Texas Tilly

## History

A descendant of famed Old West showfur ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody, Matilda grew up in show biz as a part of a revived Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show & Circus. In her youth she traveled with the show and learned many skills from the numerous performers including trick roping and shooting. When she turned thirteen, Matilda performed with the circus’ trapeze act, where her reckless daring often got her injured. After her parents (who were also part of the show) protested their daughter’s high risk aerial tricks, she became a trick horse rider and rope performer. Although these activities were much safer than her trapeze routines, Matilda longed for a more exciting role in the show. Her chance came on her twentieth birthday when the show came to Chicago. One of the trick jugglers fell ill one night and she took his place. Before her parents could stop her, Matilda was juggling knives, flaming batons and two small operating chainsaws. Outraged, her parents persuaded the owner to fire her from the show for her own safety. As she quietly rode away on her Palomino horse Silver, she heard shots ring out back at the main tent. To her horror, Matilda discovered that a small time thief had come to rob the payroll and had shot both of her parents when they tried to stop him. Furious, Matilda rode off after the thief, following the trail into the subway. As terrorized subway riders ran in all directions, the muskrat thief led Matilda and Silver on a long chase. Following behind her at a distance was Dyno-Donkey, who watched the determined bobcat dodge passengers and used her six guns to stop the thief from using any of the sacred bystanders as shields or hostages. Using a daring lariat swinging maneuver at full gallop, Matilda managed to tackle the muskrat thief. When he pulled out his gun, the two struggled resulted in the gun going off and a bullet instantly killing Silver. Luckily, Dyno-Donkey was on the scene to prevent the livid bobcat from killing the murdering muskrat. After hearing her story, the masked donkey felt compassion for Matilda. Impressed with the way she handled her guns and lasso, Dyno-Donkey sponsored her application to the Bureau of Superheroes. He liked the spunk and fearless attitude the young bobcat displayed, and soon the masked superhero Texas Tilly was born. Wanting a new horse that could not be killed, Matilda (with the help of Legal Beagle and some technology that came from secret supergenius Samantha Maddog) built and programmed a cybernetic version of her fallen steed. Assigned to the Chicago Bureau, Texas Tilly’s cowgirl crimefighting tatics became popular in the Windy City, but NOT popular with the Chicago Bureau Chief Atomic Ape. After years of watching her wild and reckless ways (and having to face the local media each time), Atomic Ape had Texas Tilly transferred to the Colmaton Bureau office, where she was reunited with her mentor Dyno-Donkey.

## Powers and Abilities

### Abilities

Tilly’s three main weapons are her six-guns, her lariat and her wits. She is an expert in shooting, second only to Gatling Goat in the Bureau of Superheroes. Her gun belt also serves as a utility belt that carries a number of items she uses in fighting crime such as smoke pellets, flash pellets and small throwing stars (that look like Western sheriff badges). Tilly’s also an expert in roping and throwing her lariat. Her skills with her lasso rival those of superheroes such as Lady Liberty, Dame Freedom and Wonder Wolf. Tilly is very agile and can do many types of acrobatics learned from her days in the old Wild West show. Her robotic horse Silver is a walking arsenal. He carries a number in internal attack weapons such as ‘side saddle’ missiles and eyes that can shoot laser and stun beams.

### Weaknesses

Totally reckless to the point of endangering her own life. Takes chances when fighting crime (and usually wins). Expresses snap judgment and often acts without thinking things through first. She also has a very short and violent temper.

## Paraphernalia

### Equipment

Two old time Western 'six-gun' pistols, lariat, throwing starts, gun belt.