ROMMBU

Real Name: Rommbu

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial ("the Fourth Galaxy")

Occupation: Warrior

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: (formerly) the Collector (Elder); "The Collector's collection" (Droom, Fin Fang Foom, Gargantus, Goom, Grogg, Groot, Grottu, Taboo, Tragg, Vandoom's Monster); John Hunter; Mole Man

Enemies: The Beast (McCoy); the Collector; Giant-Man (Pym); the Hulk (Banner); John Hunter; the Thing (Grimm)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Currently unknown;
                                      (formerly) the Negative Zone;
                                      (formerly) the Collector's zoo beneath Canada;
                                      (formerly) the Fouth Galaxy

First Appearance: Tales to Astonish I#19/1 (May, 1961)

Powers/Abilities: Rommbu was well over twice the size of an average human.  He had some way of detecting human presences, but whether this ability was mental, or a higher sense of smell is unknown.  Rommbu's race is technologically advanced, and Rommbu was equipped with weapons that could shrink living beings and disintegrate metal. 

History: (Tales to Astonish I#19 (fb)) - The alien race native to the Fourth Galaxy were a warlike race that eventually became scientifically proficient, and set out to conquer other planets.  Choosing Earth as their next target, they sent Rommbu to demand a total surrender.

(Tales to Astonish I#19) - Rommbu arrived on Earth, his spacecraft landing in the path of a moving train.  When the train stopped, convicted criminal John Hunter made his escape.  Rommbu emerged from his ship, and demanded the surrender of Earth to his race.  He demonstrated his powers by using a ray gun to shrink two men to only twelve inches tall.  Meanwhile, Hunter had made his way onto Rommbu's ship unnoticed.  Rommbu then returned to his craft, and began to circle the Earth, awaiting the arrival of his armada.  There, he realized there was a human on board, and captured Hunter.  He used a mind-probing device to read the man's mind, and discovered him to be a criminal.  Believing Hunter's disregard for his fellow humans would be an asset, Rommbu recruited him to help find a safe place to land the ship to recharge its electromagnetic batteries.  Hunter, a former geologist, suggested the volcanic island of Watuna.  Rommbu didn't realize that Hunter had tricked him, and had timed their arrival on the island to coincide with the volcano's eruption.  As the volcano blew up, Rommbu desperately tried to escape in his ship, but the cataclysm apparently destroyed both him and John Hunter.

(Marvel Monsters: Monsters on the Prowl#1 (fb)-BTS) - Rommbu did not perish, and was captured by the Elder of the Universe known as the Collector.  Rommbu was placed in the Collector's zoo of giant monsters below Canada.

(Marvel Monsters: Monsters on the Prowl#1) - After an attack on the Collector by the Mole Man caused the freedom of the creatures, Rommbu was among many of the specimens to go on a rampage through New York City. They were defeated by a group of heroes that included the Hulk, the Beast, the Thing and Giant-Man.  Rommbu was personally defeated by the Thing. Mr. Fantastic had the Thing open a portal to the Negative Zone, where the creatures were all dumped.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee (uncredited), Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.

Rommbu got a LOT bigger by his second appearance, 44 years later.

Gormuu (see clarifications) is obviously an homage to Rommbu, more so than any other "Kirby monster." Perhaps there's a connection between the two? They are very similar physically (even more so in the reprint mentioned below, which changed Rommbu's skin color) and come from similar warlike races.

Rommbu's tale was reprinted in Where Monsters Dwell#7. He was colored a light green, with orange trunks in it.

An alternate Earth version of Rommbu appeared in Supernaturals#4.

In Nova: The Origin of Richard Rider two members of Rommbu's race appear in the framing sequence by DnA. Maybe Rommbu was one of them. They attacked an extraterrestrial race and were opposed by Nova (Richard Rider).

Profile by Madison Carter

Clarifications:

Rommbu has no known connections to

JOHN HUNTER

(Tales to Astonish I#19 (fb)) - Hunter was a former geologist who had turned to robbing banks. During one such robbery, Hunter shot a guard.  Captured after a car crash during his escape, Hunter was sentenced to life in prison. 

(Tales to Astonish I#19) - During his train ride to prison, Rommbu's spaceship landed in the path of the train, and Hunter used the opportunity to escape.  He found refuge on Rommbu's ship, and Rommbu believed Hunter to be so callous towards his fellow humans, the alien entrusted him to find a safe place for them to stay while the ship recharged.  Hunter knew the island of Watuna was about to erupt, and suggested it.  Just after they landed, the volcanic isle did erupt, swallowing both of them and (apparently) killing them.

-- Tales to Astonish I#19 ( 19 (fb), 19

 

images:
Tales to Astonish I#19, page 1, panel 1 (Rommbu)
                                           page 2, panel 3 (Hunter)

Appearances:
Tales to Astonish I#19/1 (May, 1961) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Dick Ayers (inks)
Marvel Monsters: Monsters on the Prowl#1 (December, 2005) - Steve Niles (writer), Duncan Fegredo (artist), Jenny Lee & Mark Paniccia (editors)
Nova: Origin of Richard Rider (2009) - Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (writers), Geraldo Borges (pencils), Nelson Pereira (inks), Cory Levine (editor)

Last updated: 11/24/05

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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