Enemies: Avengers (Black Widow, Crystal), Dr. Druid, Hulk, Lockjaw, Man-Thing, Marilla

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Mongu the Gladiator; the World’s Mightiest Warrior

Base of Operations: Currently unknown; formerly the dimension of Sandt, formerly the Abyss of Eternity, formerly the New Jersey Palisades headquarters of the Maha Yogi

First Appearance: Adventure Into Fear#14 (June, 1973)

Powers/Abilities: Mongu is approximately 9’ tall and possesses superhuman (Class 50?) strength and durability. His strength can be amplified to even greater levels (Class 100) by the Maha Yogi using his Jewel of Jeopardy. He is highly trained in one-on-one combat. His right hand is fused to an indestructible battle axe, which he uses as a weapon.

History: (Adventure Into Fear#14) - After the Man-Thing and Jennifer Kale were transported to the dimension of Sandt, the Man-Thing was sentenced to death by combat in the gladiatorial ring. The king of Sandt pitted him against his most powerful warrior, the undefeated Mongu. Mongu took an early advantage, battering the confused and virtually mindless swamp creature. However, when Mongu attempted to execute the Man-Thing, he found that his axe did little harm to the creature, who is made up of amorphous swamp material. Having never seen any combatant resist his axe, Mongu grew fearful, and thus became a victim of the Man-Thing’s burning touch. This attack fused his battle axe to Mongu’s hand.

(Incredible Hulk II#211(fb)) - On a world of warriors, there was no room for one who had shown weakness. Thus the once-honored Mongu became an outcast, especially among his fellow warriors. When he could bear the shame no more, Mongu leapt into the Abyss of Eternity. He fell through the void of space for time beyond reckoning, until he was located and pulled to the surface of Earth by the Maha Yogi. Mongu was extremely grateful for a chance at redemption, and pledged his eternal loyalty to the Maha Yogi.

(Incredible Hulk II#210) - Dr.Druid brought the Hulk to stop a plot of the Maha Yogi. Druid and the Maha Yogi pitted their minds against each other in an effort to control the Hulk, who collapsed under the strain of their psychic battle. This left Dr. Druid alone against both Mongu and the Maha Yogi.

(Incredible Hulk II#211) - Mongu and the Maha Yogi captured Dr. Druid, who was imprisoned alongside the Hulk. The two escaped, but Mongu corraled them and brought them back to the Maha Yogi. Mongu faced the Hulk in the gladiatorial ring, and was quickly on the defensive. However, the Maha Yogi channeled his power into Mongu’s axe, and he proceeded to batter the Hulk repeatedly. Druid intervened and knocked the MY’s Jewel of Jeopardy into the ring, where the Hulk crushed it. The Maha Yogi, having lost the source of his immortality, quickly degenerated into a barely alive, withered husk. Mongu, however, remained faithful and vowed to take care of the Maha Yogi into death, and far beyond.

(Avengers Annual#22) - Sometime later, Mongu and the Maha Yogi, having regained his youth, assaulted Avengers Mansion, in search of Dr. Druid. The two ambushed Crystal, who was assisted by Lockjaw, and Marilla, nanny of Crystal’s daughter, Luna. The two initally gained the advantage when the Maha Yogi took control of Marilla, but the Black Widow arrived to help. She stunned both Mongu and the Maha Yogi with her Widow’s bite, and then the recovered Marilla threw Mongu into a dimensional warp created by Lockjaw.

Comments: Created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik.

The Jewel of Jeopardy is actually a fragment of the Bloodgem, which empowered Ulysses Bloodstone.

Clarifications: Mongu should not be confused with:

• Mongu, Boris Monguski, a Russian spy who wore an exo-skeleton to fool the Hulk.
  However, the exo-skeleton does look remarkably similar to this guy, so perhaps there is a connection?

Appearances:
Adventure Into Fear#14 (June, 1973) - Steve Gerber (writer), Val Mayerik (pencils), Chic Stone (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#210-211 (April-May, 1977) - Len Wein (writer/editor), Sal Buscema (pencils), Ernie Chan (inks)
Avengers Annual#22 (1993) - Glenn Herdling (writer), Mike Gustovich (pencils), Ariane Lenshoek (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)

Last updated: 07/22/04

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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