WILD CHILD

 

WILD CHILD

Real Name: Kyle Gibney

First Appearance: Alpha Flight (Vol. 1) #1, August 1983

Powers: Wild Child was a latent mutant whose feral attributes were triggered by the Secret Empire, and he was later indoctrinated with cell samples taken from Wyre, a mercenary selling his body to "The Breed" in order to produce living weapons.

As Wild Child, Kyle Gibney possesses heightened speed, agility, stamina, and reflexes, enhanced senses that give him acute night vision, increased hearing, and the ability to detect and track scents, pronounced sharpened tips to his finger and toenails, and a hyper-regenerative power enabling him to quickly recover from all forms of physical injury. However he was also borderline feral, a savage whose bloodlust was difficult to manage.

After the government sponsored Gamma Flight team disbanded, Nemesis apparently took Kyle to Department K for chemical therapy and engineering. He was physically altered so that he no longer resembled a mad dog in human skin, but became handsome and muscular. His healing powers were enhanced, but on the other hand his senses and claws were suppressed through psychotherapy and regular medication that dampened his animal instincts and inclinations. Kyle operated like this for a time as Weapon Omega, having now been classically trained in various fighting disciplines, but began having difficulty repressing his true nature. Ultimately, he adopted the identity of Wildheart, as a balance between his Wild Child and Weapon Omega sides. In a still-unrevealed occurrence, though, Kyle reverted back to his canine appearance, losing his handsome looks and becoming Wild Child once more.