Griffin (August 15 1972) This Day In Comics – Amazing Adventures #15
John “Johnny” Horton was born in Tacoma, Washington. He later became a punk in the New Orleans gangs trying to make a name for himself until a Chicago man used him for some local muscle. Impressing his employer, Horton wanted to be more than a cheap hood resulting in the Chicago man bringing him to the Secret Empire to be made into a supervillain. Horton did not know what the Secret Empire did. An unnamed scientist/surgeon that worked there followed the Empire’s orders by surgically grafting a mane, large wings, lion-like paws, and a spiked prehensile tail to his body as well giving him an experimental mutagenic serum. The Empire’s #1, #3, and #6 were present at this surgery. When Horton recovered, his face had become white and he was now a freak.
Thus, he became the professional criminal known as the Griffin due to his resemblance to the mythological creature. His first mission was to kill the Beast as part of the Secret Empire’s campaign against the Brand Corporation. Griffin encountered Beast in his new furry mutation. During the struggle, Griffin was thrown off the building and only to be attacked by Griffin and rescued by Beast. He later met with Linda Donaldson (Number Nine of Secret Empire) at her office in the Brand Corporation to discuss the case with Beast and his frustration of being turned into a monster.
He first appeared in Amazing Adventures #15 (August 15 1972).
