Mangog

Publication history

The character first appeared in Thor #154 (July 1968) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Fictional character biography

Mangog debuted in a multi-issue storyline in the title Thor, and is depicted as being the sum total of the hatred of "a billion billion beings" of a mysterious alien race whose invasion of Asgard had been thwarted by Odin, the ruler of Asgard and the Norse gods. Believed to be the last remaining member of this race and imprisoned beneath Asgard, Mangog is freed by the rock troll Ulik, who sees a warning on the prison door not to release the occupant but does so anyway hoping they will make a useful ally against Asgard. When Mangog is released, he easily defeats Ulik then storms Asgard intent on drawing the Odinsword from its scabbard which will end the universe. Odin's son Thor battles Mangog to a standstill until Odin defeats Mangog by breaking the Odinspell which had created Mangog as a living prison for his entire race. Restoring that race to physical form causes Mangog to fade away, seemingly into nothingness.

Mangog reappears when freed by the god Loki, but was defeated when cut off from the source of its power. Mangog was later aided by the traitorous magician Igron. Mangog assumes the form of an imprisoned Odin, and takes part of each Asgardian's lifeforce, weakening them, and plans to draw the Odinsword. After a series of skirmishes with Thor, the creature is defeated when Thor frees Odin.

The character appears in the second volume of Thor as the servant of the Titan Thanos, who is seeking universal domination. Mangog is eventually destroyed by Thor (the character places his mystic hammer Mjolnir in the creature's mouth and blasts it internally) and Thanos (later revealed to have been a clone of Thanos) was defeated. Later, Mangog is again destroyed by Thor, seemingly for good when Thor used the Odinforce to erase him from existence.

However, the Mangog returns in the pages of the Thunderstrike mini-series when he is accidentally summoned by a mystical generator used by megalomaniac Adam Mann. When Thor wonders at his return asserting his previous destruction, the Mangog scornfully replies that hatred can be suppressed or rejected, but never destroyed. He is banished once again where he is cast into the fire of a distant star.

Powers and abilities

Mangog possesses the strength, stamina, durability and endurance of a "billion billion beings", considerably exceeding that of Thor, and has the ability to manipulate magic for energy projection and shapeshifting.

He appears to be immortal and ultimately indestructible, existing so long as hatred does, and indeed draws strength from hate itself, even that of his enemies.

Marvel Fanfare

In an alternate universe story in the title Marvel Fanfare, Mangog battles the Herald of Galactus, Silver Surfer.

What If?

In the What If? story "What if Jane Foster Found the Hammer of Thor?", Thordis (Foster) and Don Blake are taken to Asgard by Sif to help stop Mangog's attempt to destroy the universe. Thordis ultimately stops him by summoning a storm that revives Odin from the Odinsleep, allowing him to dispatch Mangog.

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Mangog appears in Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #150, a story which is being told by Thor to the Ultimates about Spider-Man's heroism. Here, Mangog is a mortal sorcerer named Xandu who breaks into a museum and steals the lost eye of Avalon which transforms him into Mangog. Mangog is then defeated by Spider-Man and Thor and then reverts to a mortal.

Television

Video games

Board games