Here is what Fang looked like when he was introduced in 1977's Uncanny X-Men #107:
He, of course, was based on the Legionnaire, Timber Wolf, introduced in 1964:
If you think they don't look very similar, you're right. Because Dave Cockrum had redesigned the character in 1973, before moving over to Marvel:
That's closer (no mistaking that widow's peak), but it's still missing something, isn't it?
In 1972, Cockrum had pitched a Legion of Superheroes spin-off featuring a team called the Outsiders. (Real big nerds may remember that's where the Nightcrawler design originated, as "Baalshazzar.") The Outsiders' enemies would have been the Strangers, depicted in this piece of concept art:
Obviously Tyr made it into the comics, but look at the space-werewolf right in the center, that looks just like Fang, doesn't it? Well, as today's review mentioned, Dave named that guy Wolverine, two years before Marvel would stake the name forever.
So basically, Cockrum created his "Wolverine," the idea was rejected, he used as many of the visual elements as DC would allow on Timber Wolf, and then just resurrected the entire thing to be Fang, Wolverine's "new costume" delivery service.
