Identity/Class: Extra-terrestrial (Counter-Earth of the High Evolutionary) evolved gorilla

Occupation: Agent of the High Evolutionary

Group Membership: New Men of Counter-Earth (brethren); Stranger's prisoners (former member)

Affiliations: High Evolutionary (creator, former master); Fantastic Four (allies); Overmind (used him as a pawn)

Enemies: Galactus, Skrulls, Stranger

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Currently unknown; formerly the Stranger's laboratory world and Counter-Earth 

First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#171 (June, 1976)

Powers: Gorr possesses superhuman strength (possibly Class 10, allowing him to lift/press ten tons), speed, and agility.  He is exceptionally intelligent, and enjoys using a vocabulary that would make Henry McCoy proud.  Under uncertain circumstances, he can grow to 25-50' tall, with an accompanying increase in strength (Class 100, allowing him to lift/press one-hundred tons) and durability.  This change may be a result of excessive oxygen exposure (See Comments).  In his enlarged state, he is more violent, and less prone to speech, although I think he can still talk.  In his giant state, he gives off a golden glow, and is still vulnerable to fire.

Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 225 lbs.

History: (Fantastic Four I#172 [fb]) - A disruption in the shields surrounding the High Evolutionary's creation Counter-Earth allowed the Asgardian construct known as the Destroyer, then serving as the herald of Galactus the world devourer, to detect the pseudo-planet's presence, and to summon its master to consume it.  Responding to Galactus' imminent arrival, the High Evolutionary evolved a golden-haired gorilla into one of his humanoid New Men.  He then sent the gorilla, Gorr, to Earth to seek the aid of the Fantastic Four, who had triumphed over Galactus in the past.

(Fantastic Four I#171-175) - Arriving on Earth, Gorr, for some reason (which he later claimed was oxygen exposure), mutated into an enormous, Kong-sized monster which rampaged through Manhattan.  The Fantastic Four were drawn to the giant gorilla, and Sue eventually used a force field to contain him.  The field negated whatever was causing him to maintain his "Kong" state, and he returned to his "normal" form.  They subdued him, but he broke free and duped them into following him into his ship, which transported them to Counter-Earth, and, en route, he explained the reasons behind his mission.

Neither Gorr, the Fantastic Four nor the High Evolutionary could stop the Destroyer from summoning Galactus.  The High Evolutionary pleaded with Galactus to spare Counter-Earth, and Galactus gave them 48 hours to find a suitable world whose inhabitants would willingly sacrifice themselves to him.  

The groups split up, and Gorr accompanied the Human Torch to what appeared to be a medieval world.  They were captured by the knights, but Gorr challenged and defeated the greatest warrior of the knights in a joust.  The knights slew the last dragon on the planet, and then revealed themselves to be the alien, shapeshifting Skrulls.  The dragons had been the planet's intelligent race.  With the last dragon gone, the Skrulls left as well, leaving an uninhabited planet, which was worthless to Galactus (See Comments).

Ultimately, the Impossible Man duped Galactus into consuming his planet of Poppup, sparing Counter-Earth.  Gorr remained at the High Evolutionary's side as his "valet."

(Marvel Two-In-One#61+ 62-BTS, 63) - Counter-Earth, along with the High Evolutionary, was eventually taken by Sphinxor and his Prime Movers, agents of the Beyonders, and placed in the latter's museum of oddities.  Where Gorr was at this time is unclear.

(Quasar#14+15-BTS) - Gorr somehow became a prisoner/research subject on the Stranger's Laboratory World.

(Quasar#16) - The Overmind attacked the Stranger, releasing many of his subjects and sending them to attack the Stranger and his allies.  Gorr was one of those released, and he was transported by Squadron member Dr. Spectrum (also a pawn of the Overmind at that time) to the site of the battle.  Gorr was battered at super-speed by the Eternal Makkari, but was saved by a blast from the Last Monitor.  Shortly thereafter, the Overmind withdrew his power to focus on the Stranger, returning his pawns' free will in the process.

Following this struggle, many of the former inhabitants escaped the laboratory world.  Gorr's fate is unrevealed.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas and George Perez.

The exposure to oxygen caused Gorr to grow and rampage out of control?  That doesn't make a whole lot of sense, given that Counter-Earth's air should be about the same as Earth-Prime's.  And why didn't he grow again when he was exposed later?  I'd say it was more the effect of his transportation, or a delayed effect from his transformation...maybe he gets big and strong when he's angry or confused (hey, it works for the Hulk).

Galactus' requirement has always been a planet capable of supporting life.  I think there were only one or two occasions where he drew the life from its inhabitants.  So either there was another reason that the former dragon planet was no good, or Gorr and Johnny just didn't know any better, and missed a perfectly good chance.

One of his fellow inmates on the Stranger's Lab World, Sphinxor, stole Gorr's home world for the Beyonders; this could make for a future confrontation between the two.--Kyle

The Beyonders are a virtually omnipotent extra-dimensional race, who release the energy used by Cosmic Cubes.  In one instance, that energy became the Beyonder.

Supplemental, critical facts given by John McDonagh:
"Gorr is an homage to science fiction writer John Norman.
two Mystery Science Theatre 3000 ed movies about Counter-Earth
John Norman wrote various sci-fi novels about a world called Gor, also called COUNTER-EARTH.
http://www.mst3kinfo.com/daddyo/di_519.html
Writer and philosophy teacher John Frederick Lange, Jr. used the pseudonym JOHN NORMAN, when he penned the sci-fi novels which depicted the adventures on the planet Gor. There are at least ten in the series: 1966's Tarnsman of Gor; 1967's OUTLAW OF GOR; 1968's Priest-Kings of Gor; 1969-Nomads of Gor;
1970's Assassin of Gor; 1971's Raiders of Gor; 1972's Captive of Gor; 1974's Hunters of Gor;
1976's Tribesmen of Gor; and 1977's Slave Girl of Gor.
http://www.worldofgor.com/
http://www.dreamstrike.com/gorintro.html"