"THE HOWLER"
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (race unknown) (Pre-Modern Era)
Occupation: Infant
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Charlie Fox
Enemies: formerly the people of Earth, when it was mistaken for an attacker
Known Relatives: parents
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: An unknown swamp somewhere in the United States
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense I#6/1 (November, 1959)
Powers/Abilities: Unknown, the Howler appeared to be about 20 feet tall and displayed great strength for its size. Still an infant, its strength and mental capacity would presumably increase as it matured.
History:
(Tales of Suspense I#6/1) - Charlie Fox was hunting and trapping in the swamp when he noticed that all of the wildlife was gone, as if something had frightened it away. Then Fox heard an inhuman howl and turned to see the Howler rising from the waters. He paddled his boat away in fear, but noticed that the creature didn't attack him -- it just stood there, howling. He reported seeing the monster; no one believed him at first, but then they heard the howling themselves. The next day, Fox took the local wildlife agent to see the Howler. Officials were then notified about the creature and an army detachment was sent out to hunt the Howler down. Fox, being familiar with animals, felt that the Howler was somehow different, and begged them not to shoot it. When they all paddled out to the swamp, the Howler rose up from the water and overturned their boats. As the men looked up, they saw two much larger alien creatures pick up the Howler and carry it away and then they saw a giant alien spacecraft takeoff. It was at that point that they realized the Howler had only been a lost alien infant crying for its parents.
Comments: Created by an unknown writer and Steve Ditko.
This alien was never actually named in the story; I just gave it the name "The Howler" from the story's title -- "I Hear It Howl in the Swamp!"
The theme of this story--monster revealed to be a lost alien infant--would later be seen with other characters such as Monsteroso, the Infant Terrible, and Gog (when are these aliens gonna learn to take better care of their kids?!).
And a big THANK YOU to Dennis Giansante for scanning this story for me!
Profile by John Kaminski
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Howler has no known connections to:
An Indian guide who made his living hunting and trapping in the swamps, Charlie discovered the Howler and notified the authorities. When the army threatened to kill the creature, Charlie pleaded with them to spare its life because he felt that the Howler wasn't truly a threat and must not be harmed.
--Tales of Suspense I#6/1
Immense alien beings that were five times the size of the Howler, they recovered their lost child and departed Earth.
--Tales of Suspense I#6/1
images:
Tales of Suspense I#6, p1, pan1 (main image)
p3, pan1 (head shot)
p2, pan2 (Charlie Fox)
p5, pan3 (Howler's parents)
Last updated: 01/29/06
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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