STONIANS
Classification: Alien life-form, humanoid
Location/Base of Operations: Milky Way galaxy, Stonus star system, planet Stonus V; formerly Stonus I, II, III, and IV (all destroyed)
Known Members: Balsatar, Crustor, Gorgolla, Granitor, Magnor, Strator
Affiliations: Galactic Council
Enemies: Diane Cummings, Fin Fang Foom, David Hartnell, IT the Living Colossus, Dr. Aloysius Vault
First Appearance: Strange Tales I#74 (April, 1960)
Powers/Abilities: The Stonians possess a silicon body chemistry, and possess rock-like hides to defend themselves. They also possess wings, enabling them to fly. Stonians vary in size, some having the same dimensions as humans while others stand over 300 feet high.
History: (Strange Tales I#74 (fb))- Centuries ago, an invasion force of Stonians came to earth, led by Gorgolla. He dispersed his army throughout the globe, leaving them to rest atop buildings as though they were decorations. In these positions they were thus placed in suspended animation while Gorgolla waited in the Himalayas for the right time to awaken them and lead them against humanity.
(Strange Tales I#74)- Shortly after being discovered by a human named David Hartnell, Gorgolla determined that it was time to awaken his army, and pressed the solar-electromagnetic instrument which would do so, but the arriving army of Stonians attacked and destroyed him. They informed Hartnell that over the centuries they had learned of love and charity from humans, and had been slaves on Stonus V. No longer wishing to be warriors, they assigned themselves protectors of humanity.
(Astonishing Tales#21)- A Stonian positioned on Earth as a spy for the ruler of the Stonians, Granitor (father of Gorgolla) witnessed the re-appearance of the animate statue known as IT, the Living Colossus, and determined that Granitor would want to know about the creature's return.
(Astonishing Tales#22)- As civil war erupted on Stonus V between Granitor and a rebellion of Stonians, Granitor determined to invade Earth, intending for it to become Stonus VI.
Two of Granitor's agents investigating IT, the Living Colossus, attacked the rebel Magnor on earth, but were killed by him. Magnor, wounded, informed IT's alter-ego Bob O'Bryan of the threat posed by the Stonians, just as two more Stonians broke in and captured him, along with actress Diane Cummings. O'Bryan placed his mind within the Colossus and fought Granitor himself, but could not hold out against an entire army. Granitor and his army escaped with Diane and Magnor.
(Astonishing Tales#23)- When IT, the Living Colossus caught up with Granitor, he was joined by the rebel allies of Magnor, and the ancient dragon Fin Fang Foom, which was being controlled by his enemy Dr. Aloysius Vault. Together, they combined forces against Granitor and his army, until Granitor realized he would have to flee. He and his men entered their teleportation device to return to Stonus V, but just after disappearing, IT destroyed the device. Magnor then informed him that in doing so, Granitor and all of his men were instantly killed due to their atoms being disintegrated. Magnor and the rebels prepared to return to Stonus V themselves to topple Granitor's regime once and for all.
(Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet#1)-
Balsatar served as the Stonians delegate to the Galactic Council as
they addressed recent intergalactic problems related to earth.
Balsatar was, like many delegates, against the earth interfering with
other races.
(Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#1 (Director's Cut)) -
Gorgolla was revealed to still be alive, and had been forcibly
recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Howling Commandos program.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Big thanks to MD Carter for allowing me to borrow images from his website, The Monsters of Jack Kirby.
I'll reprint Carter's commentary on the original story from his site, as he captured the problems rather well: "This is quite possibly the most asinine of any of the Kirby Monster plots. Hands down. No one knows who attached gargoyles to buildings? Wouldn't the original architects be kinda ticked that those things just "appear" on their works? And if I EVER get a college class that requires me to go to a forgotten part of Tibet so I can finish a 10-page paper, I'm finding a new major."
David Hartnell was an architecture
student whose summer assignment was to research the origins of
gargoyles. Unable to determine where they came from, his journey
finally brought
him to the Himalayas. In a fortress deep in the mountains, he found
Gorgolla, leader of a Stonian invasion force. He witnessed Gorgolla
awakening his soldiers, only to be assaulted by
them, as they had come to adore humanity. Hartnell returned to school
claiming to have been unable to learn the origins of gargoyles.
However, he later shared his adventure with the members of the
Explorer's Club.
-Strange Tales I#74 ( 74, Marvel Monsters: From the
Files of Ulysses Bloodstone and the Monsters Hunters#1 (fb)-BTS
by Prime Eternal
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Stonians should not be confused with:
Gorgolla should not be confused with:
images:
Other appearances:
Astonishing Tales#21-23 (December, 1973 - April, 1974)
Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet (October, 2000)
Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#1 (Director's Cut) (January, 2006) -
Keith Giffen (writer), Eduardo Francisco (penciler), Mark Paniccia
(editor)
Last updated: 04/07/06
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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