Gravity Nullifier (Rigellian technology; Thor story)

gravity-nullifier-rigellian-frontal GRAVITY NULLIFIER

Classification: Extraterrestrial (Rigellian) technology

Creator: Unidentified Rigellian(s)

Possessors: Rigellian Inspectors, at least

First Appearance: Thor I#131 (August, 1966) gravity-nullifier-rigellian-lateral

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Gravity Nullifier is a hand-held rod that can nullify gravity on objects, allowing something weighing at least a few hundred pounds to float through the air and be guided by in both horizontal and vertical distances by holder of the Nullifer.

History:
(Thor I#131 (fb) - BTS) - Traveling to Earth to evaluate Tana Nile's claim to Earth, a pair of Rigellian inspectors parked their ship on top of the Town Tower, Jane Foster's apartment building, after which they convened with Tana Nile.

(Thor I#131) - When Thor arrived, Tana used a Mind-Thrust to force him to his knees, but when he resisted that, one of the inspectors used a Proton Coagulant Beam at maximum intensity, sealing Thor in a proton cage.

The inspectors then prepared to take Thor back to Rigel-3, hoping that by studying him, they could find a way to defeat the one within the Black Galaxy (Ego), the only other being to have resisted a mind-thrust. The inspectors used their Gravity Nullifier to transport the Proton Cage down the hallway. After they reached the roof top, one of the inspectors used the Visi-Rod to make their craft visible, while the other guided the proton cage into their ship via the Gravity Nullifier, and they departed for Rigel-3.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Vince Colletta.

I don't have listings of appearances for all of the Rigellian technology, so I'll profile what I know, and as I go through all of the Rigellian appearances in the process of building a Rigellian profile, I'll add additional appearances as I find them. If you know of more, let me know...

gravity-nullifier-rigellian-imv28 (Iron Man V#28) - As the conventional Recorders transported Recorder 451's containment vessel through the air, possibly via a gravity nullifier, 451's programmer explained how he had created 451 and how 451 had affected the rings. He apologized for 451 and his affect upon Earth and assured Stark that Stark was not to blame for bringing 451 back to Earth.

Yes, the device looks different, but even in Marvel Time, the two appearances are close to 10 years apart, and technology may have advanced...or it was just a different model...or it was artistic license.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Gravity Nullifer should be distinguished from:

GRAVITY (Greg Willis) - New York University student, mutated by an apparent miniature black hole singularity--Gravity#1
GRAVITY LOCALIZER - designed by Reed Richards, sought by Red Ghost, placed in Spider-Mobile. Able to create gravity/attraction on any surface, allowed the Spider-Mobile to drive on walls--Spider-Man/Human Torch#3
GRAVITY POLICE of Earth-9200 circa 2080 A.D. - law enforcement--Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1
GRAVITY RETRACTOR ( ) - --Captain America Comics#17
NULLIFIER - used by Dr. Octopus to control Spider-Man--Amazing Spider-Man I#5_
NULLIFIER WAR of Earth-98120 - involved Captain Marvel, Dr. Strange, Magus, Silver Surfer, Adam Warlock, ended with Magus trapped in the Betwixt--Captain Marvel VI#23
ULTIMATE NULLIFIER ( ) - Teen Brigade, face burned by Radioactive Kid, had affair with Young Masters' Black Knight. Used gun that temporarily neutralized superhuman powers--Vengeance#1
ULTIMATE NULLIFIER - cosmic item, able to theoretically destroy anything of which the user can conceive, but also destroys the user in most cases--Fantastic Four I#49
ULTIMATE ANNIHILATOR - disintegrator weapon developed by AIM (including Po Lin Ching), used by Yellow Claw robot and later General Pollack--Strange Tales I#163
ULTIMATE ANNIHILATOR - originated in the Nexus of All-Realities, but Microverse scientists found it in the Microverse, threatened Galactus with the Annihilator, and he departed; given to Howard the Duck by Man-Thing; used to drive off alternate reality beings summoned by Psycho-Man, but Howard refused to use it against the rampaging fear-addled/empowered Man-Thing; crude duplicate terror-engineered by Psycho-Man; able to destroy anything if the user can control his fear--Fearsome Four#1
ELEMENTAL OBLITERATOR - weapon from Galactus’ store, used by the Elan to remove excess/maddening power from nova--Power Pack I#58
other "Gravity" or "Nullifier" items, beings, groups, races, places, etc.

images: (without ads):
Thor I#131, pg. 12, panel 1-2 (using Gravity Nullifier to transport the Proton Cage containing Thor)
Iron Man V#28, pg. 13, panel 3 (programmer and Recorders with Recorder 451 in containment);

Appearances:
Thor I#131 (August, 1966) - Smilin' Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jolly Jack Kirby (penciler), Vivacious Vince Colletta (inker)
Iron Man V#28 (August, 2014) - Kieron Gillen (writer), Cliff Richards (penciler, Rigellians section), Scott Hanna (inker, Rigellians section), Emily Shaw (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

First posted: 08/30/2022
Last updated: 05/03/2025

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