Bumblebee (Karen Beecher-Duncan) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics and other related media, commonly as a member of the Teen Titans. She first appeared as Karen in December 1976's Teen Titans #45, and adopted the Bumblebee identity three issues later. Historically, Bumblebee is sometimes considered DC Comics' first Black woman superhero character, though this distinction is also accorded to Nubia, a less traditional costumed crimefighter than Bumblebee, who debuted three years earlier in 1973. Bumblebee has been substantially adapted into media outside comics, primarily in association with the Teen Titans. T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh, Ozioma Akagha, Masasa Moyo, Kimberly Brooks, and Teala Dunn have voiced the character in animated television series and films.

Publication history

Karen Beecher first appeared in Teen Titans #45 and was created by writer Bob Rozakis and artist Irv Novick. Her Bumblebee alias first appeared in Teen Titans #48.

Character biography

Teen Titans

Scientist Karen Beecher is the girlfriend of Teen Titans member the Herald (a.k.a. Mal Duncan). To help make Herald look good in front of the team, Karen secretly creates a bumblebee-themed supersuit and attacks the Teen Titans. She escapes without her identity being revealed. When Karen explains her actions to the Titans, they are impressed and allow her into the team. After the Titans disband, Karen and Mal marry and retire from heroics, with the former being employed at S.T.A.R. Labs.

Infinite Crisis and One Year Later

Bumblebee and her husband are among the heroes recruited by Donna Troy to help avert a coming crisis that threatens the universe. After a battle in space, most of the heroes are trapped in a rift, during which Bumblebee is permanently shrunken to six inches tall. Following this, she joins the Doom Patrol.

DC Rebirth

In the DC Rebirth continuity, Karen and Mal have an unnamed daughter. However, Psimon erases Karen's memories of the two, after which she leaves the Titans.

Powers and abilities

Bumblebee originally had no true superpowers and her unique abilities were derived from her high-tech battle suit. The suit greatly increased her strength, speed, stamina, endurance, agility, reflexes and acted as body armor. It also allowed her to fly, generate electric blasts, and yellow honey-like adhesives. She later got stuck at a shrunken size and now possesses powers innately.

Other versions

In other media

Television

Film

Video games

Miscellaneous