FANGU

Real Name: Fangu

Identity/Class: extra-dimensional being of an unknown race

Occupation: inter-dimensional Explorer

Group Membership: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Howling Commandos unit (Abominable Snowman, Bradley Beemer, Brother Voodoo, Clone of Frankenstein, Glob (Timms), Gorilla Man, Groot, Hellstorm, It the Living Colossus, Lilith, Living Mummy, Clay Quartermain, Sasquatch, Vampire by Night; Warwolf, Zombie (John Doe), many others)

Affiliations: Ian Jones

Enemies: Gunther, Dr. Hudson, citizen of this small town; Merlin

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Area 13, Pine Barrens, New Jersey;
     (formerly) small town near Miller Creek;
     (formerly) an unknown dimension

First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents I#90/4 (1991)

Powers/Abilities: Fangu was a telepath and possessed an aura which dehydrated everything it touched. He also had the ability to decrease his size and form to a small orb. In this form he was able to travel through the dimensions. Bullets and other earthly weapons didn't hurt him.
Weakness: Fire!

 

History:

(Marvel Comics Presents I#90/4) - Fangu traveled from his unknown home dimension in a golden orb to Earth. Ian Jones found the orb and brought it to his room. The orb fell to the floor and cracked when Jones' roommate Gunther threw his football against the shelf the orb and a lava lamp laid on. Fangu poured out of the broken orb and absorbed the liquid of the lava lamp. A short time later he crashed through the window as Ian returned with Dr. Hudson to show him the orb. Fangu accidentally dehydrated Ian when he communicated with the boy telepathically. He then walked through the town to Miller Creek to absorb enough water to end his transformation. The people ran away from him and the police tried to stop him by the order of Dr. Hudson, but Fangu's destroyed their cars. The fire caused by the explosion hurt Fangu for a second, but then he continued his way to Miller Creek. When Fangu tried to reach into the river Ian's roommate Gunther attacked him with a gas burner and drove the creature into a trap he had set up before. Gunther caused an explosion and Fangu died in the fire. Ian came too late to tell the others that Fangu spoke with him telepathically when he first touched him and that he told him that he was an inter-dimensional explorer. Fangu called for his friend Ian with his last breath.

(Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#6 (fb)-BTS) - Fangu actually survived, and was recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s "Howling Commandos" unit of supernatural and monstrous agents.

(Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#6) - Fangu was among the Commandos who launched an assault on the forces of Merlin.

 




Comments: Created by Steve Buccelato & Ian Akin

Transformation? I don't know what the end of Fangu's transformation would've been, but probably it looked more human. Poor misunderstood monster!

Nightmare is the narrator of the story, but Fangu is not part of a nightmare. As he said: "Even my imagination cannot create such terrors as exist in your reality!"

Yes, that's really Fangu in Howling Commandos, as confirmed by artist Mike Norton.

Profile by Markus Raymond

Clarifications:

Fangu has no known connections to

Gunther has no known connections to

Dr. Hudson has no known connections to

Ian Jones has no known connections to

Gunther

Gunther was a football player and the roommate of Ian Jones at College. He didn't like Ian very much and threw a football against Ian's shelf. He left giggling when he saw the mess he produced. Later Gunther saw Fangu's reaction to fire and thought out a plan. He picked up a gas burner and poured gas on the ground around the gas station's gas pumps. Then he used the gas burner to drive Fangu to the gas station where he lit the gas on the ground which brought the whole gas station to an explosion. Everyone thought that Gunther was a real hero until Ian arrived to tell everyone that Fangu was an innocent creature.

--Marvel Comics Presents#90/4

Dr. Hudson

Dr. Hudson was the science professor of Ian Jones. He was woken up by Ian in the middle of the night and was angry. He tried to warn Ian from storming towards Fangu when he saw the monster. When he saw that Ian was dehydrated he knew that the monster fed on water. He told everyone to stop the monster before it could reach Miller Creek. He learned the truth about Fangu from Ian, but he arrived too late with Ian at Miller Creek to rescue Fangu from the murderous mob.

--Marvel Comics Presents I#90/4

 

Ian Jones

He was a science student and thought about inter-dimensional travel. He saw a flash outside his window and saw the shining orb on the ground. Ian went to the outside to examine it. He was surprised that it was cold and brought it to his room. After that he went to Dr. Hudson and woke him up. When Ian returned to his dorm with Hudson they saw Fangu crash through Ian's window. Ian moved towards Fangu and wanted to communicate with him. Fangu's aura touched him and Ian fell dehydrated to the ground with the word Fangu on his lips. He tried to tell Dr. Hudson not to hunt Fangu, but he was too weak. Ian told Hudson the truth about Fangu when he was able to speak again, but when they arrived at Miller Creek Fangu was already dying. Ian was sad that the people killed Fangu who meant them no harm. For Ian it was not only the loss of a friend, but also the loss of a chance to learn more about inter-dimensional travel.

--Marvel Comics Presents I#90/4

images:

Fangu body shot: Marvel Comics Presents I#90, barcode side, p14, pan1

Fangu globe: Marvel Comics Presents I#90, barcode side, p11, pan5

Fangu w/ Howling Commandos: Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#6, p15, pan4

Gunther: Marvel Comics Presents I#90, barcode side, p11, pan6

Doc Hudson: Marvel Comics Presents I#90, barcode side, p13, pan5

Ian Jones: Marvel Comics Presents I#90, barcode side, p10, pan2

Marvel Comics Presents I#90 (1991) - Steve Buccelato (writer/pencils), Ian Akin (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Nick Fury's Howling Commandos#6 (May, 2006) - Keith Giffen (writer), Mike Norton (penciler), Derec Aucoin & Norman Lee (inkers), Mark Paniccia (editor)


Last updated: 04/17/06

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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