Real Name: Hector Ayala
Alias:El Tigre Blanco
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Created by: Bill Mantlo and George Pérez
1st appearance: The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19, 1975
Nationality: Puerto Rican
Team Affiliations: Sons of the Tiger, The Defenders
Legal Status: Unknown
Height: 6’1 Weight: 190 lbs
Eyes: Brown Hair: Black
Relatives: Nestor and Maria Ayala (Parents), Filippo Ayala (Brother), Angela Del Toro/White Tiger (Niece), Ailda Ayala-Del Toro (sister), Soledad Ayala (Wife), Ava Ayala (Sister)
Skills and abilities: Skilled martial artist
Powers: Hector wears the Mythical tiger Amulets from Kun Lun, originally part of the Jade Tiger which granted access to the realm itself. The Pieces of the Amulets enhanced his strength, speed, stamina, agility, dexterity, reflexes, coordination, balance and endurance to superhuman levels. It also granted him the experience and abilities of a martial arts master.
The Amulet also appears to house the spirit of a tiger deity who claims to be older than Kun Lun itself.
Biography
Born in San Juan Puerto Rico to Nestor and Maria Ayala he studied martial arts from an early age. For college he left his home and ventured to New York. Here he found the abandoned Tiger Amulets of the “Sons of the Tiger”. By donning all three amulets he was magically transformed into the superhuman White Tiger. With this new power he battled street gangs and even the villain Prowler. He became allies with Shang-Chi and Iron Fist and battled Fu Machu to save his brother Fillippo from a life of crime.
His identity was later made public by the villain Lightmaster which lead to his parent’s untimely deaths. This left his little sister Ava Ayala deeply traumatized as she found the bodies; he always felt that their deaths were his fault. While tracking down the perpetrators he was badly wounded after being shot. During this time he stopped using the artefacts and they were returned to the Sons of the Tiger. He also married long time girlfriend Holly Gillis.
The Amulets later came back into his possession though his wife convinced him leaving heroics behind was best for their family. One night after a fight with her he donned the costume and stumbled onto a robbery gone wrong, unfortunately he was found by two police officers over the dead body of an officer with stolen TV in hand. Knowing he had done nothing wrong he turned himself over to the officers and was put on trial for murder. Defended by Matt Murdock/Daredevil didn’t help however as he was found guilty. Shocked by the verdict and the destruction of both his marriage and his reputation in the superhero and Hispanic community he grabbed a gun from an officer and fled the courtroom. On the steps of the courthouse the police mowed him down with gunshots, killing him instantly.
After his death the true culprit turned himself in thanks to Daredevil though it was too late. His heroic legacy along with the amulets was continued by his niece Angela Del Toro and later Ava Ayala.
Notes:
-Hector is noted as the first Puerto Rican superhero.
-He’s also noted as Marvel’s first superhero of Hispanic descent.
Very interesting ! Pleasantly surprised and guilty of never thinking that we also could be superheroes and publicly apologizing for ever entertaining those racist thoughts. For you see Yo soy Puertrriquena! I have lived here since 1964 and have been immersed in Americana so long that when I come across information such as the one on this site is when I see how this culture has overshadowed my own. THank you for giving me the opportunity to know that both in real life and into culture that is the comic books there are men who fight to defend the people they love and respect. For you see I live in the year 2012 and real heroes are few and far in between. Congratulations Mr. Ayala .
Big fan of the White Tiger (Hector Ayala) Growing up. Created by George Perez, this character inspired me to train in the Martial arts. Being of Puerto Rican Heritage, there was no one to look up to. My only problem is, that Marvel writers never gave this character his proper due. Even at the very end when they made him grab a police officers gun and let him get gunned down. Bring him back and give him his shot. I like what they did was his niece, but still not enough.