Xxirys (Zzutak enemy; Frank Johnson creation)

xxirys-zzutak-st88-formed xxirys-zzutak-ffu7-reemerge XXIRYS

Real Name: None (see comments)

Identity/Class: Magically-created giant monster;
pre-modern era (1960) and modern era

Occupation: Warrior

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Fantastic Four (Ant-Man/Scott Lang, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Sue Richards, Thing/Ben Grimm), Frank Johnson

Enemies: Miztli Tlanti (“Puma’s Teeth”), Yucoya-Tzin (Mocuepa Tlalticpactli), Zzutak

Known Relatives: Frank Johnson (creator)

Aliases: See comments

Base of Operations: An ancient Aztec temple just beyond the village of Quapultec in the jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula

First Appearance: Strange Tales I#88 (September, 1961) xxirys-zzutak-st88-vszzutak1

Powers/Abilities: Created as a three-dimensional being from magical paints, Xxirys presumably is a solid being and does not have internal organs and as as result does not have the limitations of an organic being, such as oxygen, food, water, etc.

He possesses limitless endurance.

Xxirys is giant in size, although his size seems to vary between various depictions. He has vast strength (presumably lifting over 100 tons) and durability.

Not apparently possessing a will of his own, Xxirys followed pre-programmed commands from his creator when initially created. xxirys-zzutak-ffu7-vszzutak1

Bereft of instruction from his creator from an undetermined time period, he apparently falls into an inert state and required a coating with the magical paints to regain activity.

While he was initially a match for Zzutak, when restored, he apparently could not free himself from the rubble until animated by a collective of powerful wills. When thusly animated, however, he swiftly dominated Zzutak.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 25')
Weight: Unrevealed (virtually impossible to approximate due to his unknown composition)
Eyes: Varied between green (dark pupil, no visible sclera) and white (no visible iris); however, as he was not organic, those structures are perhaps irrelevent.
    perhaps solid green or white with a central pupil-like structure
Hair: None
Unusual features: Xxirys is a giant bipedal reptilian semi-humanoid creature.

    Covered in scaled and scutes, he has a long tail and ridged plates running up his central back (over what would be his spine).

    He has a crest of plates running transversely over the top of his head, as well as paired spikes on either side or his rostral mandible (lower jaw).

    He had 3 fingers and an opposing thumb and 3-4 toes.

    He was green in his original appearance and gray in his subsequent appearance. The fact that Frank Johnson had to coat his form with a spray-form of the Zutec's magical paints is a clear explanation of why he was a different color (and the same is true for Zzutak, who was orange in his first appearance and green in his subsequent appearance).

History:

(Strange Tales I#88 (fb)) <1960> - Aztec mystic Yucoya-Tzin manipulated the Aztec-descended artist Frank Johnson (nee Juan Francisco Alonso) into using mystic paints to create the monstrous Zzutak, via whom he intended to rebuild the Aztec Empire.

(Strange Tales I#88 (fb)) - Yucoya-Tzin ordered Frank Johnson to use his mystic paints to create other creatures like Zzutak.

Frank complied, but as he created his next monster, he continued to chant under his breath that the creature's enemy was Zzutak, whom he must destroy.

xxirys-zzutak-st88-vszzutak2 As he finished, the creature...

(Fantastic Four Fifty Fantastic Years#1: Yucoya-Tzin entry) - ...later identified as Xxirys... xxirys-zzutak-st88-collapsetemple

(Strange Tales I#88 (fb)) - ...emerged from the canvas, ignored Yucoya-Tzin's commands, and assaulted Zzutak.

The two fought furiously, ultimately collapsing the temple and trapping both creatures in inert form under the rubble.

(Strange Tales I#88) <1961> - One year after it had occurred, Frank recorded the story of his creation of Zzutak, which he subsequently shared with the Explorers Club.

(Fantastic Four Unlimited#7 - BTS) - Via threatening his son Cal, Yucoya-Tzin forced Frank Johnson to accompany him back to Quapultec. Locating and spraying its inanimate form with the paint, Frank revived Zzutak, which remained under Yucoya-Tzin's control and engaged the arriving Fantastic Four.

xxirys-zzutak-ffu7-repainted-overcropped xxirys-zzutak-ffu7-ffpainted-overcropped

(Fantastic Four Unlimited#7) - Concerned that the heroes could not defeat the tireless Zzutak, Frank was inspired to revive Xxirys, further painting pictures of the Fantastic Four around it. Guided by Frank, the Fantastic Four members cleared their minds, allowing them to possess and control Xxirys.

xxirys-zzutak-ffu7-vszzutak2

Realizing what was happening, Yucoya-Tzin resolved that despite his latent powers, Frank had become a risk he could not allow to live. As he charged Frank with his blade, however, Xxirys emerged from the rubble.

The Four's collective wills allowed Xxirys to defeat Zzutak, leaving both creatures buried once again.

(Marvel Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses Bloodstone and the Monster Hunters#1: Zzutak entry) - In response to a query from the Explorers Club and/or Monster Hunters' archivist Jacob Hathaway, Frank Johnson reviewed his original encounter and added information on his subsequent encounter with Zzutak and his creation.

See commments...

Comments: Created by Stan "The Man" Lee, Jack "The King" Kirby, and "Sturdy" Steve Ditko.

    Frank Johnson's creation to oppose Zzutak was not identified by any name in Strange Tales I#88 nor Fantastic Four Unlimited#7, the latter of which specifically noted that it did not have a name. It also does not receive a name in the Zzutak entry in Marvel Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses Bloodstone and the Monster Hunters#1, which included an email reply from Frank Johnson to Jacob Hathaway, discussing Johnson's subsequent involvement following his initial report to the Explorers' Club.
    The name Xxirys was first provided in FF Fifty Fantastic Years#1's Yucoya-Tzin entry.
    In discussion with the writer of the FF profile, Ronald Byrd, we felt that the most logical explanation was along the lines of the following:

Jacob Hathaway asked Frank Johnson for a name for his second creation, and he said it didn’t have one…but then decided as its creator, he should name it…and he came up with Xxirys, which was the Zutec word for "opponent."

This profile was completed 11/30/2022, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25^th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Xxirys originally had a sub-profile under Prime Eternal's Zzutak way back on 2/18/2002.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Xxirys should be distinguished from:

XXX INVESTIGATIONS - see X-FACTOR INVESTIGATIONS.original name--Madrox#1
other "Xx" characters, groups, events, races, or places, etc.

images: (without ads)
Strange Tales I#88, story pg. 9, panel 7 (main);
        pg. 10, panel 1-2 (vs. Zzutak; lateral and posterior views);
            panel 4 (temple collapsing);
Fantastic Four Unlimited#7, pg.44, panel 4 (re-painting);
            panel 6 (painting FF);
        pg. 47, panel 4 (re-emerging);
        pg. 48, panel 1 (engaging Zzutak);
            panel 2 (punching down Zzutak);
        pg. 49, panel 1 (temple collapsing again)

Appearances:
Strange Tales I#88 (September, 1961) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Steve Ditko (inks)
Fantastic Four Unlimited#7 (September, 1994) - Roy Thomas (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Carmen Infantino (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Marvel Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses Bloodstone and the Monster Hunters#1 (January, 2006) - Michael Hoskin, Madison Carter, Jeff Christiansen, Sean McQuaid, Stuart Vandal, Eric Moreels, Ronald Byrd, Barry Reese (writers), Jennifer Grunwald & Michael Short (assistant editors), Jeff Younquist (editor)
FF Fifty Fantastic Years#1: Yucoya-Tzin entry (November, 2011) - Jeff Christiansen, Mike O'Sullivan & Stuart Vandal (head writers/coordinators), Markus Raymond & Mike Fichera (assistant coordinators), Sean McQuaid, Madison Carter, Markus Raymond, Ronald Byrd, Patrick Duke, Kevin Garcia, Anthony Cotilletta, Roger Ott, Rob London, Seth Johnson & Eduardo Frye (writers), Gus Vasquez (artist), Theodore W. Kutt (copy editor), James Emmett & Joe Hochstein (editorial assistants), Alex Starbuck & Nelson Ribeiro (assistant editors), Jennifer Grunwald & Mark D. Beazley (editors, special projects), Jeff Youngquist (editor)

First posted: 09/01/2026
Last updated: 08/26/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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