History
Origin[]
The origins of the Giganto are uncertain and several theories have been proposed, which range from them being evolutionary offshots of modern day whales,[4] Deviant Mutates, or that they were formed from Atlantean sorcery.[5]
19th Century[]
The first Giganto was seen in the 19th Century when it attacked the sailing ship known as the Pequod. Its captain, Ulysses Bloodstone, battled the creature. The resulting clash was fictionalized into the literary classic Moby Dick.[1]
Modern Era[]
Another Giganto was used by the Atlanteans as the biological equivalent of a doomsday weapon. It normally stayed in hibernation in a cave somewhere on the ocean floor until awakened when summoned by the Horn of Proteus. Once summoned, Giganto could be directed to attack and destroy any region. In the modern age, Namor summoned the first Atlantean Giganto to attack the surface world after finding an Atlantean outpost[6] was devastated by atomic weapons. Giganto attacked New York City causing massive destruction. However, it was destroyed when the Thing, member of the Fantastic Four, carried an atomic bomb into its stomach. The blast vaporized Giganto's internal organs though it did not penetrate his armored hide. The rest of the Fantastic Four attacked Namor, and the Human Torch sent Namor flying into the ocean in a heat funnel, separating him from the Horn of Proteus, which was lost elsewhere in the ocean.[7]
The offspring of the original Atlantean Giganto was summoned by Dr. Doom who had recovered the Horn of Proteus.[8] With an army of undersea creatures Giganto attacked the surface world until they were repelled by the Fantastic Four and the Avengers who recovered the Horn of Proteus and used a sonic amplifier to draw the creatures back into the ocean, the Horn was discarded once more.[3] Shortly thereafter Doom had gathered an enormous amount of power from the Cosmic Cube, Galactus, the Silver Surfer and the Ultimate Machine and was attempting to conquer the entire Earth. Namor fought back using the offspring of Giganto, but they were easily brushed away.[9]
When Reed Richards and his wife Sue were going through marital problems, Namor was contacted by the Inhuman known as Triton to help bring them back together. To this end, Namor launched a mock attack on New York City, using another Giganto creature in the fight. When Sue professed her love for her husband, the battle was quickly ended and Giganto returned to the ocean.[10] Sometime later, the Horn of Proteus was stolen by Captain Barracuda who used it to summon Giganto again and unleash the behemoth upon New York City. This time Namor worked together with the Fantastic Four in stopping Giganto's path of destruction and recovering the Horn from Barracuda, ending Giganto's rampage.[11] A mechanical version of Giganto was later and briefly used by Namor until it was destroyed by the original Human Torch.[12] Giganto was later used as a pawn by Llyra and Namor's grandnephew Llyron to discredit Namor by staging an attack on the United Nations building. Namor's efforts to protect the city from Giganto were hampered by Llyra and Llyron, and when Llyron tricked the UN into thinking he put the better effort into stopping Giganto, the creature was returned to the oceans depths.[13]
At some point in her career, the heroine known as Squirrel Girl, who was a SHIELD operative, clashed and single handedly defeated Giganto in combat.[14] Although the details of this clash are largely unrecorded. With the approach of the Apocalypse Beast, many of Earth's monsters went on a frenzy. This included at least one Giganto creature, which attacked the island nation of Japan.[15] However the creatures soon fled from the island when Reed Richards convinced the monster known as Grogg that he could destroy the Apocalypse Beast before it could threaten all life on Earth.[16] Later, Giganto was one of the monsters guarding the island Namor gave use to Black Panther and Storm for their honeymoon.[17]
Following the death of Captain America, the Horn of Proteus was used by Tiger Shark to summon sea creatures, including a Giganto, to attack the surface. Giganto and the other creatures were driven back by the Mighty Avengers, until Namor arrived to recover the Horn and return the creatures and Tiger Shark to the depths of the ocean.[18] Later, while investigating a sunken ship, the hero known as Stingray accidentally stumbled upon a Giganto. The creature could not be harmed by his weapons and it quickly swallowed him. However, Stingray proved to be too large a morsel to eat and this Giganto apparently choked to death, allowing Stingray to escape.[19]
Alternate Universes[]
Counter-Earth[]
When the Fantastic Four and the Avengers sacrificed their lives to destroy Onslaught, Franklin Richards, the son of the Fantastic Four's Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman subconsciously created a pocket universe to save their lives. There they spent an entire year reliving living new lives, "reborn" into a reality where they had only recently gained their abilities in a way that vaguely mirrored how they gained their powers originally.
In this new universe, Franklin created populated universe that including recreations of many of these hero's allies and foes. Among these creations was one based on the sea monster Giganto whom the Fantastic Four had battled and killed in one of their early adventures.
On Counter-Earth, Namor was tricked by Warlord Krang to go to war against the surface. To oppose him SHIELD dispatched the newly formed Fantastic Four and Avengers to counter the invasion. During the battle, Namor used the Trumpet Horn of Atlantis to summon Giganto to attack New York City.
Ultimately, the Thing destroyed Giganto by flying a SHIELD shuttle craft into the creatures maw. Within the craft was the Quantum Core of Mr. Fantastic's Excelsior space craft. Set to explode, the quantum core incinerated Giganto, ending his threat. Namor soon learned of Krang's deception and aided the heroes in stopping the invasion.[20]
Earth-9200[]
Giganto was once used by Namor to attack the surface, but it was defeated when the Thing placed an atom bomb inside it, which then detonated and damaged its insides.[2]
After the Maestro killed his wife and son, Namor swore revenge and used the Horn of Proteus to summon a Giganto. With the Abomination's help, Namor lured Maestro out and sent the Giganto after him.[21] The Giganto rampaged throughout Dystopia until Maestro hurled a spear into its left eye. After Namor was teleported away by Doctor Doom, the Giganto was no longer under Namor's control and chose to return to the ocean.[2]
Earth-9997[]
While reviewing the history of Earth, X-51 saw Namor using Giganto to attack New York City.[22]
Earth-12041[]
On Earth-12041, a Giganto was summoned by Attuma's former advisor Lady Zartra through the Serpent Crown so that her group can use Giganto to free Atlantis from Attuma's tyranny. During the misunderstood fight between the Avengers and Lady Zartra's group, Giganto swallowed Hawkeye, but Thor and the Hulk caused Giganto to regurgitate Hawkeye. When Attuma used an eel to claim the Serpent Crown, he unleashed Giganto on both teams. Using special sonic arrows, Hawkeye was able to disrupt the Serpent Crown's control on Giganto. After Attuma was defeated and the Serpent Crown was claimed by the Avengers, Giganto was freed from it's control and it left.[23]
Earth-23291[]
Sub-Mariner called upon Giganto to inflict enough damage on the Dweller-in-Darkness for Strange to send him back to the Dimension Everinnye.[24]
Earth-97161[]
On Earth-97161, a Giganto accidentally inhaled the Reality Gem and Soul Gem before going to sleep. When the Pet Avengers came searching for the Gems, Hairball freaked about about the water, causing the Giganto to awaken and inhale the heroes. When the team located the Infinity Gems, Lockjaw teleported them out of the Giganto.[25]
Earth-135263[]
On Earth-135263, the Fantastic Four members Mister Fantastic and Thing first encountered a Giganto while in Atlantis to rescue Invisible Woman and Human Torch from the Sub-Mariner.[26] Human Torch later battled one alone as it attacked New York City.[27]
Earth-700089[]
Giganto was a whale that was transformed into a monster by the evil scientist Gamma Ray. Gamma Ray sent Giganto against New York City but was stopped by the Fantastic Four.[28]Powers and Abilities
Powers
Weaknesses
Habitat
Habitat
Notes
- The Gigantos are unrelated to the Deviant Mutate of the same name.
See Also
- 58 appearance(s) of Giganto (Atlantean Beast)
- 3 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Giganto (Atlantean Beast)
- 10 minor appearance(s) of Giganto (Atlantean Beast)
- 4 mention(s) of Giganto (Atlantean Beast)
- 2 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Giganto (Atlantean Beast)
- 30 image(s) of Giganto (Atlantean Beast)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Marvel Universe #7
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Maestro: World War M #4
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #8
- ↑ Namor, the Sub-Mariner #13
- ↑ Marvel Pets Handbook #1
- ↑ Fantastic Four #4 states that it was Atlantis itself, however Sub-Mariner #1 clarifies that it was merely an Atlantean outpost
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Fantastic Four #4
- ↑ Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #7
- ↑ Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #12
- ↑ Fantastic Four #149
- ↑ Fantastic Four #219
- ↑ Avengers: West Coast #65
- ↑ Namor, the Sub-Mariner #56
- ↑ GLX-Mas Special #1
- ↑ FF/IM: Big in Japan #1
- ↑ FF/IM: Big in Japan #2
- ↑ Black Panther (Vol. 4) #19
- ↑ Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America #2
- ↑ Marvel Comics Presents (Vol. 2) #11
- ↑ Fantastic Four (Vol. 2) #2–3
- ↑ Maestro: World War M #2–3
- ↑ Earth X #0
- ↑ Marvel's Avengers Assemble S2E05
- ↑ Secret Wars 2099 #5
- ↑ Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #3
- ↑ Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes S1E08
- ↑ Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes S1E21
- ↑ Fantastic Four S1E12