Cavewoman is an American alternative comic book created by writer-artist Budd Root , and originally published by Basement Comics and additionally by Caliber Comics andAvatar Press . The story follows superhuman Meriem Cooper, a 19-year-old jungle woman who battles dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures in the Cretaceous period .
Root credits the artist William Stout , Playboy cartoon feature Little Annie Fanny , as his inspirations for the character.
Artist Devon Massey has done much of the cover art for the series.
Publication history
Regarding the character’s creation, Root said,
Cavewoman was inspired by Little Annie Fanny and William Stout . I wanted something like “Little Annie Fanny in the Stone Age.” Originally, it was going to be a T & A type of book, but it seemed like, it was writing, it just kept on developing. Then my grandfather died after I wrote it. He had been diagnosed with some kind of inoperable tumor, and it made me think: “I’m not going to do a T & A book, let’s keep this respectable.” I brought the pages to the Gramp show just about a week ago. [1]
He added that I was very much in love with him, and I really liked him so much that he had a little face to face with Danni Ashe’s boobs and Nina Hartley’s butt. ” [1]
Meriem Cooper first appeared in Basement Comics’ Cavewoman # 1 (Dec. 1993), the first issue of a black-and-white, miniseries that ran six issues. She brings up the popular eight-issue miniseries Cavewoman: Rain (1996-1997) from Caliber Comics, and Cavewoman: Odyssey # 1 (1999), the only issue of a planned five-issue miniseries from Caliber Comics. She aussi Appeared in the four-issue series Cavewoman: Missing Link (1997-1998), and the three-series share Cavewoman Jungle Tales (1998).
Meriem also appeared in several one-shot comics, like Cavewoman Meets Explorers (1997), jointly from Basement Comics and Explorer Press; Jungle Tales of Cavewoman (1998), released in both a standard and a mature-audience edition; and Cavewoman: Color Special (1999), reprinting a story in the comic Threshold # 7.
After 2000, Meriem appeared in the ongoing Cavewoman series : Pangaean Sea . After the events of Cavewoman: The town of Marshville was destroyed, and Meriem and the inhabitants migrated to the shores of the Pangean Sea.
This was the last lengthy Cavewoman series to date, and by far the longest. The first comic Cavewoman: Pangaean Sea Prologue was first published in 1999, and the series lasted eleven issues from 2000 to 2009.
Since 2001 Meriem has starred in the semi-regular mature series Prehistoric Pin-ups , which lasted for five-issues until 2010; and Cavewoman: Meriem’s Gallery , a four-part series until 2009. Cavewoman: Cover Gallery (2002-2013), and the successful five-part Cavewoman: Reloaded (2005-2009), which was a reprint of Cavewoman # 1-6 with new content. Cavewoman celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2003.
Meriem has also appeared in eight two-shot comics spanning the years between 2000 and 2012, the best known are Cavewoman: Raptor (2002), and Cavewoman: Jungle Jam(2006). She Was aussi in thirteen single issue comics Such As Klyde & Meriem (2001), Tanlines Pinup Book (2002), Cavewoman: The Movie (2003), Cavewoman: Beauties & Beasts (2005), Budd’s Sketchbook of Sketchbook Sketches (2010) and Cavewoman: A Night Out (2010).
In 2013-2014 Cavewoman celebrated its 20th anniversary with the two-part issues Cavewoman: Oasis (2013), and Cavewoman: Journey (2014). Basement Comics also released nine single issues featuring Meriem, including Cavewoman: Uncovered (2013), Cavewoman: The Many Faces of Meriem (2013), Cavewoman: Labyrinth (2013), Cavewoman: Killing Dinos 101 (2014), and the much awaited Cavewoman : 20th Anniversary Show Book (2014).
In the 20 years of Cavewoman , Meriem has appeared in more than 300 separate issues of the comic, featured in 92 serial issues , and 34 one-shot issues . Meriem has also appeared in over 200 reprints and special editionissues, such as special mature issues and new cover art issues.
Fictional character biography
Meriem Cecilbie Cooper is born in July 1980 to parents Robert Addam Cooper and Nicole Reicher Gail, in the fictional town of Marshville, Oregon . After Robert dies of unknown causes, Gail turns to drugs, which leads to an unsavory secret group of government agents. Meriem’s sake, Gail seeks the help of Meriem’s scientist-inventor grandfather Francis Peacock Reicher affectionately called “Gramp.” After first being thwarted, Gramp makes a mysteriously superhuman return, defeating the agents easily and taking 8 year old Meriem away on a hovercycle from the future.The story of Cavewoman is deeply rooted in science fiction and fantasy .
At Gramp ‘s laboratory, Meriem discovers a time machine and a body – making device that allows a living being to pass through the time stream. It’s here that she first meets Klyde, Gramp’s 15 ft. gorilla who has been accidentally altered by the body enhancer. Gramp then enhances Grid, Klyde and Meriem are transported 70 million years into the past. Thus the trio begins an ongoing adventure while on the run of dinosaurs and a secret branch of the government.
Meriem and Gramp settle in a large cellar and begin a struggle for survival. As events transpire, Gramp is killed early on by a Tyrannosaurus and Meriem leaves the cave. After a fierce fight with local carnivores , Meriem ends up naked when her clothes were torn off during the fight.
After more than ten years, and growing into a buxom 19-year-old, Meriem Lived in the local jungle naked, savage, happy, and free. Dinosaurs were taught to fear her. Meriem becomes reunited with Klyde, who attacks her and almost kills her. She then returns to the cave. Not wanting to be naked and savage anymore, she eventually makes a jungle bikini (with dinosaur teeth hanging on the strings) out of a leopard-printed snakeskin blanket. She also avenges her grandfather by slaying the Tyrannosaurus responsible for killing him, but rescues both Tyrannosaurus hatchlings from Velociraptors . One named Harmony becomes Meriem’s companion while the other named Peace becomes her enemy.
Later, the whole town of Marshville is transported into a prehistoric past. When this takes place, Meriem becomes their guide and protector in the prehistoric world. The civilians had to protect themselves from the dangerous dinosaurs by building an electric fence around Marshville. She eventually leads most of the Marshville citizens safely to the Pangean Sea.
Powers and abilities
Meriem’s various superhuman powers come from her enhanced molecular structure . It was altered and enhanced by Gramp, so it could survive the rigors of time travel . Meriem stands at 5’8 “, 350 lbs Weighs, [2] and Possesses extraordinary strength and stamina. She is strong enough to rip a Velociraptor’s arm out of socket icts. [3] She has aussi picked up a downed street lamp. [ 4] Meriem’s strength aussi Allows her to leap Lengthy distances, Such as between buildings in New York City , [5] or leaping onto the top of a truck’s trailer from street level. [6] She is strong enough to leap through the forest with a full-grown man on her back.
Meriem is also highly resistant to injury . A high-caliber gunshot to the back [7] and bites from Velociraptors have failed to penetrate her tough skin. She can survive falls from great heights, such as when she fell to a beach. Things that have been injected into the skin, or otherwise injure her, are those that are directed to such great strength or force, such as a Tyrannosaurus dick, Klyde’s blows, or armor-piercing ammunition. [7]
Meriem’s enhanced molecular structure gives an improved healing effect that reduces the healing time of wounds. The effect is hastened proportionally to the food intake: the more food consumed, the more quick the healing. Meriem always gets hungry after she gets injured. Meriem has healed dinosaur dicks, armor-piercing bullet wounds, and even has yeti yanking off her head. The worst injury Meriem is shown when she is battling a berserk Klyde during Cavewoman: Rain. Klyde beats her to the extent that she stops breathing and appears dead. She remains in this “death state” while her molecular molecular structure is slowly becoming itself. The citizens of Marshville bury her, thinking her truly dead, but the healing effect
Also known as “30 miles per hour”. Once, when she ran, her boyfriend had to go back to her. [8]
She is an extremely powerful swimmer and can hold her breath for long periods when fighting underwater . She has also been resistant to the effects of drowning , being able to expel water from her lungs even when unconscious.
Meriem’s senses of smell and hearing are also enhanced. In addition, she has psychic powers, the limits of which have not been revealed. She can see Gramp as a kind of spirit who seems to be of her age, providing advice and insight. No one can see or hear Gramp but Meriem. She has psychic bonds with Klyde and Harmony. Meriem’s sight is also extremely good: it can be seen up to two miles away.
She is also an expert knife thrower , and can decapitate a pterodactyl with a thrown blade. She is also highly efficient with a hand in hand combat , and is also an expert with a spear . Meriem is also accomplished in wrestling and boxing
Characters
Supporting characters
- Francis Peacock Reicher – Dr. Francis Reicher, also known as Gramps , is Meriem’s grandfather who is a scientist and an inventor. Although dead, his spirit still speaks to Meriem in her times of need.
- Bruce Kabbit – Bruce Kabbit is Meriem’s best friend and resident of Marshville. When meeting again in the past, Bruce becomes Meriem’s lover and boyfriend.
- Klyde – Klyde is a 15 ft. gorilla that came back in time with Meriem and became a giant creature, and Meriem’s closest companion and protector. He has been called … “The most dangerous creature to ever walk the planet … next to man.”
- Harmony – Meriem’s Giant T-Rex companion whom she saved from Velociraptors as a hatching.
Recurring characters
- Robert Addam Cooper – Meriem’s father who died at some point.
- Gail Nicole Reicher – Meriem’s mother who turned to drugs after Robert’s death fell in with some government agents at the beginning of the series. When Marshville ends up back in the Cretaceous Period, Gail seeks redemption for how she treated her daughter.
- Carrie Fulton – A Marshville housewife was once abducted by a desert tribe and was rescued by Meriem.
- Cynthia Cross – The owner of a rabbit farm in Marshville.
- Fay Creighton Chaney – A hairdresser who is now a co-owner of an ice cream parlor in Marshville.
- Francis Reicher II – Francis Reicher II, also known as Lumpy , is Meriem’s cousin named after their grandpa.
- John Marstone – The police sergeant of the Marshville Police Department who has a huge ego.
- Maggie Matheson – A Marshville civilian who is good friends with Miriam and Nathaniel Hunt. She takes a special elixir that inhibits her transformation into a werewolf .
- Matthew Blackstone – A teenager who is the son of Nicholas and Mary Blackstone. Marshville for protection from the dangerous dinosaurs, Nicholas salvaged the liquor where he and Mary got drunk and abused Matthew. After moving away from home, Matthew became a gangster and brought together some teenage criminals to cause trouble for Marshville.
- Nathaniel Hunt – A Marshville civilian who is a known hunter.
- Patricia Lavery – Patricia Lavery is the police captain of the Marshville Police Department.
- Professor Robert Cook – Professor Cook is a member of the Canterbury Society of Paleontology. Fascinated with dinosaurs and friends with Meriem.
- Raymond Forrest – A member of the Los Angeles Rams who is now a co-owner of an ice cream parlor in Marshville.
- Roberto Armstrong – A hermit living in Marshville.
- Timothy Higgins – The police sergeant of the Marshville Police Department.
- Will O’Brian – The coolest kid in Marshville. Although he will do something stupid from time to time.
- Zak Kabbit – Bruce Kabbit’s younger brother who was first victim of the dinosaurs after Marshville was transported back in time.
Awards
- Cavewoman was awarded the Best Pen and Ink award by The Inkwell Awards (2010) at Heroes Con .
- Cavewoman: Jungle Tales , was nominated for a 1999 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Story.
Limited bibliography
Series
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One-shot issues
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See also
- Jungle girl (stock character)
- Feral child
References
- ^ Jump up to:a b Carter, RJ (January 1, 2002). “Root Cellar: Budd Root on Cavewoman and Basement Comics” . TheTrades.com. Archived from the original on May 22, 2006 . Retrieved September 15, 2008 .
- Jump up^ Cavewoman # 1, pg. 4
- Jump up^ Cavewoman: Rain # 6, pg. 13
- Jump up^ Cavewoman: Rain # 5, pg. 33
- Jump up^ Cavewoman: Pangaean Sea # 2, pg. 18
- Jump up^ Cavewoman: Rain # 6, pg. 4
- ^ Jump up to:a Cavewoman B : Pangaean Sea # 2, pg. 5
- Jump up^ Cavewoman # 2, pg. 24