Puma is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, he first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #256 (September 1984), as an adversary of the superhero Spider-Man. Despite this, the character doesn't lack morals or a sense of justice, and eventually turned his life around, becoming a recurring ally of Spider-Man instead, whom he came to respect. Puma is the alter ego of Thomas Fireheart, a Native American who was bred to be a perfect warrior prophesied to stop a future threat that might destroy the world, gaining the ability to transform into a humanoid mountain lion werecat at will. He later became a businessman and the CEO of Fireheart Enterprises, as well as a mercenary.