Origin
Ryan was born in the 14th century and grew up as a peasant. While she was raised as a boy, Ryan is actually female, her real name being Rhiannon. Her immortal father gave her adopted parents explicit instructions to maintain this disguise because in the harsh, medieval world they lived in, females where treated very poorly. At the age of 19, Ryan encounters the dark noblemen, Victor, who was actually the first immortal and Ryan’s father, he transforms her into an immortal and introduces her to the world of the Others.
Creation
Ryan was created by Kerri Hawkins, and first appeared in the comic Blood Legacy: The Story of Ryan, published on the 1st May 2000, by Image Comics. Volume 1 was penciled by Andy Park, with cover art by Michael Turner.
Kerri Hawkins created Ryan, and the Blood Legacy universe, after musing
“if vampires did exist, what would they really be like? Who (or what) are the real creatures behind this myth? What type of anatomy would they have? What makes them strong? What makes them immortal?” – Excerpt from Kerri Hawkins website.
Character Evolution
For the character’s debut in Blood Legacy: The Story Of Ryan, her hair was colored black. Later when Kerri Hawkins released the Blood Legacy Novels based on the comic book series, Ryan is instead described as having golden blonde hair instead of black.
Major Story Arcs
Blood Legacy: The Story Of Ryan Issue #1 to Issue #4 explores Ryan’s history, from a peasant boy in the 14th, to a powerful immortal in the present day. Ryan relives the legendary battle of Agincourt, where she and her mentor are asked by King Henry V of England to fight in the battle. In the present, Ryan meets and befriends a young genetic researcher called Susan Ryerson, but the unlikely friendship that develops puts Susan in the cross hairs of The Others. Also the secrets of Ryan’s life are revealed, and the shocking truth behind her love-hate relationship with her mentor Victor Alexander are revealed.
Ryan next appears in Blood Legacy: The Young Ones, Issue #1 which introduces Erika, a young one who uses her powers to destroy evil all over the world. Ryan appears several time offering advice and cryptic warnings to Erika. The story deals with Erika’s investigation into the deaths of around a million people in Rwanda, there she finds that one of there kind named Luke, is responsible for the mass genocide. But Luke is far more powerful than she…
Powers and Abilities
Ryan’s powers are a product of her heritage, and unique anatomy.
The Others (immortals), are vampire like beings who have been transformed from humans, into immortals, by the act of Sharing blood. Unlike vampire’s however, they do not feed on humans, but on each other. They are the fiercest and most powerful predators on earth. The act of sharing between two immortals is an extremely sensual experience, but can also prove deadly for the young ones if they share with an immortal to powerful, as the greatest pleasure is to share unto death. The longer an immortal lives, the more powerful they become, until they reach a point where they move beyond death, but also beyond life as their blood becomes to powerful to initiate the change. These immortals are called the Old Ones.
Strength
Ryan possesses inhuman strength that has only grown greater with age. Her body produces incredible amounts of growth hormones and creatine, which allows her muscles to perform at levels of exertion far beyond human capabilities. Being the daughter of Victor, and her unique status as being born immortal, she possesses strength beyond those of her kind, even as a young one. Even as child she was able to strike with a level of force that could kill a human being. In the present, it is unknown what her exact level of strength is, but, she is able to shatter reinforced concrete with her fists, and destroy other powerful immortals with relative ease.
Speed
Ryan is able run at speeds faster than humans or any animal is capable of. She can reach speeds of over 70MPH, and is able to maintain this speed for great amounts of time without tiring.
Stamina
Ryan is able to maintain continuous physical exertion for great lengths of time before beginning to tire, she can cover huge distances on foot, and once engaged her father in battle for 10 hours straight without tiring.
Durability
Ryan’s physical being is stronger and more resilient than a human being. She can withstand falls from great heights, although she sustained injury to her legs after jumping from a building 24 stories to the ground. She is able to bare antarctic like temperatures without protection, and can hold her hand in fire without feeling any pain. Extremely sharp bladed weapons are capable of cutting her if wielded by an immortal.
Accelerated Healing and Immunity
Ryan has been described by Dr. Susan Ryerson as a pharmacological wonder, who has a blood profile the most expensive steroids in the world can’t buy. Among her bodies amazing capabilities, is her livers ability to produce vitamin C, her body archives this by converting an enzyme found in her blood called L-Gulonolactone, this enzyme is found in most animals but not humans, and is able to convert glucose into vitamin C, which aids in the body’s healing and defenses. She is immune to all diseases and infections. Ryan’s blood contains many antibodies to some of the worlds worst diseases, such as Bubonic Plague. While studying a sample of Ryan’s blood, Susan introduced cancer cells into the sample, the cancerous cells were destroyed instantly.
Immortality
Immortal and powerful, Ryan’s transformation into an immortal was completed at the age of 19. Now over 700 years old, Ryan is described as having an ageless quality which makes her true age very difficult to determine in human terms. Due to being the child of Victor, it has been theorized by The Others, that even in her human life, before she was changed, she may have been beyond death.
Time Control
Like her extraterrestrial ancestor, Ryan possesses the power to slow and manipulate time to an unknown degree. This power has only been shown once in the novels, and Ryan had know control over the ability.
Telepathy
Ryan is able to communicate with others of her kind, most especially her father, with thoughts alone. She is able to scan the minds of other immortals, however, the Old Ones are able to shield there minds from each other if they wish.
Heightened Senses
All of Ryan’s senses are extremely sensitive, she has said it is both a blessing and a curse. In the first years after her change, her sense of touch was so sensitive that she could barely tolerate wearing clothing, as the sensations the material caused against her skin were to distracting. Her eye sight is also greater than any animal or human, she is able to see further into the electromagnetic spectrum, and can see colors and impressions she has know name for, as humans can’t see them. Ryan also finds it impossible to watch television, as her eyes and brain process images faster than the frames rates per second which television programs are recorded on.
Physical Statistics
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 130 lbs
Eyes: Blue/Green
Hair: Blonde (Novels), Black (Comics)
Other Media
Kerri Hawkins has released three novels set in the Blood Legacy universe. They expand on the world she created in the four issue mini series, Blood Legacy: The Story of Ryan.
They are:
- Blood Legacy: The Story Of Ryan
This is a novelization of the four issue mini series.
- Blood Legacy: The House Of Alexander
The second book in the series.
- Blood Legacy: Heir To The Throne
Third book in the series.
- Blood Legacy: 4
Is scheduled for a 2011 release.