Hewitt Family

From DC Database

Contents 1 History 1.1 Family Members 2 Paraphernalia 3 Notes 4 Trivia 5 See Also 6 Links and References

History

The Hewitt Family are the primary antagonists from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre family of titles published in 2007-08 by WildStorm Productions. They exist in a separate reality from that of the mainstream WildStorm Universe as well as that of the DC Universe proper. The Hewitt family lived in a large plantation house located in the town of Fuller in Travis County, Texas. Aside from being a family of deranged psychopaths, the Hewitts distinguished themselves from other criminal families in that they were also cannibals. The family's predilection towards consuming human flesh originated in 1953 when patriarch Charlie Hewitt was a POW during the Korean War. In order to survive, he forced himself to eat a fellow soldier. Returning to the United States, he introduced the grisly practice to the rest of his family where it remained a staple of their diet from that point onward. The Hewitts were also tied to the Blair Meat Co. and several family members, including the deformed Tommy Hewitt and the mysterious "Hank" worked there as slaughtermen. The Hewitt family gained limited though national exposure when they were implicated in the deaths of several teenagers in the summer of 1973. This incident became known as the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The massacre resulted in the mutilation of Tommy Hewitt and the death of Charlie Hewitt, upon which, family matriarch Luda May became the head of the clan. To escape justice, Luda May and the surviving members of her family (including several cousins) fled into the sewer systems of Travis County. Though on the run from the law, they still maintained their heritage of cannibalism. The only known member of the original Hewitt family that is still around is Leatherface. He was last seen in 2007, having returned to the Hewitt residence and now lives with an elderly cook and a butcher. Who these men are in relation to the older family members is unknown.

Family Members

Charlie Hewitt

Charlie Hewitt was the patriarch and head of household for the Hewitt family for many years. A former soldier, Charlie served in the Korean War and became a prisoner of war under Sergeant Chow. In the winter of 1953, Charlie was sent to an isolated camp where he was secured in a dungeon and made to starve. Charlie survived by eating the remains of a wounded G.I. This was his first experience with cannibalism and Charlie believed that the consumption of human flesh is what made him strong. It was strong enough at least for him to break free and kill Sergeant Chow. Charlie returned to the United States and introduced the practice of cannibalism to his family Though he was not one to express emotions of love or compassion, he did in fact develop a fondness for Luda May’s adoptive son Tommy, and began to refer to himself as Tommy's "Uncle Charlie". In 1958, Tommy abducted and mutilated another boy who had been tormenting him over his physical deformity. He brought him back to a tool shed at the family home and Uncle Charlie helped Tommy to finish him off. In 1969, Tommy's violent tendencies forced Charlie to take action once again. Tommy had murdered his employer at the Blair Meat Co. and the Travis County sheriff Winston Hoyt attempted to bring him in. Charlie wasn't willing to have any member of his family incarcerated so he murdered Sheriff Hoyt and assumed his identity. Charlie took to his new identity with great relish and most of the townsfolk of Fuller believed him to be an actual sheriff. In 1972, Hewitt (as Hoyt) arrested a motorist and brought him back to the Hewitt farmhouse. Before allowing the man to die at the hands of Tommy's chainsaw, Hewitt regaled the man with the story of his own past and how his family and his survivor's instinct made him strong. In the summer of 1973, Charlie and the rest of his family tortured and murdered a group of teenagers passing through town. One of the surviving victims, Erin Hardesty, managed to escape in Charlie's patrol car. She killed Charlie Hewitt by repeatedly running him down with his own vehicle. Note: The death of Charlie Hewitt was revealed in flashback in Texas Chainsaw Massacre #1.

Hank

Though never confirmed, it is generally believed that Hank was a member of, or at the very least, a close associate of the Hewitt family. In 1974 Hank worked as the head slaughterman of the Blair Meat Co. Unlike the rest of the Hewitts, Hank remained in Fuller and did not flee into the sewer tunnels. Reporter Kim Burns and her cameraman Marcus came to the slaughterhouse to interview Hank with regards to the 1973 Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Hank provided them with a tour and gave them a graphic demonstration of what his job responsibilities entail. He later displayed his prowess with both a cattle prod and a chainsaw as he hunted and murdered Burns' cameraman Marcus. He would have killed Kim as well but for the arrival of F.B.I. special agent Baines. Baines and Hank engaged in a veritable chainsaw duel with one another whereupon Baines proved to be the victor. He cut off one of Hank's legs, then finished him off by running his chainsaw down his spine.

Henrietta

Henrietta's exact relationship to the Hewitt Family is unknown. Prior to the events of the 1973 Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Henrietta lived in a trailer with her corpulent tea-drinking lady friend (name unknown) not far from the Hewitt residence. Following the Massacre, Henrietta and the Tea Lady fled into the tunnels that ran beneath the town with the rest of the Hewitt Family. Henrietta was seen taking care of a young child, though it is unknown whether this child is her own or one that she may have abducted. Along with her friend the Tea Lady, Henrietta drugged and molested FBI agent Henkel. It was her hope that Henkel would leave her pregnant with child. Note: In the 2003 movie Henrietta adopted an infant from a woman who committed suicide, but the child was later rescued by Erin Hardesty. It is fair to assume that the child seen in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre limited series is a different baby altogether.

Jedidiah Hewitt

Jedidiah is the youngest member of the Hewitt family and is the grandson of Luda May Hewitt. Though he was witness to the atrocities committed by his elder family members, Jedidiah had yet to develop the sense of depraved family pride that governed the actions of the others. He accompanied his family into the tunnels beneath the Hewitt household after the 1973 Texas Chainsaw Massacre. His one known act of violence was in defense of his grandmother. Jedidiah stabbed FBI agent Hooper through the chest, then split his head open with a meat cleaver.

Luda May Hewitt

Luda May Hewitt (also spelled Luda Mae) is the adoptive mother of Tommy Hewitt. Always a strong figure in Tommy's life, she dismissed the boy's physical deformities and believed that he was a perpetual victim of abuse and ridicule by other boys his age. As such, Luda May did not find fault when young Tommy began exacting revenge against his tormentors. In July of 1958, one of Tommy’s school teachers Mister Hansen came to the Hewitt residence insisting that Tommy should be transferred to a special facility due to his obvious dementia. Luda May maintained that there was nothing wrong with Tommy's behavior, and when Hansen threatened to report the family to Social Services, Luda May bludgeoned the teacher to death with a shovel. Following the death of family patriarch Charlie Hewitt in 1973, Luda May became the de facto head of household for the surviving family members. They abandoned their home and fled into a network of tunnels that ran beneath Travis County. Luda May survived two FBI raids on her new home. The first was by Agent Hooper, who threatened Luda May at gunpoint. Her grandson Jedidiah saved her by stabbing Hooper through the chest. The second raid was by Agent Baines who caused massive structural damage when a hand grenade he had been carrying exploded.

Monty Hewitt

Also known as "Old Monty", he was the eldest member of the Hewitt family. Monty was distinguished from the others by the fact that his legs had been amputated and he was confined to a wheelchair. When Tommy Hewitt's right arm was severed by a machete by would-be victim Erin Hardesty, Monty fashioned a crude prosthetic for him made from skin, discarded bone and a rusty hook. Monty accompanied the other members of his family into tunnels beneath Travis County. He was present for the capture and torture of reporter Kim Burns and her assistant Karla. During Kim's imprisonment, the Hewitt Grotto was raided by an FBI agent named Hooper. Monty gave Hooper the middle finger. During a second raid by FBI agent Baines, Monty was knocked out of his wheelchair. Note: The details surrounding Monty's injuries are revealed in the film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. A biker, driven by rage over the death of his girlfriend, shoots Monty in the leg, prompting Charlie and Tommy Hewitt to amputate it. Charlie subsequently decided to do away with Monty's healthy leg for the sake of balance.

Shiloh Hewitt

Shiloh Hewitt is one of the Hewitt Family cousins. Following the events of the 1973 Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Shiloh accompanied the rest of the Hewitt clan as they fled into the tunnels of the Travis County sewer systems. Shiloh was present when the Hewitts tortured and killed a camera assistant named Karla. He was also present during the capture of reporter Kim Burns and the subsequent raid by FBI agent Baines. During the raid, Leatherface severed Baines' arm, which had been holding a hand grenade. Shiloh chased after the weapon, holding onto it like a child's toy. The grenade exploded, killing Shiloh instantly. His unwitting sacrifice shielded the other members of his family from the blast.

Tea Lady

The Tea Lady is doubtlessly the most mysterious member of the Hewitt clan. Almost nothing is known about her, including her real name and relationship (if any) to the Hewitts. The Tea Lady (so named due to her fondness, and seeming obsession with tea) lived in a trailer with her friend Henrietta not far from the Hewitt household. In 1973, the Tea Lady had a brief encounter with Erin Hardesty and in August of 1974, she met reporter Kim Burns. The corpulent Tea Lady and Henrietta fled with the rest of the Hewitts into the sewer tunnels running beneath Travis County. The Tea Lady appears to suffer from some form of mild dementia and is seemingly unaware of the actions of those around her. Though she bears witness to the Hewitts' macabre actions, she neither condones nor condemns them. Along with Henrietta, the Tea Lady drugged and molested FBI agent Henkel. The Tea Lady was also present when a hand grenade belonging to another agent named Baines exploded in the Hewitt's underground grotto. The Tea Lady was very close to the blast, but it remains unknown whether or not she survived.

The Butcher

The Butcher (real name unknown) is one of the modern members of the Hewitt family and lives in the Hewitt household. In 2007, he murdered two amateur film makers that were lured into his home. He killed a young woman named Darla by repeatedly bashing her across the top of the head with a sledgehammer. He also killed a man named Vince by shooting him in the head with a bolt gun. The butcher used the same tool on Vince's friend Mike, but it was actually Leatherface who finished Mike off with his chainsaw.

The Cook

The Cook (real name unknown) is one of the modern members of the Hewitt family and lives in the Hewitt household in the town of Fuller. As his title suggests, he specializes in food preparation and often attends the annual Meatfest event. At Meatfest, the Cook offers guests a sampling of his "Texas beef ribs", which are presumably made from people, not cattle. In 2007, the Cook met an amateur film maker named Mike who wanted to make a movie based on the famous Texas murders of 1974. The Cook invited Mike and his three colleagues to the Hewitt house though they were unaware that he was actually one of the cannibal family members. The Cook's family members, the Butcher and Leatherface killed the four film enthusiasts whereupon they were taken into the family slaughter room. The Cook was last seen attending Meatfest '08, once again serving up his special ribs.

Thomas Hewitt

Main article: Thomas Hewitt (Earth-TCM)

Tommy Hewitt is the mentally deranged and physically deformed adopted son of Luda May Hewitt. Tormented as a child for his deformities, he eventually became an employee of the Blair Meat Co. In 1973, Tommy Hewitt was the primary perpetrator in a series of attacks that became known as the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. With a penchant for wearing the skinned faces of his victims as masks, Tommy became known within the F.B.I. cold cases division as Leatherface.

Zeke Hewitt

Zeke Hewitt is one of the Hewitt Family cousins. Following the events of the 1973 Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Zeke accompanied the rest of the Hewitt clan as they fled into the tunnels of the Travis County sewer systems. Zeke was present when the Hewitts captured and tortured a camera assistant named Karla. He was later seen by FBI agents Hooper and Baines while scurrying about the sewer tunnels. Zeke Hewitt was driving a meat truck with Leatherface and would-be victim Kim Burns sealed in the back. Kim managed to push Leatherface out of the back of the truck, then rammed his chainsaw through the rear of the cab where it impaled Zeke, killing him.

Paraphernalia

Equipment: None known.
Transportation: Kemper's van
Weapons: Chainsaw; Sledgehammer; Bolt gun

Notes

WildStorm Productions treats the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre feature film and its 2006 prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning as part of the canonical continuity of the comic book series, though no official adaptation of either film has yet to be published. As such, some differences may apply between events chronicled in the films and information revealed in the comic book titles.

The exact relationships of the various Hewitt family members is cause for speculation. The only confirmed fact is that Thomas Hewitt is not the biological child of Luda May Hewitt. However, this does not preclude the notion that his birth mother was not related to the Hewitt family in some way. The only known information concerning Thomas Hewitt's biological mother is that she worked at the Lee meat packing plant and died after giving birth to Tommy in 1939. Charlie Hewitt has often referred to himself as Tommy's "Uncle Charlie". It is unknown if Charlie was his actual uncle, or if this honorific was merely used as a term of endearment. If nothing else, it at least establishes that Charlie was not Luda May's husband, though he may have been her brother. Charlie has also been known to refer to Luda May as "momma", but giving the closeness of their respective ages, it is unlikely that Charlie is her child. A school teacher named Hansen once referred to Luda May as "Mrs. Hewitt", suggesting that she was at least married as late as 1958. If so, it is possible that old Monty might have been her husband, but there is nothing in the source material that either confirms nor denies this theory. Jedidiah once referred to Luda May as "grandma", but this too may have been used as an honorific and does not necessarily mean that he was Luda May's biological grandchild. Jedidiah's parents have never been identified. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre limited series also infers that Henrietta and the Tea Lady are members of the family, whereas the 2003 film was more ambiguous in defining these characters as they did not live with the Hewitt family nor did they have regular interaction with them. More mysterious is the character known only as Hank. Hank worked at the Blair Meat Co. and was clearly a psychopath with a predilection towards using chainsaws in his work, but as he did not have any direct interaction with the family, it is unknown how or if he was even related to them. It has also been implied that the Hewitts may have engaged in the practice of inbreeding, as suggested by FBI agent Henkle, but there is no distinctive evidence to support this claim.

Trivia

• No trivia.

See Also

• Appearances of Hewitt Family (Chronological)
• Appearances of Hewitt Family
• Organization Gallery: Hewitt Family
  
• Catalogued images featuring Hewitt Family

Links and References

• Earth-TCM
• Leatherface
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre #1-6
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Raising Cain #1-3
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: About a Boy
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: By Himself
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Cut!