Well, the converted miniature is painted. Obviously I went for the 'Less is More' approach, and can always claim that the suit isn't actually a real leopard's coat and so doesn't need to be accurate!
Back in 1953...
The origins of the woman known as Leopard Girl are a mystery. She was a secretary to a various scientists and explorers who lived in the jungles of Africa in the 1950s, under civilian named of Gwen, although her last name is unrevealed. She frequently worked with a young wealthy man named Peter who had an infatuation with the Leopard Girl. What prompted Gwen to become the Leopard Girl is unknown, however she soon became a legendary jungle adventurer fighting criminals who sought to exploit the jungle. She was frequently aided in her adventures by a pack of wild leopards who followed her every command.
In her first recorded appearance, Gwen was working for Peter directly. At the time he was to be married to Sandra Dennings whom was really working a con with her father in order to trick Peter into purchasing Mr. Dennings failing business and then running off with the money. Learning of this ploy, the Leopard Girl stranded Sandra and her father in the middle of the jungle at the mercy of seemingly deadly snakes, forcing them to confess their scam to Peter before revealing that the snakes were harmless and delivering them to the authorities.
Later, Gwen's secretarial services were hired by Professor Kreitzer, a scientist who came to the jungles to continue his researched undisturbed. One of his first experiments was using radioactive chemicals to summon the spirit of the so-called Flame Witch. Surprisingly, the experiment was a success but Kreitzer was knocked out and the Flame Witch then cut a swath of destruction across the jungle seeking out the man who restored her to life. Gwen changed into Leopard Girl and came to Kreitzer's aid, stashing his unconscious body into the cave of the female lion known as Numa. Leopard Girl and Numa then tricked the Flame Witch into following them into the cave, where an uncovered water source doused the Flame Witch apparently destroying her.
The jungle was later terrorised anew by a tribal man named Robo who attempted to summon spirits to get revenge on Leopard Girl for arresting him for murder in the past. However the spirits turned against Robo and apprehended him. In her civilian identity she rescued Pete and Professor Kreitzer who had foolishly charged off on their own to stop Robo and became mutually trapped.
Leopard Girl stopped a leopard known as the Wild One who had been driven mad by a thorn caught in his paw. After stopping Pete from trying to kill the big cat, she removed the thorn, restoring the leopards sanity.
Leopard Girl had her place as ruler of the leopard pack usurped by a leopard named Fang who then sent the other leopards out on the attack. Leopard Girl prevented Pete from killing the leopards, and defeated Fang in battle, learning that Fang had no teeth and only sought to be part of the pack. Leopard Girl promised Fang that she would keep his secret and took control of the leopards once again.
Leopard Girl later appeared as a resident of Valhalla Villas, a retirement home for ex-heroes and ex-villains that is located in Miami. When Scott Lang was there meeting with Mary Morgan, Leopard Girl was interested in meeting Scott's father only to be told that he is dead. Leopard Girl is among the residents that are temporarily de-aged by Mary Morgan, who used an unnamed Asgardian relic during the Incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610.
19 January 2011, 09:12:20 PM
