Hepcat

“All you cats dig what I’m puttin’ down: the Hepcat is the groovin’est hero ever in dis here town.” That’s what they sing in parts of the West End where the legend of the Hepcat began. Few actually know just how important those lyrics are to the origins of one of Freedom City's most unusual heroes.
As any great mystic will agree, words have power, particularly words spoken or sung aloud, and repeated over and over. In particular poetry, whether spoken word or verse, is the very root of the term “spell.” That is apparently why the cool rhymes of a would-be young Beat poet named Jonas R. Grey tapped into something that transformed Jonas’ words into a power that in turn transformed him into the “groovin’est hero” of 1950s Freedom City: the Hepcat!
Jonas initially thought his late-night forays as the crimefighting Hepcat were nothing more than fever dreams, but he quickly learned the mysterious figure from his nocturnal visions was not only real, but also an embodiment or aspect of Jonas’ psyche, given form and power. Adrian Eldrich later identified Hepcat as a kind of spirit of youthful rebellion combined with a very human need for heroes like those driven into early retirement by the post-war American culture.
Hepcat quickly became the beloved hero of The West End and Southside communities of Freedom City, although the police officially considered him an outlaw vigilante. Always one to “do his own thing,” Hepcat worked with other heroes from time to time, but showed no interest in ongoing “team-ups,” much less joining a group.
As the Beat Generation gave way to the hippie era, Hepcat faded and eventually disappeared. Jonas Grey went on to become an acclaimed peace activist, journalist, and later novelist, although he kept the secret of his heroic identity, feeling Hepcat never truly “belonged” to him, but to a whole generation of people he served. Hepcat was briefly seen for the first time in decades during the Terminus Invasion, fighting off Omegadrones in the West End. Jonas Grey developed terminal cancer a few years later, and passed away in 1999.

Species

Human

Gender

Male

Eyes

Blue (as Jonas) / Black (as Hepcat)

Hair

Brown (as Jonas) / Black (as Hepcat)

Height

5'8"

Weight

155 lbs