Origins

An exceptional gymnast, Tamika Bowden was under consideration for the Olympics when she lost the use of her legs due to gym equipment, sabotaged on orders by gangster Big John Buscelli in retaliation for her father Dennis's refusal to join his criminal organization. Dennis, a former Hydra weapon designer, created an exoskeleton to allow her to regain her strength, speed, and agility. Dedicating herself to toppling Buscelli's criminal empire, Tamika, as Wildstreak, accompanied her father in undermining Buscelli's activities wherever she could find them. One lead brought them to Florida, where she worked alongside the Thing and Psi-Lord against Dreadface, an alien menace allied with Busclli's rival Manny King. Back in New York, she subsequently worked with demi-god Thunderstrike in exposing one of Busclli's gun smuggling operations, although their efforts were disrupted by a more murderous criminal opponent, Sangre.

Creation

Wildstreak debuted in 1993's Fantastic Four Annual by Tom DeFalco and Herb Trimpe

Major Story Arcs

Civil War

Following the passage of the Superhuman Registration Act, Wildstreak, unwilling to potentially limit her ability to investigate Buscelli's operations and uncertain if she qualified due to the artificial nature of her powers, was one of dozens of superheroes who refused to register. She and other registration violators were apprehended by Iron Man and Spider-Man. S.H.I.E.L.D. authorities deemed it unnecessarily cruel to again render her paraplegic by removing her exoskeleton, so she was to be imprisoned while still wearing it, its powers dampened like the natural superhuman abilities of others. However, prior to begin transported to Negative Zone Prison Alpha by Mr. Fantastic, she escaped with the assistance of the Invisible Woman and remains at large.

One World Under Doom

After the first superhero Civil War, Tomika eventually joined the military and rose to the rank of first sergeant. When Doctor Doom used the title of Sorcerer Supreme to install himself as world emperor, she was working for Project Alpha, a bio-weaponry lab and prison. She served as security and worked for Captain Ryker, who had turned himself into a cyborg werewolf.

Thunderbolt Ross was one of the inmates after he had been accused of treason for not bending the knee to Doom and escaping a Latverian prison, which was spun as an attack. He was able to convince Tomika to look into Ryker as the real traitor. When she searched his office, she found a communicator to Doom. Tomika decided to go rogue, helping Ross escape and unite with his allies, Deathlok and Machine Man.

Once free, they head for the Pentagon and hand over data Machine Man was able to download that implicates Ryker in treason. The politician on Ross' side needed him and his team to secure Ryker first. That meant breaking back into Latveria, where Stryker teleported for protection.

Powers & Abilities

While wearing her exoskeleton, Wildstreak possesses enhanced Class 10 strength and speed. As a former professional gymnast, she has been trained as a remarkable acrobat and athlete, skills also augmented by the exoskeleton.

Wildstreak's exoskeleton is powered by an internal energy source requiring periodic recharge. She can temporarily increase her physical augmentation at the cost of additional energy expenditure.