PRINCE RUPERT OF LOCOSTRIA

Real Name: Rupert (surname unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Alternate reality (Earth-54225) human (Post World War II era)
    Locostrian citizen

Occupation: Prince

Group Membership:

Affiliations: Marvelman (Micky Moran)

Enemies: Trolls, troll king

Known Relatives: Ogbert (father), unidentified ancestors

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Royal Palace, Kingdom of Locostria, Scandanavia, northern Europe

First Appearance: "Marvelman and the Magic Shoes," Marvelman#81/3 (March 5th 1955)

Powers/Abilities: While wearing the troll slippers at night Prince Rupert would go into a hypnotic trance and fly to the troll kingdom; he could turn insubstantial to walk through solid objects to achieve this, and would fly standing upright, as if walking through the air.

 

Height: 5'3" (by estimation)
Weight: 120 lbs. (by estimation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed; a dark color

 

History:
(Marvelman#81/3 (fb) - BTS) - Rupert was the prince of Locostria, a small independent Scandinavian nation located in a valley locked between towering mountains. By choice they kept modern ways strictly in the background, so that in appearance at least they looked to still be in the middle ages. Rupert, and his father King Ogbert, were unaware that many generations back their ancestors had captured a Norse troll and stolen a pair of magical shoes. 

(Marvelman#81/3) - While sorting through junk in the palace attic Rupert chanced to discover the shoes, and finding them his size, cute, and comfortable to wear, he began using them as slippers at nighttime.

 

(Marvelman#81/3 - BTS) - Though he was unaffected the first time he put the slippers on to try then, when he put them on at night he was immediately entranced, and was transported by their magic, flying through the sky to the troll kingdom, located somewhere in a spirit world. There he was taken by a boatman across a river to the troll king. What happened the rest of each night remains unrevealed, but in the morning Rupert returned to the Locostrian palace, unaware of any of the night's events. However, his absences were soon noticed, and despite all efforts made to find out how and where he went, and to keep him from leaving, his nocturnal sojourns continued unabated. Eventually King Ogbert offered a large reward to anyone who could solve the mystery, creating a news story that was even carried in American newspapers. One of those who saw this was Micky Moran, the human form of Marvelman, and he decided to take up the challenge. The hero flew to Locostria and offered his assistance to the king.

(Marvelman#81/3) - That night when the prince went to his room Marvelman was waiting to stand vigil over him. As a result the hero witnessed the prince going into his trance as soon as he put on his slippers, and followed as the prince exited through the closed windows and flew through the night sky to the troll realm. When Rupert landed and approached the boatman the hero hung back and hid, but the boatman spotted him just after the prince had sat down in the boat and sounded the alarm, summoning other trolls.

(Marvelman#81/3 - BTS) - While the hero fought the trolls the boatman ferried the prince across the river, and he spent the night in the troll realm once more. Having lost the prince's trail thanks to the fight, Marvelman returned to the palace to wait for the prince to return.

 

(Marvelman#81/3) - In the small hours of the morning the prince returned to the palace, his arrival watched by Marvelman, who realized Rupert would now fall asleep and forget all about his nocturnal journey. The next evening Marvelman gave Rupert a sleeping draught, believing that would prevent his return to the troll realm, and once he was sure the prince was soundly asleep the hero disguised himself with a cloak...

(Marvelman#81/3 - BTS) - and flew to the troll realm. However, back in the palace the drugs proved no match for the slipper's magic, and the prince again entered his trance and flew to the troll realm too.

(Marvelman#81/3) - Still asleep and with his eyes closed, the prince arrived at the troll king's amphitheater just as Marvelman was pounding the trolls, distracting the hero just long enough for the trolls to flee. The prince turned to follow them, but tripped over a rock, and was thrown out of his slippers, immediately waking. Realizing the footwear resembled the shoes worn by the trolls, Marvelman took the slippers from Rupert and used their homing abilities to track down the trolls.

 

(Marvelman#81/3 - BTS) - While Rupert waited, Marvelman convinced the troll king to leave the prince alone in exchange for the slippers being returned to the trolls.

(Marvelman#81/3) - Marvelman returned to Rupert and flew the prince, who believed he was merely dreaming, back to the palace. The next day the prince watched as his father rewarded the hero as promised, giving him a billion Lukers (the equivalent of $1000) which the hero intended to donate to an orphanage.

 

Comments: Creators not listed. While Mick Anglo created Marvelman, he ran a studio of writers and artists, so it's hard to specify who created which story.

   Though I've listed the trolls and troll king as enemies, they didn't seem to have any hostile intent towards the prince. After all, they had ample opportunity to either harm him or steal the slippers with risk of consequences in the many nights he was in their realm before Marvelman intervened.

   This profile was completed on 08/11/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary's celebratory event to represent Marvelman.

 

Profile by Loki.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Prince Rupert of Locostria has no known connections to:

King Ogbert

The monarch of Locostria and the father of Rupert, the concerned Ogbert offered a reward to anyone who could solve the mystery of his son's nighttime vanishings. 

--Marvelman#81/3

Trolls

Though they looked just like bald humans and were apparently no stronger than regular humans, the Norse trolls lived in a realm apparently only accessible by being ferried across a river (even if the visitor could fly). The boatman looked slightly different from the others, wearing a hat and having hair, and perhaps wasn't a troll, while the king was identifiable via his crown and beard.


When Marvelman initially followed Prince Rupert to the river, the trolls fought him but soon realized the hero was far stronger than them and so fled. The next night they disguised Marvelman fooled the boatman and the two trolls who welcomed him after he crossed the river (his "disguise" being a cloak wrapped round himself, fooling them despite being a head taller and with blond hair to the prince's dark hair - I guess all humans looked alike to them). The king however wasn't fooled, and battle ensued again, with similar results to the prior night. When the sudden arrival of the prince momentarily distracted Marvelman the trolls took the opportunity to flee and hide in nearby caves, but the hero tracked them down thanks to the troll slipper's homing ability. This time the trolls decided they were pacifists, much to the annoyance of the king as he realized he would have to get his own hands dirty. The king lunged for Marvelman and was swiftly hoisted into the air by his collar, at which point he suddenly decided he only really wanted the slippers returned and promised to leave the prince alone thereafter.

--Marvelman#81/3

images: (without ads)
Marvelman#81/3, p2, pan3 (main image)
Marvelman#81/3, p4, pan6 (headshot)
Marvelman#81/3, p2, pan1 (troll shoes)
Marvelman#81/3, p5, pan1-2 (passing through closed window and flying through the air)
Marvelman#81/3, p9, pan5 (tripping and so causing the slippers to fall off)
Marvelman#81/3, p10, pan6 (Ogbert)
Marvelman#81/3, p3, pan4 (Locostria)
Marvelman#81/3, p10, pan2 (troll king)
Marvelman#81/3, p6, pan2 (boatman)
Marvelman#81/3, p6, pan4 (trolls)

Appearances:
Marvelman#81/3 (March 5th 1955) - creators uncredited and unknown

First Posted: 09/09/2026
Last updated: 08/11/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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