Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Hunhau, Cumhau, Ah Kinchel, "He of the Spoiled" (literal translation), Hun Ahau ("One Lord"), Yum Cimil ("Lord of Death"), Cizin ("Flatulent One"), Ahal Puh ("Awakened Pus"), "God A" (anthropological distinction)

Base of Operations: Mitnal in the underworld of Xibalba (The Mexican Underworld)

First Appearance: Thor Annual#10 (1981)

Powers/Abilities Ahpuch possesses greater physical abilities than most Ahau, including superhuman strength (Class 75), durability and longevity (he does not age). Like most Ahau, Ahpuch is a shape-shifter, often taking the form of a skeletal priest or a bloated, rotting corpse. He can project mystical energies from his hands and is most powerful in Mitnal, where he has total command over all residents. Ahpuch wears Mayan symbols of death, including bells on his ankles and wrists. He also has several undefined powers occult in nature including the power to perceive death.

Height: 6'10" (variable)
Weight: 732 lbs. (variable)
Eyes: None (variable)
Hair: None (variable)

History: (Thor & Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica/mythology) - According to legend, Ahpuch was the ruler of Mitnal, the ninth and lowest level of the Ahau death realm Xibalba, who joined the Bolon ti Ku ("Divine Nine" death gods) in victory over the Oxlahun ti Ku ("Divine 13" lords of heaven), destroying the world that existed before the modern world of mankind. As champion of death, he was an ally to gods of war and sacrifices and a rival to creator god Itzamna and agricultural god Chaac.

(Thor Annual#10)- Ahpuch is the god of the dead for the ancient Aztec and Mayan Civilizations. Disenchanted by the lack of new souls into his realm for several thousand years, he entered into a dark pact with six other gods of the dead in an attempt to merge their perspective realms. The ritual, however, released Atum in the form of Demogorge the God-Eater. Unable to contain the primieval entity, he ended up consumed by Demogorge and had to be rescued by Thor and an alliance of gods from other pantheons.

(Secret Warriors#10) - Ahpuch was present when Phobos (Alexander Aaron), son of Ares, was found worthy by the Council of Godheads to be a god.

(Fearless Defenders#3 (fb)) - Hela bargained with the other death gods, including Ahpuch, to resurrect Hippolyta.

(Fearless Defenders#11 (fb)) - which Hippolyta also recalled, remembering being dead and then restored to life.

COMMENTS: Created/Adapted by William Zelenetz and Bob Hall.

Thor Annual#10 is probably one of the best Thor stories with the most gods in it. Why can't they do more stories like this ?--I agree 100%, I've read this story so many times, the staples are falling out of it--Snood.

Why do sun-gods such as Apollo and Tawa appear in this story over champion and thunder-gods like Hercules or Hino, the Native American thunder god ? For that matter, the storyline omits other death gods from other cultures. Were they all doing their hair?

Of Ahpuch's above relatives, Quetzacoatl (Thor Annual#10) and Tezcatlipoca (Infinity Gauntlet#2) have been seen, and Huizilopochtli (X-Factor I#24 (as an alias for Apocalypse)) has been mentioned in the Marvel Universe.--let me know if I've missed any others--Snood.

The Bolon Ti Ku mentioned in the Group Membership's above are a subset of the Ahau (Mayan Gods); in mythology they are a group of nine gods who rule over Mitnal, the Mayan underworld. The specific members of the group don't seem to be confirmed, not even Ahpuch, but given his role as god of the dead, it seems fair to ASSume he's one of them, and even if it turns out to be not true in real world mythology, it is in Marvel, as confirmed by Ahpuch's Handbook entry. - Loki

Ahpuch was pictured in a headshot in OHOTMU I#14's After Death in the Marvel Universe article alongside Death gods of other pantheons, and in the Ahau entry in the Encyclopedia Mythologica alongside other members of his pantheon. He got his own entry in Thor: Asgard's Avenger.

Profile by William Uchtman.

Ahpuch should not be confused with:

• Ah Puch - of the Inhuman Mayapan--Hulk III#54
• Mictlantecuhtli - the Aztec/Tēteoh death god, who also looks like a walking skeleton--Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica
  

images: (without ads)
Thor Annual#10, p14, pan2 (main)
Thor: Asgard's Avenger, p55, pan1 (main)
OHOTMU I#14, p34, pan8 (headshot)
Thor Annual#10, p15, pan2 (holding hands with Hela and Erishkigal)
Thor Annual#10, p19, pan2 (trying to arm wrestle Demogorge)
Thor Annual#10, p14, pan6 (face, side on)

Appearances:
Thor Annual#10 (1982) - Mark Gruenwald (writer/editor), Alan Zelenetz (writer), Bob Hall (penciler), Rick Bryant, Joe Rubinstein, Andy Myshynsky, Al Gordon, Kevin Dzuban (inkers)
Secret Warriors#10 (January, 2010) - Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Fearless Defenders#3 (June, 2013) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Will Sliney (artist), Ellie Pyle (editor)
Fearless Defenders#11 (January, 2014) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Will Sliney (artist), Ellie Pyle (editor)

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

First Posted: 01/19/2002
Last Updated: 09/06/2025

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