Bumblebee as depicted in The Other History of the DC Universe #2 (January 2021). Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli (pencils), Andrea Cucchi (inks), and Jose Vallarrubia (colors).
Her solar-powered suit enables her to fly (via bee-like wings), fire sonic force blasts, and unleash electrical 'stings'.
Bumblebee (Karen Beecher-Duncan) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics and other related media, commonly as a member of the Teen Titans.[1] She first appeared as Karen in December 1976's Teen Titans #45, and adopted the Bumblebee identity three issues later. Historically, Bumblebee is sometimes considered DC Comics' first Black woman superhero character, though this distinction is also accorded to Nubia,[2] a less traditional costumed crimefighter than Bumblebee, who debuted three years earlier in 1973.
Karen Beecher first appeared in Teen Titans #45 and was created by writer Bob Rozakis and artist Irv Novick.[3] Her Bumblebee alias first appeared in Teen Titans #48.
Character biography
Teen Titans
Scientist Karen Beecher is the girlfriend of Teen Titans member the Herald (a.k.a. Mal Duncan). To help make Herald look good in front of the team, Karen secretly creates a bumblebee-themed supersuit and attacks the Teen Titans. She escapes without her identity being revealed.[1]
When Karen explains her actions to the Titans, they are impressed and allow her into the team. After the Titans disband, Karen and Mal marry and retire from heroics, with the former being employed at S.T.A.R. Labs.
Infinite Crisis and One Year Later
Bumblebee's current Doom Patrol costume, art by Matthew Clark.
Bumblebee and her husband are among the heroes recruited by Donna Troy to help avert a coming crisis that threatens the universe. After a battle in space, most of the heroes are trapped in a rift, during which Bumblebee is permanently shrunken to six inches tall. Following this, she joins the Doom Patrol.[1][4][5][6][7]
DC Rebirth
In the DC Rebirth continuity, Karen and Mal have an unnamed daughter.[8][9] However, Psimon erases Karen's memories of the two, after which she leaves the Titans.[10][11]
Powers and abilities
Bumblebee originally had no true superpowers and her unique abilities were derived from her high-tech battle suit. The suit greatly increased her strength, speed, stamina, endurance, agility, reflexes and acted as body armor. It also allowed her to fly, generate electric blasts, and yellow honey-like adhesives. She later got stuck at a shrunken size and now possesses powers innately.
Other versions
A young, alternate universe incarnation of Bumblebee appears in Tiny Titans.
Bumblebee as she appears in the Teen Titans animated series.
A young Bumblebee appears in Teen Titans (2003), voiced by T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh.[12][13] This version is an honorary member of the Teen Titans and a founding member of Titans East who later becomes their leader following Brother Blood's attempt to seek revenge on them and Cyborg.
Bumblebee appears in Teen Titans Go! (2013), voiced by Ozioma Akagha.[12][13][14] This version was formerly a member of the Teen Titans and Titans East before leaving them both to become a solo hero. The DC Super Hero Girls incarnation of the character also appears, voiced again by Kimberly Brooks.[12]
Karen Beecher appears in Young Justice, voiced by Masasa Moyo.[12] Introduced in "Targets", she is initially a high school student and head of the "Bumblebees" cheerleading team at Happy Harbor High School. As of the second season, Young Justice: Invasion, Beecher has become Bumblebee, joined the Team, and became a protégé and lab assistant to Ray Palmer. As of the third season, Young Justice: Outsiders, Beecher retired to focus on her relationship with Mal Duncan, scientific studies, and pregnancy, eventually giving birth to a baby girl named Rhea. Due to Rhea being born with a congenital heart defect and no surgeon being available, Beecher uses her abilities to perform the surgery herself. In the process, she contemplates activating Rhea's meta-gene.[13]
Bumblebee appears in DC Super Hero Girls (2019), voiced by Kimberly Brooks.[12][13] This version is technologically minded yet shy and nervous.
Bumblebee appears in DC Super Hero Girls (2015) and its tie-in films, voiced by Teala Dunn.[12] This version is a student at Super Hero High.[13][19][20]
^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 57. ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
^ abcdefghijk"Bumblebee Voices (Teen Titans)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved May 1, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
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