| Félifax, the Tiger-Man | |
|---|---|
 Public domain 1904 Princeton University lithograph to represent Félifax | |
|
Real Name |
Félifax |
|
First Appearance |
Félifax, l'homme-tigre (1929) |
|
Original Publisher |
Unknown |
|
Created by |
Paul Féval fils |
Origin[]
Félifax, the Tiger-Man, is a character created by Paul Féval fils in his 1929 novel Félifax, l'homme-tigre. Unlike many Tarzan imitations, Félifax is not a feral child but the result of a biological experiment.
In the story, Félifax's creation was driven by two individuals with differing motives: Edmund Sexton, an unethical surgeon obsessed with genetic experiments, and the Brahmin Sourina, who aimed to create a superhuman to lead a rebellion against British colonial rule in India. Sexton performs artificial insemination on a young woman using genetic material from a tiger.
The child born from this experiment possesses the strength and agility of a tiger, along with a natural authority over felines. His eyes change to resemble those of a tiger when enraged, and his body displays tiger-like stripes. As an adult, Félifax seeks revenge against those responsible for his existence.
Félifax's character is notable for being an early example of a superhero-like figure in literature, predating the emergence of comic book superheroes with emotional monstrous transformations such as Marvel's Incredible Hulk. His creation through a biological experiment and his subsequent abilities link him thematically to the genre of merveilleux-scientifique, a French science fiction genre that blends the marvelous with scientific concepts.
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Félifax, l'homme-tigre (1929)
Notes[]
- The character of Félifax has been revisited in later works, including the anthology series Tales of the Shadowmen and the comic book series The Chimera Brigade, where he interacts with other fictional characters from the early 20th century.