GORILLA-MAN

Real Name: Kenneth Hale

Identity/Class: Transformed human (by curse)

Occupation: Adventurer

Group Membership: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Howling Commandos unit (Abominable Snowman, Bradley Beemer, Brother Voodoo, Clone of Frankenstein, Glob (Timms), Groot, Hellstorm, It the Living Colossus, Lilith, Living Mummy, Joshua Pryce, Clay Quartermain, Sasquatch, Vampire by Night; Warwolf, Zombie (John Doe), many others);
     formerly G-Men

Affiliations: Benson, Human Robot, Jann of the Jungle, Marvel Boy, Venus, Jimmy Woo

Enemies: Merlin (or an aspect - or possibly doppelganger - of him), Yellow Claw

Known Relatives: Lily Hale (wife)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Area 13, Pine Barrens, New Jersey;
     (formerly) Kenya, Africa

First Appearance: Men's Adventures#26 (March, 1954)

Powers/Abilities: Gorilla-Man possessed all the natural abilities of a gorilla but with human-level intelligence. He was stronger and more agile than an average human being.

Height: 6'
Weight: 340 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

History: (Men's Adventures#26)- Kenneth Hale had nightmares of two gorillas fighting each other, dreams which would end with one victorious over the other's body. Haunted by his dreams, he became interested in the legend of Gorilla-Men, and sought out his explorer friend Benson for help. Benson told him of a legend of half-human/half-gorilla creatures in Africa, and how their leader would fight another for the title of king. Hale determined that he would go to Africa and find the Gorilla-Man. He said farewell to his wife, and set off for Kenya.

Unable to find any sort of guide in Kenya, he ventured into the jungles alone, until he found the Gorilla-Man. Unable to bring himself to shoot the creature in the back, he grappled against it with his bare hands. After a ferocious struggle, the Gorilla-Man lay dead at Hale's feet, and Hale had himself been transformed into the new Gorilla-Man. Just as in the dream, he stood victorious over the dead Gorilla-Man's body.

(Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#1 (fb)-BTS) - At some point, Gorilla-Man was recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Howling Commandos unit, and was made a member of their main squad.

(Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#1) - The Howling Commandos launched an assault on a doomsday cult that was utilizing technology bought from the Lords of the Living Lightning. After defeating their targets, the Commandos returned to Area 13.

(Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#2) - Gorilla-Man was sent with the Commandos to track down and capture Groot. Afterwards, He and Warwolf met with the Commandos' newest recruit, the Glob, and explained their situation to him.

(Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#4) - When Goom broke out of his cell at Area 13, Gorilla-Man brought him down single-handedly. He then discussed with Groot the terms and conditions of being a member of the squad. When the recently-freed Merlin's forces assaulted Area 13, Gorilla-Man was among the Commandos to face them down.

(Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#5) - With Area 13 overrun by Merlin's forces, Warwolf and Gorilla-Man realized that the portal to Merlin's location was still open. They had the cells to all of the giant monsters being held opened, and jumped through the portal just before a stampede of monsters followed them. The main group of Commandos regrouped, and were soon joined by Groot, who returned from the stampede and offered his services.

(Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#6) - The Commandos waited just outside of Merlin's camp, and were soon joined by dozens of other Commando members who followed them through the portal. The group then launched an assault on Merlin's forces. During the battle, Gorilla-Man and Warwolf located Merlin, who fled when he realized he couldn't win this fight.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Robert Q. Sale.

Although Uatu quickly covered Gorilla-Man's origins in What If I#9, he didn't get any actual flashback panels like the rest of the 50's Avengers.

Gorill-Man in What if I#9:

(What If I#9)- In 1958, the Gorilla-Man was sought out by the super-hero Marvel Boy to serve as a member of the Avengers, a team being set up by FBI agent Jimmy Woo. With the aid of Jann of the Jungle, Marvel Boy found the Gorilla-Man fighting a pack of lions, and they helped him drive them off. The Gorilla-Man was reluctant to return to the United States (for fear of being so close to his wife), but Marvel Boy promised to help find a cure for him using the science of the Eternals of Uranus, so the Gorilla-Man agreed, and joined the Avengers alongside Marvel Boy, 3-D Man, the Human Robot and Venus.

The heroes had difficulty working close alongside one another, and the Gorilla-Man in particular got his ire up after the 3-D Man made a crack about their base smelling like a zoo. The two of them grappled, but were settled down by Venus using her love-power. Just then, they received a communication from Jimmy Woo, who had witnessed the capture of President Ike Eisenhower by the superhuman forces of the Yellow Claw, so they set off to combat them.

Breaking into the Yellow Claw's base, the Gorilla-Man tried to fight Electro, but was frightened off by his electical powers. Instead, he tackled the Cold Warrior and threw him at Skull-Face just as Marvel Boy did the same; the two collided and Skull-Face broke into pieces. Gorilla-Man then took one of Skull-Face's leg bones and smacked the Great Video over the head with it. All of the villains were defeated and the President rescued, although the Yellow Claw escaped.

Afterwards, the President disbanded the Avengers, afraid of how the public might react to their presence. Marvel Boy agreed to keep up his bargain with the Gorilla-Man, and find a cure for him on Uranus.

Was the Gorilla-Man ever cured? Who knows. I just hope he wasn't on Uranus when Deathurge smashed the life dome open. The answer is now a resounding "Nope." - Madison