Timber Wolf

Original Timber Wolf

Timber Wolf's origin was rewritten in 2012's Legion: Lost #0. There are significant enough differences between this and his original story from Adventure #327 that it must be considered a "retcon."

In the original tale, Brin Londo was the child of the planet Zuun's most dedicated environmentalist, Dr. Mar Londo, and naturalist, V'Layla Keely. He spent the early part of his life with his mother in the jungles of his native planet, but when she died, he was taken in by his father, and his life took a turn for the worse. Notes: Timber Wolf's real name, planet of origin, and his father's name were revealed in Adventure Comics #327 (Dec. 1964). In that story, the name of the planet was spelled "Zoon."

Brin's father was a leading inventor of android technology, and many of his androids were quite intelligent. The smartest of them, Karth Arn, was hoping that Mar would test his Zuunium-based strength and agility augmenting treatments on him. (Zuunium was a rare metal.) But when Brin came to live with Mar, he received this "favor" instead. Although the treatments did increase Brin's strength, speed and agility, they also caused him almost constant pain, about which he was too proud to complain. It altered his mind, causing him periods of paranoia, alienation from others, and schizophrenia. When Mar Londo died, Karth simply brainwashed Brin into thinking that he was the android and Karth the human. Believing himself doomed to eternal loneliness, Brin took to wandering, and calling himself Lone Wolf.

In the new tale, reconstructed for the New 52, Brin Londo is the son of scientists Marr and Kana Londo. His father worked for the nefarious Lord Vykor, who sponsored his work in developing a "codent" which gave creatures risistance to disease, accelerated healing, and enhanced physical capacity. After a demonstration, Vykor demanded the formula immediately, but Marr resisted. Vykor killed his wife in retaliation and gave Marr a month to perfect it. But when it was time, he injected both himself and Brin with the serum. Marr was killed by Vykor's men and Brin was forced to flee into the streets. Years passed as he grew into a fierce hunter. When he met Vykor and his son, Tor, had also taken the serum. Brin's experience prevailed and justice was finally served. The Science Police who aided him suggested that he join the Legion. They called him a "lone wolf" but Brin having seen timber wolves on exhibit from Earth preferred Timber Wolf. (Legion: Lost #0)

The origin switch calls into question his first meeting with the Legion. In it, the Legionnaires monitored a series of odd robberies which could only have been committed by an android took place on Zuun. The Legion looked suspiciously at Lone Wolf, but the Legionnaire Light Lass fell in love with him and refused to believe he was guilty. After an encounter with the supposed Brin Londo, the Legion realized the switch that the android Karth Arn had made ... and Brin, secure in the knowledge of his humanity, vowed he'd never be a Lone Wolf again. (Adventure #327) He became romantically involved with Light Lass, joined the Legion Academy, and eventually, the Legion, as Timber Wolf. (Adventure #371-372)

But though his body had settled down, his mind hadn't. Ayla helped him overcome a briefly addiction to the Lotus fruit. (Action #378) Then he was apparently killed on Asteroid X52. In truth he was kidnapped by the Legion's enemy, Tyr, who brainwashed him. When Brin resurfaced, his physical appearance had changed, he was now more feral. Tyr attempted to use Timber Wolf to kill the President of Earth, but the Legion uncovered the plot. Though Brin's mind was restored, his physical form continued to change due to the degenerative effects of the zuunium radiation which gave him his powers. (Superboy #197)

Ayla Ranzz remained by Brin's side through all these trials. She eventually convinced him to undergo cosmetic treatments to regain a more human appearance. The procedure was successful, though Brin still manifests some feral traits when angered. (Legion vol. 2 #284)

Not long after this, Ayla decided to resign from the Legion. She hoped that Brin would join her, but he found that the Legion had also become his family, and his commitment to the team was stronger that to her. (#295) Ayla returned home to Winath and they did not see each other again until the Legion was attacked by the Legion of Super-Villains. After this, Ayla returned to active duty, but has been cool towards Brin. (Legion vol. 3 #6, 24)

Also in the aftermath of the Villains' campaign, Brin discovered that the deceased Karate Kid had left him as the executor of his estate. (Legion vol. 3 #9) Brin was obliged to fulfill Karate Kid's last wish, to plant a seed (a sign of hope) on the planet Lythyl, where Val had been raised. There Brin met the young martial artist, Myg, (#10, 13, 15) who eventually came to Earth, entered the Legion Academy and became Karate Kid II. (Legion vol. 3 Annual #3)

Notes

Jim Shooter on Timber Wolf: "Second to Ultra Boy as the Legion's leading fruitcake. He is probably as neurotic as is Ultra Boy, but exclusively about his own identity. He covers his interior uncertainty with coldness and hostility. Fortunately, Light Lass is enough of a romantic to be turned on by this aloof stance. Ultra Boy thinks he knows himself while Wolf knows he doesn't. This alone makes Wolf a more palatable personality, He is the type who will make wisecracks and noise to hide his inward uncertainty. He wants their approval and acceptance. Actually, being a goody-goody Legionnaire is hard for him, because he is more of the James Bond type, just a little visious and nasty even though he's with the good guys. I think Light Lass had to lead him by the hand to bed, but thanks to her, he undoubtedly does well there now." —Interlac (1976)

Artist Dave Cockrum was the creator who gave Timber Wolf his more savage look. The Legion Companion (TwoMorrows) reprints its genesis: an five-page, unpublished Timber Wolf solo story. The new costume instead appeared in Superboy #197 (Sept. 1973). Cockrum commented, "I just wanted to make him more interesting."

Furball: Glorith Reality (Legion vol. 4)

In Glorith Reality continuity, Brin became Legion leader for a brief period, until Black Dawn's radiation reacted with the Zuunium in his system, causing him to change into a huge, inarticulate, animalistic creature. He was kept on Medicus One for a while, the Legion getting few details of his condition due to Earthgov obstruction, until Jo Nah got wind of it and smuggled him off the satellite to his native Rimbor. In one of his periods of humanity, Brin made Jo promise not to tell anyone of his plight. Jo worked the enormously strong creature into his smuggling operation, where he became known as "Furball".

As Furball, Brin joined the Legion when it re-formed in 2994. In early 2995, Brainiac 5 (who deduced Furball's identity on his own) took him to Zuun for some tests, where they got involved in Darkseid's chase of a young girl named Aria, and her subsequent tranformation into the powerful entity Gemini. Darkseid turned Brin back into a human being, but without his stronger form, Brin would die of the radiation poisoning from Black Dawn. While laying on his presumed deathbed, he was visited by Aria, who felt responsible for his plight and tried to fix it with her Gemini power, but he found out that the Zuunium in his system prevented this. She then tried to go back in time to prevent the Zuunium from first being administered, but Brin grabbed her, and, since his presence during his own past would have been impossible, the two of them were bounced back one thousand years, to the late twentieth century. There Brin took on another form: large, strong and hairy, but possessed of intelligence and prone to feral rages. Timber Wolf and Aria hooked up with a governmental department called Point Force, and resigned themselves to life in a new era.

This wasn't necessary. Brainiac 5 put together a theoretical computer program to find Brin in time and retrieve him, and it was accidentally triggered during a fight at the Legion's headquarters. He, a murderous alien he was trying to stop, and its would-be victim were transported to the thirtieth century, where Brin was badly injured by the alien. He underwent a period of rehabilitation for his injuries, and has re-joined the Legion and made his peace with Ayla. He went on the run with the rest of the Legion, even though he had not been implicated in the crimes they have been accused of. During this time Mysa Nal grew extremely attatched to him...a fact he's somewhat uncomfortable with.

Notes

Tom & Mary Bierbaum on Timber Wolf: "Our idea for Brin was that his Zuunium treatments were a kind of super-steroid, giving him powers, but also warping his mind. We thought the look of his Cockrum appearance was by far Brin's best and tried to establish that as his actual native appearance, but never got that story published." —Interlac (2000)

Retroboot

Timber Wolf was among the Legionnaires who volunteered to sacrifice his life on a mission to 21st century. Upon his arrival in that era, he lost his memory and lived for a time in Gorilla City. He returned alive and successful from this mission. (Justice League of America vol. 2 #8-10)