Angel Catbird is a Superhero Comic Book series by the highly acclaimed and prolific Canadian author Margaret Atwood.
Strig Feleedus is a young genetic engineer working for one Dr. A Muroid. Muroid has Strig working on a project that involves combining the DNA of multiple creatures into one singular entity. But what Strig doesn't know is that Dr. Muroid is actually a Were-Rat, who plans to create an army of Rat People to help Take Over the World.
One night, while on his way out, Strig is followed by his cat, Ding, who runs out of the house after a mouse, while an owl tried dive-bombing it. Strig tries to stop Ding, and it all comes to a head when they're all hit by a car (being driven by Dr. Muroid), spilling the experimental formula Strig was carrying all over himself, Ding, and the owl. The DNA of all three animals combine together, giving Strig the ability to transform into a Human-Owl-Cat Hybrid with the ability to fly, the ability to speak to animals, and a new appetite for rats and birds.
With the help of his co-worker, Cate Leone, Strig learns about the secret world of were-cats, and of Dr. Muroid's Evil Plan. So, taking up the mantle of Angel Catbird, Strig becomes a hero to help foil Dr. Muroid's scheme.
The series was released on September 6th, 2016.
Angel Catbird contains examples of:
- Attack Drone: Dr. Muroid sends a giant one in book 2 that he calls "The Drat". It has twirling feathers, fluttering wings, multiple rat-tails, a catnip and rotting salmon aroma, and concealed missile-firing powers.
- Big Bad: The Rat Men-based Dr. A. Muroid. A rat Shapeshifter who wants to create a race of rat people who will ingratiate themselves into every level of government, and from there, have them lead a systematic massacre of the cat-people species.
- By the Lights of Their Eyes: In the first book, Count Catula spends the night in Cate's closet. When he's in there, his eyes are all that are visible.
- Cats Are Mean: Other cats don't take to kindly to Strig after he returns a baby bird to its nest instead of eating it. They turn around eventually, though.
- Happily Adopted: The orphan human-cat the group finds in the woods on the way to Castle Catula is taken in by the russian cat-lady.
- Mummy: Neferkitti (who is Queen Nefertiti) and her Mummykittens are all wrapped up in bandages, fitting with the Ancient Egypt look.
- The Nose Knows: The cat-people have a heightened sense of smell.
- Protagonist Title: Angel Catbird is Strig's alias and he's the hero of the series.
- Really 700 Years Old:
- The mummy cat lady is Queen Nefertiti, or rather, Queen Neferkitti (as a result of a translation error).
- Count Catula was alive in Dracula's time, and was turned into a vampire cat by him.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: One of Strig's new abilities is being able to speak to, and understand, animals.
- Take Over the World: This is Dr. Muroid's plan. To go into detail, he plans to have his rat people infest the governments and societies of the world at every level. From there, he will then proceed to use this new level of power and influence to orchestrate a worldwide massacre of cat people.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Strig, as Angel Catbird, only wears a pair of shorts.
- Winged Humanoid:
- Strig gains wings whenever he becomes Angel Catbird.
- Ray can turn into a human-crow hybrid.
- thena can turn into a human-owl hybrid.
- You Dirty Rat!: Dr. Muroid has an army of rats at his command.
