Editing B'wana Beast (section)

==Fictional character biography==
Michael Maxwell is a [[Park ranger|ranger]] in [[Zambezi]]'s nature preserves who crashes on [[Mount Kilimanjaro]] after his plane is struck by lightning. He and his companions take refuge in the cavern home of [[Djuba]], a mutant red gorilla. After drinking the cavern's mineral-rich water, Maxwell gains superhuman strength and defeats Djuba.

Acknowledging Maxwell as its master, Djuba gives him a mystical helmet that enables him to communicate with and fuse animals.<ref name="regrettable">{{cite book |last1=Morris |first1=Jon |title=The League of Regrettable Superheroes: Half Baked Heroes from Comic Book History |date=2015 |publisher=Quirk Books |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |isbn=978-1-59474-763-2 |pages=134–135}}</ref> Later, [[S.T.A.R. Labs]] scientists infect B'wana Beast and Djuba with [[anthrax]].<ref>''Animal Man'' #3 (November 1988)</ref> Djuba dies, but [[Animal Man]] cures B'wana Beast by enhancing his immune system.<ref>''Animal Man'' #4 (December 1988)</ref> In ''[[Animal Man (comic book)|Animal Man]]'' #13 (July 1989), Maxwell retires and gives his helmet and elixir to South African activist Dominic Mndawe, who becomes [[Freedom Beast]].<ref>''Animal Man'' #13 (July 1989)</ref>

Mike Maxwell returns in ''Animal Man'' #47 (May 1992), where the Antagon entity possesses him and transforms him into '''Shining Man'''. He wreaks havoc on Earth before being killed in a fight with Metaman.<ref>''Animal Man'' #47-50 (May-August 1992) </ref>

In ''[[The New 52]]'' continuity reboot, B'wana Beast is a rejected [[Justice League International]] applicant whose abilities are derived from the Red, a mystical force connecting animal life.<ref>''Justice League International'' (vol. 3) #1 (November 2011)</ref>