MangaDCU: The Hive

Welcome to The HIVE...! Expanding on characters introduced in the Gotham Ninja series and Titans Rising series.

left to right:
Red Bee, Bumblebee, Queen Bee, and Hive Drones.

Bumblebee's Titan Squad: [link]

The conglomerate of insectoid species known collectively as The Reach had systematically been attempting to isolate only the strongest amongst them to continue the goal of galactic expansion for centuries. Through a rite of combat The Thriae, the race represented by theAmber Apoidea sent their nanosect champion up against the undefeated defender of the race known as the Khepera; known as The Silver Scarab. As was customary within the culture of The Reach, the two champions battled on a neutral orbiting satellite, to protect the planet the victor would claim. During the battle, a rift in the fabric of space/time appeared. Despite the distraction, The Silver Scarab dominated the Amber Apoidea in battle and severely damaged her nanosect device with his own nanoswarm. when the realization of her entire species being decimated upon her impending defeat hit her, the defender of the Thriae used her last bit of power to transfer one molecule of her loyalty inducing enzyme to one of the nanomachines that comprised her suit (acting as a pheromone) to infiltrate her opponents armor through a crack and infect its host, allowing her to persuade her combatant to help her escape with her people through the rift that formed to a location out of the Reach's...reach, before her suit became totally inoperable. This location happened to be Earth. The surviving members of the Thriae wandered the desert of their new homeworld with their former champion and her new consort; The Silver Scarab. Eventually after a period of nomadic existence, they found themselves in a location that happened to be a gathering of people of power. they had been inextricably drawn there, as were the others who were there as well. Little did they know that they were meant to be pawns in a game of gods. When the fighting broke out, the heroes, villains, aliens, angels and demons all began to destroy one another. the Silver Scarab entered the fray, but members of the Thriae were taking heavy casualties. the former host of the Apoidea had an overwhelming sense of dread at the outcome of this battle and sought once again to protect her people. she made a plea to one of the immortals in attendance, Ah Muzen Cab, of the same Mayan order of immortals that claim kinship with Kinich Ahu and Awillix, was revered as the Lord of Bees. She presented him with the inert nanosect device and told him destiny brought them from the stars to him. she vowed her people would forever serve him, if he gave them sanctuary. He acquiesced to her request and opened a portal to his realm to allow the remaining survivors protection from the onslaught. before he could usher her in, the immortal himself was trapped in one of the cards that would eventually comprise the Tenshu Obake Karuta deck. Her battle skills returning to her, she fought off as many demons and shadowrealm creatures as she could before becoming gravely injured. When she thought all was lost, the Silver Scarab returned to fight by her side. When her injuries made it that she could no longer stand, they took shelter in the catacombs. she wished to release him from her service as she was dying, but he revealed to her that her "pheromone's" effect wore off soon after she had infected him. He could not slay her and chose to help save her people when her helmet was removed in their battle and he saw how beautiful she was. Knowing now that her people were safe and she had found true love, she died content.


Queen Bee: Beazzzalla, aka Killer Bee (based on Maiafay's "anime fairy" [link])
Winged Flight, retractable bio-stingers, loyalty inducing enzyme (royal jelly) production, release of anaphylaxis inducing "pollen" powder

After the remaining members of the Thriae were secreted to the realm of Mayan immortal, Ah Muzen Cab, they were greeted to an unexpected reception. Without their lord to explain that they were to be treated as guests, they assumed them to be gifts as slaves and treated them as such. it didn't take long for the once proud race to become subjugated with broken wills and spirit. there was one though, that would change things. she was the offspring of the former Amber Apoidea and The Silver Scarab, left behind by her parents as the two allowed for their safe passage yet again. the fighting skills of both her parents were inherently in her, but buried deep as she did what her masters commanded. She learned that she retained her mother's enzyme production when one of the more brutal guards attempted to take her forcibly yet again. she had usually allowed herself to be taken, but the last time this particular guard left her so battered and broken, that she spent 3 months in a healing center. she cried out for him to stop as he licked her inner thigh, and to her surprise...he stopped! She realized he would do anything she commanded when she ordered him to throw himself from the nearby window to his death. With this new ability and the fighting skills of her parents inside her waiting to be released, she eventually spurred her people to revolt and took over the realm as Queen. She began a campaign to amass a new empire where they would be free from tyranny and genocide. As the line of Queen's progressed, eventually two princesses were born. The older of the two was gentle and benevolent (so much so that their subjects referred to her as Honey-Bee), while the younger retained a darkness to her nature. When the queen died suddenly, the younger sister expected Honey Bee to abdicate the throne, as she never wished to rule, but the pleas of her people caused her to re-think and accept the crown. She became her sister's fiercest defender, for when a mysterious faction rose up against her, she protected her queen by taking down the traitors, earning the moniker, Killer Bee. She thought the fear of losing her life and the love of her subjects would sway her queen to relinquish the throne (as she set up the uprising), but the queen was vigilant and more determined. As she thanked her sister for her loyalty, Killer Bee stepped in to hug her sibling and plunged her fist into her abdomen, grabbed her ovarian tract and ripped it from her body...sterilizing her. Knowing that she could not produce another Queen, she knew that the colony would turn against her when the effects of the royal jelly (which she could no longer produce) wore off. She was offered Death or Exile, and fled from the realm of Ah Muzen Cab. Killer Bee Became the new Queen Bee and immediately ordered the extermination of the remaining larval eggs that her sister had already laid.


Red Bee: Jennazzz, aka Honey Bee, aka Jenna Akabashi (design based on DArtist polarityplus's pic [link] )
Defective nanosect armor. Flight. Electrical stingers

After being exiled by her sister's machinations to claim the crown, Honey Bee found herself back in the Earth realm. She survived the harsh elements of the desert and began to plot her revenge. since the time of the first queen (unbeknownst to the colony), a forged replica of the original Amber Apoidea nanosect device was used to rally the survivors of the Thriae against their oppressive masters. This symbol was passed down from queen to queen, along with its secret. The device would never function, but there were a swarm of 2' mechanized bees produced by the original nanosect device that were around at the time of it becoming inert, that still functioned. These robot bees responded to the queen's mental commands. Drones were able to be linked to the queen in a hive mind when the bees (which became referred to as Yellow Jackets) were attached to the drones' central nervous system. Honey Bee decided that in order to reclaim her control over the colony, if for no other reason than to prevent them from killing her for becoming sterile, she needed to locate the true Amber Apoidea nanosect device. She travelled the world and made many connections. One of these connections was with a clandestine organization known as The Red Hand. in an exchange of information and services, she was led to a person who had possession of an ancient card in the Tenshu Obake Karuta deck. The booster card, Amber Apoidea was claimed from the unfortunate victim, and she began tracking the movements of Kendra Takagawa to try to locate a way of freeing the device. She became friends with the young TOK battler and when Kendra found a way to release beings and items from the cards, she betrayed her trust and used it to free the device. However, it was still damaged and could not even fully form the armor of the Amber Apoidea. in her attempts to activate the armor, she drew the attention of the Crimson Centipede. Linked to the device that preceded it, the elements of the armor that were originally of the Scarlet Scarab maintained a connection to the pieces that had been altered by the Silver Scarab. The Crimson Centipede wished to end the battle within itself that it could not conclude as it was unable to end the Blue Beetle, so it activated the dormant Silver Scarab nanites with some of its own to complete the formation of the Apoidea armor, but since it was powered by his own, the now complete suit turned red. The armor was complete but she did not have the replication abilities to create a swarm or weapons. Under orders from the Centipede, she attacked Blue Beetle, but was unable to accomplish the task of killing him. she eventually broke free of the Centipede's control and made her way back to Ah Muzen Cab's realm to confront her treacherous sister. She could not create a swarm, but she realized that through great strain, she could corrupt and override the programming of the bees that were produced from it. She reclaimed one of the yellow jackets, converting its shape and color with extreme effort. Her second attempt almost killed her and she realized a third just might do it. With two of the bees now hers to command, she could command them to attach to any drone and have control over them as long as they were attached. She attempted to assassinate her queen until she realized that she had produced a child of her own. She figured she'd be best served by having her own offspring take her out for her, and proceeded to plot once again.


Bumblebee: Kanon Hachinabe (design based on Taranee from W.I.T.C.H. and animated version from Teen Titans)
Winged flight, retractable neuro-synaptic bio-feedback stingers, loyalty inducing pheromone production

On the day of their birth, Queen Bee inspected her pod of newly hatched eggs to see if any of them had "queen genes", and could potentially challenge her for the crown. Any that had the potential was instantly put to death. she looked at one who's potential was instantly recognizable and attempted to kill her daughter, but was stopped by one of her drones. Astounded that one of her own drones would raise a hand against their queen, she enhanced her vision by activating her ommatidia (compound eyes that insects have enabling them to see things normal eyes cannot); allowing her to see that this little bumblebee was emitting her own pheromones that made that drone genetically loyal to her, as the entire hive was to her mother. seeing her as the threat she was, she ordered her immediate death. the drone that had saved her fought off all the attackers, taking some injuries, but also killing some in the process. It realized that the only way for either of them to survive was to escape, so he took the newborn and fled. As there was still a faction of Ah Muzen Cab's attendants that were still loyal to him , and waiting for his return to overthrow the Thriae usurpers, they allowed for their escape through the portal back to the Earth realm. The drone kept her in hiding as she grew to be a teen and strong enough to challenge her mother for control of the hive. That decision came when one of the queen's scouts had contracted the assassin, Deathstroke-The Terminator, to locate and kill the child. Although her drone doesn't think she is ready to take on her mother, the urgency to take her out had increased with this new threat. Deathstrike's son, Joichi learns from Teen Titans associate, Terra that his father was hired by the deadly Queen Bee to locate and assassinate her rogue daughter, Bumblebee. He will assume the name Jericho, and locate the associate of Cyborg, Herald to transport them to Bumblebee's location, to help her on her quest.


Hive Drone: (design based on Kamen Rider The Bee, and H.I.V.E. drone from Teen Titans animated)
the Drones of the hive are comprised of humans that are lured from the earth realm and either seduced by the Queen, or force fed her royal jelly. once they have fed on the secretion, they become instantly addicted to it. Ingesting it gives them heightened strength, agility, and senses. If they do not feed at certain intervals, they begin to have severe withdrawal symptoms.


- The Queen maintains the hive by replacing drones by feeding males her Royal Jelly enzyme secretion from the gland in her inner thigh. She will choose a Brood Mate to reproduce a pod of Thriae females and future potential queens placed within Queen Cells filled with her enzyme and maintained by Ah Muzen Cab's attendants.
- Over the years, the mating with humans have resulted in the Thriae having less visible insectoid qualities.
- Bumblebee was born producing the "royal jelly" enzyme, rather than the gland developing at puberty as it did with all those who preceded her. She has the ability to vaporize the enzyme, causing it to act as a pheromone.
- The Yellow Jackets attach themselves to drones in a process not unlike the "harnesses" in the show Fallen Skies. With the exception that it is not permanent. The process gives the drone enhanced strength and flight. It also enables the stinger on their armor as an energy weapon.
- When the drones are attached to the yellow jackets, it gives Queen Bee a "Rinnegan" -like ability to see through the eyes of her drones. they take a formation around her, and as long as they see her, she has no blind spot. The Rinnegan is an eye technique from the manga, Naruto.
- When I saw the design for polarityplus' version of an armored Cammy from street fighter (aka Killer Bee) i based on Kamen Rider, I had to incorporate it. I also didn't see the need to alter much.
- Red Bee's biological stingers were also violently removed before her exile.
- Red bee will eventually learn that her two (I guess we'll call them-Red Jackets...?) can combine into a larger one and they can also divide into smaller ones with less damage power, but increased number.
- The Red Jackets can only attach to the drones at their original size. When they do, the drones armor converts to red for the time it is being "ridden".
- Red Bee will test Kendra's ability to release TOK booster cards on Malcolm Duncan's Horn of Gabriel card that hails from the Halo Realm, prior to releasing the Apoidea.
- Red Bee will become the guidance counselor at Bumblebee's school. She will not reveal her relation to her as she plots to get her to take down her mother. I see the relationship similar to the one in MTV's Awkward.
- The Thriae were originally three bee nymphs from Greek mythology.
- Khepry or Khepera is the scarab-headed Egyptian god of beetles.
- Ah Muzen Cab's TOK card title is : Celestial Lord of Bees.
- I was originally going to make Queen Bee the ruler of the insect kingdom of Animus from Animal Man's story, but decided against it.