XANTHA RACE

Classification: Extra-terrestrial, semi-humanoid

Location/Base of Operations: New Xanth; formerly Xanth (also called Planet X)

Known Members: Kurrgo

Affiliations: The Fantastic Four (Human Torch, Invisible Girl, Mister Fantastic, the Thing)

First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#7 (October, 1962)

Powers/Abilities: Members of the Xantha race possessed no actual superhuman powers, but many of them used highly advanced technology, such as anti-gravity devices and ray guns.

Traits: Each member of the Xantha race had pale yellow skin and overly enlarged heads. Following their exposure to shrinking gas, every member of the race (excepting Kurrgo) was at a height of about four inches. They were also extremely dedicated to science and technology.

History: (Fantastic Four I#7) - In order to save their planet, members of the Xantha race (along with their ruler, Kurrgo) sent one of their two spacecrafts to Earth to capture the Fantastic Four. As the ship entered the Earth's atmosphere, it was noticed by an American satellite, who called in a squad of jet interceptors to halt its progress. Once the ship landed, the Xanthan robot piloting it projected a ray that caused those affected by it to become extremely angry, an act which soon drove the Fantastic Four out into open when the ray affected the members of Congress that the FF were meeting with. The robot eventually took back to the spaceship and began following the Fantastic Four until they landed atop the Baxter Building. Once he met the team, the robot explained that now that everyone had turned against, their only asylum would be on the planet of his master Kurrgo. The Fantastic Four agreed out of curiosity and boarded the robot's ship back to "Planet X" (Xanth), where they discovered that the Xanthans needed their help to prevent their planet's destruction. In order to get themselves back to Earth and save the Xanthans, Mister Fantastic adapted the shrinking gas used by Doctor Henry Pym and used it to shrink down the population of the planet so that they could all fit inside one of the two spaceships and escape to another planet, while the Fantastic Four boarded the second ship and returned to Earth. As his race prepared for takeoff to New Xanth, Kurrgo began plotting to withhold the enlarging gas (which was actually an empty canister) until he realized that his subjects had left him behind as Xanth crumbled around him.

 (Marvel Feature#11 (fb)) - Escaping nonetheless due to the aid of his robot, Kurrgo eventually managed to locate New Xanth, where he found that the Xanthans had progressed immensely. Despite his size advantage over his former subjects, the Xanthans managed to drive off both Kurrgo and his robot.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Profile by Proto-Man

Clarifications:

The Xantha race has no known connection to

• Xan, Xi'an Chi of Earth-2099 A. D., member of the X-Men 2099, Lawless, @ X-Men 2099#1
• Xanadu of the Hyborian Era, encountered by Red Sonja and Zula, @ Savage Sword of Conan#207
• Xanadu, zeppelin of Kublai Khan, @ Machine Man I#15
• Xanadu, Siberian fortress of Yi Yang, @ Fury/Black Widow: Death Duty
• Xanadu Amalgamated of Earth-Ultraverse (Brother Kyle, Senator Kline, Brother Warren), @ Warstrike#1
• Xandar (Xandarians, Living Computers), planet, destroyed by Nebula, rebuilt by combining energy of Nova & Supernova, @ Nova I#1
• Xandarian race (Rieg Davan, Tanak Valt, Pyreus Kril, Gabriel Lan, Adora, Thoran Rul, Mexxa Rien, Reban, Kanan, Nova Corps, Syphon Warriors), intergalactic council, extra-terrestrial race from Andromeda Galaxy, @ Nova I#1
• Xande, young mutant boy from Rio de Janiero, abused abilities, @ Cable II#105
• Xander, sorceror, agent of Creators, @ Doctor Strange II#19
• Xander, Mr., associate of Elias Bogan, generate intense pleasure or pain, @ X-Treme X-Men#23
• Xandra 2099, Panther's Rage, allied with Zefiro, @ Doom 2099#1
• Xandu, evil sorceror, used Wand of Watoomb, often sought to resurrect Melinda, @ Amazing Spider-Man Annual#2
• Xanja, Cygnorian conqueror, opposed by Spider-Man, @ Web of Spider-Man#25
• Xantarean, also called Amphibion, @ Incredible Hulk II#472
• Xantarean race, extra-terrestrial race from Milky Way Galaxy, @ Tales to Astonish I#73
• Xantares, extra-terrestrial home planet of Xantareans, @ Incredible Hulk II#472
• Xanthes of the pre-Cataclysmic Era, priest of Anu, slain by Dal Sendor, @ Kull the Conqueror III#3
• Xantia (Xantia Al Hhffrrnnr Kzznr Fthgr), Super Soldiers, tribe slaughtered by Hydra, @ Super Soldiers#6

images: (not counting ads)

Fantastic Four I#7, p21, pan4 (two members of the Xantha race)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe#12, p31, Xantha entry (second fullbody shot of Xanthan)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition#15, p63, Xantha entry (first fullbody shot of Xanthan, main pic)