FERUVIANS

Classification: Humanoid extraterrestrial race

Location/Base of Operations: The planet Feru in the Outer Galaxy, Earth

Known Members: Katan, Otar

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Humans (at least to some of them)

First Appearance: Marvel Tales I#119/1 (December, 1953)

Powers/Abilities: Near immortal lifespans, possible superhuman strength and endurance, immune to temperature extremes and the effects of altitude sickness, able to survive in the vacuum of space with minimal protection and undefined Feruvian magic. The Feruvians also possessed technology allowing them to fly at superhuman speeds. They wielded powerful energy weapons and strong axes made from unknown metals.

Type: Biliterally symmetric semi-humanoid bipeds
Hair: None
Eyes: Two
Fingers: Five with opposable thumb
Toes: Five
Skin Color: Green
Average Height: 6'

History:
(Marvel Tales I#119/1 - BTS) - The planet Feru was in an area of space referred to as the Outer Galaxy. The planet had an ancient and highly evolved civilization but suffered some form of civil war between its peaceful people and a warlike faction. The warlike faction lost and were exiled to space.

(Marvel Tales I#119/1 - BTS) - The exiled Feruvians faced many unrevealed hazards and paid a high price while traversing space in search of a planet to conquer.

(Marvel Tales I#119/1) - Roughly 8000 years ago the exiled Feruvians led by Commander Otar, landed on Earth in a dry, sandy area that would one day become Egypt. After setting up a camp and scouting the planet the exiled Feruvians discovered it to be rich in minerals but possessed a primitive race of savages with science on par with that of Feru infant's babbling. Seeking a worthy challenge in conquering Earth, Otar ordered his army to clothe themselves in the wrappings of hibernation and go underground and wait for the time when the savages on Earth possessed a civilization equal to the Feruvians. He ordered Katan, one of his men, to stay above the surface and monitor the Earth's evolution and its civilization's growth from atop the planet's highest peak (Mount Everest) and would be shown a sign to revive the Feruvians from their hibernation and wage war on the people of Earth.

(Marvel Tales I#119/1 - (fb) - BTS) - Over the centuries Katan witnessed the people of Earth make great scientific and cultural discoveries. Some of the hibernating Feruvians were dug up and believed to be merely ancient mummies. Thousands still lay undiscovered beneath the sands.

(Marvel Tales I#119/1) - Katan in the modern age, witnessed Earthlings try to climb to the top of Mt. Everest and die in their attempts and even caused some unforeseen accidents to occur so he could remain there undetected. Katan waited per Otar's orders for a raging storm to cause a giant rock to fall from the mountain as a sign that it was time to awaken his fellow Feruvian warriors. In the winter of 1952 such a storm struck, and the boulder toppled from its mountain perch. Katan then built a large fire and using Feruvian black magic incantation, flung some red powder into the flames and its smoke spread out over the planet and revived the sleeping Feruvians. The last to rise was Otar who gathered his army of Feruvian warriors and flew off to another location in the middle of the Arizona desert to make plans of conquest. As Otar finished ordering his men to attack the Earthlings and leave no one alive, tragedy struck. A nuclear bomb detonated in the area killing every single Feruvian as they were unaware this location was being used by the US military as an atomic testing ground.

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer & Russ Heath.

The Outer Galaxy was a general term often used by Marvel/Atlas comics to refer to an unknown area of space beyond the Milky Way Galaxy. What actual galaxy they may originate from is unknown. The Feruvian exiles experienced many unknown hazards while traversing space for thousands of years before arriving on Earth. What could they have experienced? Maybe they met other more advanced races that killed off large numbers of Feru. Maybe they suffered space sicknesses caused by deadly radiations emitted from some stars. Maybe they suffered mass starvations due to lack of sufficient food for nourishment. Maybe they too had a form of civil strife among the exiles vying for leadership (possible reason for Otar being a commander and not a higher rank officer), and maybe they colonized a planet elsewhere and those who did not want to settle simply moved on in search of conquest elsewhere.

The Feru did not appear to have spaceships and simply flew through space using their rocket packs and fishbowl helmets.

Their race was called the Feru, Ferus and Feruvians throughout this story. Any one of these would be considered acceptable.

The Feru were not that intelligent as they could have conquered the Earth 8000 years ago instead of deciding to wait till man could evolve into a more advanced state.

Simply speculating on my part, it is possible that some Feru could have survived and maybe Katan may not have died along with his fellow Feruvians and planned their demise all along so he alone could either become the leader of his fellow exiles or more greedily saw an opportunity to conquer and rule the planet himself .

The final few panels in the story were a discussion with a US general and another non uniformed individual about the atomic bomb test being a failure as something at the site used up some of the blast’s impact instead of a larger explosion. The General then said that they would have to do much better if they ever wanted to defend themselves against all enemies. Little did they know that they inadvertently saved the planet from an alien invasion.

Profile by AvatarWarlord.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Feruvians have no known connections to:

Otar

Commander Otar was the leader of the exiled Feruvians and led his army to Earth 8000 years ago. After setting up a camp in an area that would eventually become Egypt, he ordered his people to scout the planet. They Learned the Earth was rich in minerals but possessed a primitive race of savages with science on par with that of Feru infant's babbling. Seeking a worthy challenge in conquering Earth, Otar ordered his army to clothe themselves in the wrappings of hibernation and go underground and wait for the time when the savages on Earth possessed a civilization equal to the Feruvians. He ordered Katan, one of his men, to stay above the surface and monitor the Earth's evolution and its civilization's growth from atop the planet's highest peak (Mount Everest) and would be shown a sign to revive the Feruvians from their hibernation and wage war on the people of Earth. Over the centuries Otar and his army lay underground waiting to be awakened. In 1952, Otar and his army were finally revived by Katan using Feruvian magic and they travelled to the desert of Arizona to make plans for conquest. As Otar finished ordering his men to attack the Earthlings and leave no one alive, tragedy struck. A nuclear bomb detonated in the area killing Otar and every single Feruvian as they were unaware this location was being used by the US military as an atomic testing ground.

--Marvel Tales I#119/1

Katan

He was chosen by Otar, the commander of the Feruvian exiles, to stay above the surface and monitor the Earth's evolution and its civilization's growth from atop the planet's highest peak (Mount Everest) and would be shown a sign to revive the Feruvians from their hibernation and wage war on the people of Earth. For 8000 years he watched. Katan, in the modern age, witnessed Earthlings try to climb to the top Mt. Everest and die in their attempts and even caused some unforeseen accidents to occur so he could remain there undetected. Katan waited per Otar's orders for a raging storm to cause a giant rock to fall from the mountain as a sign that it was time to awaken his fellow Feruvian warriors. Over the centuries Katan witnessed the people of Earth make great scientific and cultural discoveries. In the winter of 1952 such a storm struck, and the boulder toppled from its mountain perch. Katan then built a large fire and using Feruvian black magic incantation, flung some red powder into the flames and its smoke spread out over the planet and revived the sleeping Feruvians.

--Marvel Tales I#119/1

images: (without ads)
Marvel Tales I#119/1, p2, pan2 (main image)
Marvel Tales I#119/1, p1, pan3 (arriving on Earth)
Marvel Tales I#119/1, p2, pan6 (hibernation)
Marvel Tales I#119/1, p5, pan3 (death of the Feruvians)
Marvel Tales I#119/1, p2, pan4 (Otar)
Marvel Tales I#119/1, p3, pan7 (Katan)

Appearances:
Marvel Tales I#119/1 (December, 1953) - unidentified writer, Russ Heath (artist), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 08/27/2021
Last updated: 08/27/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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