IGWANUS
IGWANUS
Real Name: Igwanus
Identity/Class: Extratemporal (Earth-Hercules 2300) extraterrestrial (Gegku)
Occupation: currently unknown;
formerly a slave to the Emperor Mother
formerly ruler of the Gegku nation
Group Affiliations: formerly the Gegku royal family
Allies: Hercules
Enemies: Layana
Sweetwater (Emperor Mother),
Skyppi
(antagonist)
formerly Hercules
Known Relatives: Layana Sweetwater (Emperor Mother, ex-wife)
Aliases: Iggy;
formerly Count Igwanus
Base of Operations: Port Anteris, planet Wilamean, third from the sun in the Gabansaa star system, Andromeda Galaxy, Earth-Hercules 2300
First Appearance: Hercules I#2 (October, 1982)
Powers/Abilities: In the past Igwanus appeared to
roughly have the physical abilities of a human male engaging in moderate,
regular exercise. In his later years, Igwanus was blinded,
and his body nearly crippled by torture. He retained his wit and wisdom.
note: despite appearing to be reptilian, the Gegku are actually mammalian and capable of mating with the more human Wilameanis.
History:
(Hercules I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Igwanus was the lover of Layana Sweetwater, and the
two were engaged to be married. However, on the way to the wedding Layana was
kidnapped by the Star Pirates of Wilamean and held for ransom. She was rescued
by Hercules, with whom she was quickly smitten. Wishing to stay with Hercules,
she lied to him, telling him that she was being forced into marriage against her
will. When Igwanus showed up to reclaim Layana, Hercules attacked him and the
Wilameanis police force. Hercules easily overpowered Igwanus, demanding he
renounce his illicit purchase of Layana, but Igwanus then revealed Layana's
duplicity. Confronted with her lies, Layana admitted the truth. Despite this,
Igwanus still loved Layana and wished to marry her, and he paid Hercules the 10,
000 credits for Layana's rescue (which her father had refused to honor).
(Marvel Graphic Novel: Hercules: Full Circle (fb) - BTS) - Layana became pregnant from her encounter with Hercules. She raised the child, Arimathes, and when he grew to adulthood she used his might to take over the entire planet and then the surrounding star system. Layana then took her "revenge" on Igwanus, whom she had beaten and tortured, leaving him a blind and nearly crippled wreck. Igwanus became a palace slave, tending to the prisoners in the royal dungeon, giving them their weekly nutrient injections as they were held in stasis.
(Marvel Graphic Novel: Hercules: Full Circle) - @ 2385 - After
Hercules and his allies were thrown into the dungeon, Hercules recognized
Igwanus and convinced him to free them. Igwanus helped them escape the prison,
though he quickly established an antagonistic relationship with the Skrull
Skyppi. Impersonating Layana (now the Queen Mother), Skyppi convinced the guards
he was her by savagely slapping down Igwanus when he bumped into "her." After
maiing it to safety, Igwanus gave Skyppi a payback shot to the jaw.
It was Igwanus who convinced Hercules that he would achieve
victory not by just defeating Arimathes in combat, but by humbling him, proving
that his vanity was his weakness. At the conclusion, Arimathes was convinced of
Hercules' valor and accepted him as his royal advisor, confining the Queen
Mother to her quarters as punishment for her lies. As the group proceeded to a
victory celebration, Skyppi tripped the blind Igwanus to the floor.
Comments: Created by "Babyface" Bob Layton and Luke McDonnell.
I believe it has been suggested that the Gegku are the Deviant race, diverged from the mainstream Wilameans.
The Full Circle Graphic Novel, which took place @ 2385 or soon thereafter, may have taken place anywhere from 41 years (as stated by Amayd Malin in Hercules II#1) or 30 years (as stated repeatedly by Arimathes) after Hercules' first encounter with Layana. Amayd was on his deathbed and may have been mistaken when he spoke, while Layana might well have lied about the length of time to falsify her own age, though this same time period would also be reflected in Arimathes' age, which might be harder to falsify.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:
images:
Marvel Graphic Novel: Hercules: Full Circle, p39 (full body)
p43, pan4 (face)
last page (being tripped)
Last updated: 04/12/04
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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