the Justice Society of America. Each version of the character is commonly a cat-themed hero with powers associated with felines in some manner and are commonly depicted as accomplished mixed martial artists. The original version of the character debuted in Sensation Comics #1 (January, 1942), created by Bill Finger and Irwin Hasen.

The original version of the character, Theodore "Ted" Grant, is a long-time member of the JSA and former world-class heavyweight boxer and mixed martial artist who became inadvertently entangled in the criminal underworld and first becoming a hero to clear his innocence. Renown for his combat abilities, he also became a notable mentor to several superheroes in the art of boxing and has also served as co-chairman of the Justice Society. The second version of the character, Yolanda Montez, is the daughter of Juan Montez, a sparring partner of Ted known as "Mauler Montez", and Ted's goddaughter whose mother unknowingly underwent genetic experimentation by a corrupted doctor, giving Yolanda feline-like abilities. Eventually becoming a reporter, she adopted the Wildcat codename following Grant's injuries during Crisis on Infinite Earths. Yolanda is later killed by Eclipso but eventually resurrected. The character is notably a heroine of Latina descent, being the second after Green Fury in DC Comics.

Other characters took the name, including Grant's one-time, short-lived protégé Hector Rameriez who was killed by Killer Croc and Thomas "Tom" Bronson, a metahuman werecat who is tutored by Grant, his father, as a second Wildcat and a JSA member in late-2000s stories before adopting a different name.

Ted Grant has made several appearances in DC media, such as the third season of Arrow, in which he was portrayed by J. R. Ramirez, and the DC Universe streaming service show Stargirl, portrayed by Brian Stapf. Additionally, Yolanda Montez also appears in Stargirl, portrayed by Yvette Monreal.

The Ted Grant of the character debuted in Sensation Comics #1 (January, 1942), created by Bill Finger and Irwin Hasen. Four decades later, Yolanda Montez first appeared in Infinity, Inc. #12 (March 1985), and was created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Don Newton. Roy and Dann Thomas originally intended to create a Canadian superheroine named "The Lynx" for new 1980s-era descendants of the All-Star Squadron. An early incarnation of Wildcat named "La Garro" appears in promotional material for Infinity Inc.

Yolanda Montez is the daughter of Maria Montez and Juan Montez, and possesses cat-like abilities due to Maria being exposed to experimental drugs while pregnant. She later succeeds her godfather Ted Grant as Wildcat following his retirement. During this time, she joins Infinity, Inc. and has a flirtatious relationship with Nuklon. Yolanda later retires after Infinity, Inc. disbands, but resurfaces to fight Eclipso, during which she is killed.

Years after the New 52 reboot, which erased much of the history of the JSA including Yolanda's tenure, her history is restored in Doomsday Clock. Montez alongside Beth Chapel is later resurrected in a precursor to the Lazarus Planet event, now instead joining the Justice Society of America but struggles with Eclipso's influence on her, forced to take pills known as Lazarus resin in order to suppress it while helping the team battle Per Degaton, whose current plot includes erasing their history by killing Doctor Fate and the JSA team across time.

Thomas "Tom" Bronson is Ted Grant's youngest son. Tom's mother Marilyn had a one-night stand with Ted, and never told him of Tom's existence. Despite the fact that his father was not involved in his life, Tom is not bitter towards Ted. However, he did tell Ted that he had no intentions of becoming the next Wildcat, as he was not a fighter himself.