What Are Eric Draven's Powers In The Crow?

The weeping stalker of the night known as The Crow was created by James O'Barr and first appeared in a comic collection titled "Caliber Presents" #1 in 1989. And he is quite possibly the saddest hero in the history of comic books. After Eric and his girlfriend, Shelly, are attacked and killed by thugs, he is reborn as the supernatural avenger known as The Crow, who then proceeds to take violent revenge on the criminals who destroyed his life. In most incarnations of the character, who has been adapted for film, television, video games, and even a few prose novels, he is characterized by his feverish emotional state, crying out for vengeance, and mournfully playing his electric guitar on a rooftop.

Other characters have inherited the mantle of The Crow over the years in various media, but Eric is both the first and, for most fans, the definitive Crow, and it's he who is the protagonist of the most widely seen version: the 1994 film by Alex Proyas that stars Brandon Lee as Eric Draven. With the long-gestating big-screen reboot of "The Crow" finally looking like it's getting ready to fly (via The Hollywood Reporter), it might be a good time to acquaint yourself with the assortment of powers and abilities that The Crow uses in his one-man war on crime.

When Eric Draven comes back as the undead warrior The Crow, one ability that you can reasonably expect him to have, no matter what version of the story you're dealing with, is enhanced strength and durability. This allows Draven to take out dozens of bad guys in a single fight, as Brandon Lee is seen doing repeatedly in "The Crow." The Comic Book Resources guide to the character adds that he is also generally depicted without the ability to feel pain or fatigue, and often (as in the case of the Alex Proyas film), he has a supernatural healing factor that undoes whatever damage he might incur.

One very important aspect of The Crow's power is his spirit animal. In the movie version of "The Crow," Draven's enemies are able to exploit this vulnerability by capturing and attempting to kill the actual crow that gives Draven his powers, and with whom Draven seems to share some sort of psychic connection.

Like most superheroes, the powers and capabilities of The Crow can fluctuate depending on the needs of the story. In the 1994 movie, Draven can both feel the pain that his girlfriend Shelly experienced when she was murdered and also transfer it to his enemies to make them feel it as well. One thing is certain: don't even think about crossing any dark-haired guys or gals with penchants for black clothing and white face makeup in a darkened alley, since no matter what permutation of The Crow you might be dealing it, it's unlikely to go well for you.