White Tiger (Hector Ayala)

White Tiger (Hector Ayala) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by Bill Mantlo and George Pérez. He is the first Puerto Rican superhero in the history of comics, and Marvel's first superhero of Latino descent. Hector is the uncle of Angela del Toro and the brother of Ava Ayala.

Publication history
First appearing in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19 (December 1975), White Tiger was created by Bill Mantlo and George Pérez. Following his debut in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19, the character subsequently appears in The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #20-24 (January–May 1976), #26-27 (July–August 1976), #29-32 (October 1976-January 1977), The Spectacular Spider-Man #9-10 (August–September 1977), Human Fly #8-9 (April–May 1978), The Spectacular Spider-Man #18-21 (May–August 1978), The Defenders #62-64 (August–October 1978), The Spectacular Spider-Man #22-23 (September–October 1978), #25-26 (December 1978-January 1979), #29-31 (April–June 1979), #51-52 (February–March 1981), Spidey Super Stories #57 (March 1982), Daredevil #38-40 (December 2002-February 2003), and Daredevil #69 (March 2005).

White Tiger received an entry in the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #14. He appeared as part of the "Sons of the Tiger" entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #12. White Tiger received his own entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #11.

Fictional character biography
Hector Ayala was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a college student at New York's Empire State University, he discovered the tiger amulets that were formerly worn and thrown away by the Sons of the Tiger. Donning all three amulets, he transformed into the superhuman White Tiger. He discovered that wearing all the pendants at once increased his strength and gave him nearly superhuman skill in the martial arts.

In his alter-ego, Ayala went into action for the first time against a street gang. He then battled the Prowler, who believed him to be a murderer. The White Tiger battled the Jack of Hearts who also believed him to be behind his father's murder. The White Tiger fought off unnamed costumed assailants of the Corporation crime cartel, who were threatening his sister and Jack of Hearts. Alongside Jack of Hearts, Shang-Chi, and Iron Fist, the White Tiger fought Stryke and other agents of the Corporation, and learned his brother Filippo was attempting to find employment with Fu Manchu. Hector then encountered the Sons of the Tiger.

Ayala was impersonated by Professor Vasquez, and battled Spider-Man in the confusion. Ayala's secret identity was later publicly exposed in a battle with the villainous Lightmaster. Alongside Spider-Man and Daredevil, he then battled the Masked Marauder, Darter, and Carrion. Ayala was later gunned down by Gideon Mace and nearly killed. He was operated upon to remove the bullets, and recovered. Having gained an unhealthy psychological and physical addiction to the tiger amulets, Hector abandoned his identity as the White Tiger. He gave the amulets to a private detective nicknamed Blackbyrd, who returned them to the Sons of the Tiger. Hector then moved out west with his girlfriend Holly Gillis.

After a while, the call to don the amulets and fight evil became too strong and Hector once again became the White Tiger. Soon after, Hector was wrongly accused of murder and convicted despite the efforts of his lawyer, Matt Murdock (a.k.a. Daredevil). Ayala was shot dead trying to escape, shortly before evidence emerged that belatedly proved his innocence.

Family legacy
Angela Del Toro, Hector's niece and an FBI agent, inherited the Jade Tiger amulets. Angela quit the FBI to understand the amulets, and was trained in the use of their powers by Daredevil, becoming the latest person to assume the White Tiger identity before being killed by the Hand and resurrected as their servant. Having been healed by Black Tarantula, she joined Daredevil in the Hand.

Hector's teenage sister Ava Ayala later appeared as the new White Tiger.

Powers and abilities
As the White Tiger, Hector wore the three mystical tiger amulets (a head and two paws), which were green in some versions and yellow in the others, from the extra-dimensional realm of K'un-L'un, which were originally worn by the Sons of the Tiger (Abe Brown, Bob Diamond, and Lin Sun). When wearing the amulets, Hector's physical strength, speed, stamina, agility, dexterity, reflexes & reactions, coordination, balance, and endurance were all enhanced, although not to the point of being invincible. The amulet also conferred on him the experience and abilities of a master martial artist. The White Tiger only possessed his enhanced abilities when wearing all three mystical tiger amulets, which enemies took advantage of.

House of M
In the House of M reality, Hector is captured by the Brotherhood who threaten his family. He sends his family to South America and sends his amulet to Angela Del Toro in the mail.

MC2
Hector Ayala appears as White Tiger in the MC2 reality.

In other media
The Hector Ayala incarnation of White Tiger appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated television series episode "Kraven the Hunter". This incarnation of Hector is depicted as the second White Tiger and the father of Ava Ayala rather than her brother. After he was killed by Kraven the Hunter, his mantle passed to his daughter.