UMBU the UNLIVING

Real Name: Umbu

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Sagittarian) robot

Occupation: Protector of the Sagittarian Planet-Destroyer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Formerly agent of the Designer (while possessing Shanna, Lady Plunder), Sagittarians (and indirectly, the Galaxy Master);
    formerly worshipped by tribe of Swamp Men

Enemies: Hulk (Bruce Banner, Ka-Zar (Kevin, Lord Plunder), Phantom Eagle of the Savage Land, Skaar

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: The Savage Land

First Appearance: Incredible Hulk II#110 (December, 1968)

Powers: Umbu was an immense, approximately 50' tall robot. It possessed Class 100 strength, and self-repair circuits which enabled it to rebuild damaged portions of itself in seconds. It could fire powerful energy blasts from its staff capable of stunning the Hulk or incinerating an entire tree. It could release a potent knock-out gas from its mouth.

    Umbu was dependent on the Planet-Destroyer's Master Control Unit for activity. When it was deactivated, Umbu was as well.

History: (Incredible Hulk II#111 (fb)) - The Sagittarians had long ago pledged to serve the Galaxy Master to prevent him from destroying their own planet and race.

To this end, they designed a machine known as the Planet-Destroyer capable of wreaking havoc across an entire planet. They would place this Planet-Destroyer on other planets to render them unable to resist the Galaxy Master, to enable it to more easily destroy them.

(Incredible Hulk II#110 (fb)) - An undisclosed time period ago (likely centuries), the Sagittarians traveled to Earth by starship. They used a warp portal to summon and place an immense robot, Umbu, on a pedestal in the village of a tribe of Swamp Men. The Sagittairans then placed a Planet-Destroyer on Earth, hiding it in a cave in the Savage Land, warning them that if the Glowing Machine was tampered with, Umbu would come to life and destroy whoever was responsible.

    The Swamp Men grew to worship the inanimate form of Umbu, and made an effort to prevent others from approaching the cave containing the Glowing Machine. The Swamp Men also would periodically offer a human sacrifice to keep their god, Umbu, appeased.

(Incredible Hulk II#109) - The Hulk inadvertently entered the Savage Land after being carried to Antarctica by a Chinese missile. Upon reverting to the form of Banner, he was captured by the Swamp Men, who planned to offer him up as a sacrifice to Umbu. Banner was saved by Ka-Zar, who, after learning he was a scientist, brought him to the Glowing Machine to explain its origins and purpose. Banner quickly determined its true intent, and the fact that it had recently activated, but before he could deactivate it, the Swamp Men attacked. Banner transformed into the Hulk to battle the Swamp Men, leaving the cave.

(Incredible Hulk II#110) - Activity near the Planet-Destroyer activated Umbu, who ordered Ka-Zar (rendered unconscious by the rampaging Hulk) placed on the sacrificial altar. Umbu soon encountered the Hulk and blasted him with his energy staff. The Hulk hurled a rock through Umbu's chest, but Umbu's repair circuits repaired the damage in seconds. When the Hulk hurled a tree at Umbu, it incinerated the tree with an energy blast then fired repeatedly at the Hulk who leapt atop a cliff and caused it to crumble on top of Umbu. Momentarily knocked to the ground and covered by the rockslide, Umbu rose again and then expelled a knock-out vapor from its mouth that rendered the Hulk unconscious. The Hulk reverted to Banner, whom Umbu failed to recognize as the same being. Banner quickly ran back to the cave and worked to decipher the circuits as Umbu attempted to stop him. Banner succeeded in removing the machine's Master Control Unit, which rendered Umbu inert as well, causing it to collapse.

(Skaar: King of the Savage Land#5 (fb) - BTS) - After taking possession of Shanna, the alien known as the Designer placed the Planet-Destroyer within Umbu's form.

    Ka-Zar learned of the Planet-Destroyer's placement within Umbu.

(Skaar: King of the Savage Land#5) - With her/its forces assaulted by Ka-Zar, the Designer activated Umbu, who swatted the plane flown by the Phantom Eagle and carrying Ka-Zar.

    From Umbu's shoulder, the Designer warned that the Planet-Destroyer was active within Umbu and was slowing Earth's orbit.

    Summonging the Oldstrong power, Skaar achieved full size and power, leapt at Umbu's chest, tore out the Planet-Destroyer (surviving its otherwise deadly energies), and cast it to shatter on the ground.

    With the Planet-Destroyer again inactive, Umbu slumped, inert once more.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Herb Trimpe, and John Severin.

While not a particularly unique or interesting robot, Umbu remains, nonetheless intact and awaiting reprogramming and reactivation in the Savage Land should anyone desire to use it.
    And finally someone did! It only took 43 years!
    But, now, it's still there, just hanging out again, for 9 years now...

Profile by Snood.

Umbu should be distinguished from:

• UMBU – Moloid, escaped to the surface during a battle with the Avengers, saved from another attacker by Annie, fell in love with her;  they stood on each other’s shoulders, wore a hat and a trench coat, and gave her a flower; they ended up on a date, but fled when a jealous Elmore scared them off--Avengers Classics#12/2

    The Planet-Destroyer was powered by atomic energy.

    It was capable of slowly altering a planet's rotation, sufficient to cause eventually worldwide havoc and destruction.

Umbu was dependent on the Planet-Destroyer's Master Control Unit for activity. When it was deactivated, Umbu was as well.

(Incredible Hulk II#111 (fb)) - The Sagittarians had long ago pledged to serve the Galaxy Master to prevent him from destroying their own planet and race.

    To this end, they designed a machine known as thePlanet-Destroyer capable of wreaking havoc across an entire planet. They would place this Planet-Destroyer on other planets to render them unable to resist the Galaxy Master, to enable it to more easily destroy them.

(Incredible Hulk II#110 (fb)) - An undisclosed time period ago (likely centuries), the Sagittarians traveled to Earth by starship. They used a warp portal to summon and place an immense robot, Umbu, on a pedestal in the village of a tribe of Swamp Men. The Sagittairans then placed a Planet-Destroyer on Earth, hiding it in a cave in the Savage Land, warning them that if the Glowing Machine was tampered with, Umbu would come to life and destroy whoever was responsible.

    The Swamp Men grew to worship the inanimate form of Umbu, and made an effort to prevent others from approaching the cave containing the Glowing Machine.

(Incredible Hulk II#109) - The Hulk inadvertently entered the Savage Land after being carried to Antarctica by a Chinese missile. Upon reverting to the form of Banner, he was captured by the Swamp Men, who planned to offer him up as a sacrifice to Umbu. Banner was saved by Ka-Zar, who, after learning he was a scientist, brought him to the Glowing Machine to explain its origins and purpose. Banner quickly determined its true intent, and the fact that it had recently activated, but before he could deactivate it, the Swamp Men attacked. Banner transformed into the Hulk to battle the Swamp Men, leaving the cave.

(Incredible Hulk II#110) - Activity near the Planet-Destroyer activated Umbu, who ordered Ka-Zar (rendered unconscious by the rampaging Hulk) placed on the sacrificial altar.

    After Umbu used an anesthetic vapor, the Hulk reverted to Banner, whom Umbu failed to recognize as the same being. Banner quickly ran back to the cave and worked to decipher the circuits as Umbu attempted to stop him. Banner succeeded in removing the Planet-Destroyer's Master Control Unit, which rendered Umbu inert as well, causing it to collapse.

(Skaar: King of the Savage Land#5 (fb) - BTS) - After taking possession of Shanna, the alien known as the Designer placed the Planet-Destroyer within Umbu's form

    Ka-Zar learned of the Planet-Destroyer's placement within Umbu.

(Skaar: King of the Savage Land#5) - With her/its forces assaulted by Ka-Zar, the Designer activated Umbu, who swatted the plane flown by the Phantom Eagle and carrying Ka-Zar.

    From Umbu's shoulder, the Designer warned that the Planet-Destroyer was active within Umbu and was slowing Earth's orbit.

    Summonging the Oldstrong power, Skaar achieved full size and power, leapt at Umbu's chest, tore out the Planet-Destroyer (surviving its otherwise deadly energies), and cast it to shatter on the ground.

    With the Planet-Destroyer again inactive, Umbu slumped, inert once more.

--Incredible Hulk II#109 (110, Skaar: King of the Savage Land#5

Note: The Planet-Destroyer was also known as the Doomsday Machine and the Glowing Machine on Earth.

    Easy conversion into a full profile if someone wants to do it...

images:
Incredible Hulk II#109, pg. 17, panel 4 (Planet-Destroyer)
Incredible Hulk II#110, pg. 10, panel 4 (Umbu)
Incredible Hulk II#110 (December, 1968) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Herb Trimpe (penciler), John Severin (inker)
Skaar: King of the Savage Land#5, pg. 11-12 (giant gray form);
       pg. 11, panel 2 (Umbu face);
       pg. 12, panel 3 (Planet-Destroyer in Umbu's chest)

Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II#109 (November, 1968) - Stan Lee (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencils), John Severin (inks), Stan Lee (editor) - Planet-Destroyer only
Incredible Hulk II#110 (December, 1968) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Herb Trimpe (penciler), John Severin (inker)
Skaar: King of the Savage Land#5 (September, 2011) - Rob Williams (writer), Brian Ching (penciler), Rick Ketcham (inker)

First posted: 09/1/2001 (it was one of the few hundred profiles created before I published the Appendix)
Last updated: 08/16/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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