GEB

Real Name: Geb

Identity/Class: Egyptian God

Occupation: God of Earth, former Pharaoh of Egypt, retired

Group Membership: the Heliopolitan gods

Group Affiliation: The Ennead

Enemies: Seth

Known Relatives: Shu (father), Tefnut (mother), Nut (sister/wife), Osiris, Seth, Horus I (sons), Isis, Nephthys (daughters), Ammon Ra (grandfather/uncle), Thoth (granduncle), Kuk, Huk (uncles), Amaunet, Naunet, Kauket, Heket (aunts), Nun (Demiurge, great-grandfather), Gaea (great-grandmother, alias Neith), Khepri, Sokar, Selkhet, Satis, Khonshu, Bes, Ptah, Montu (cousins)

Aliases: "chief of the gods", "father of the gods", Keb, Kenken-wer ("the Great Cackler"), Qeb, Seb, Sham-ur or Suti (names for the soul of Geb)

Base of Operations: Celestial Heliopolis

First Appearance: Thor I#241 (November, 1975)

Powers/Abilities: Geb possesses the conventional attributes of the Egyptian Gods such as superhuman strength (Class 30), a long life and resistance to injury. As God of Earth, he may be able to create Earthquakes as he did in ancient times which may indicate his powers are close to or resemble the mutants Magma and Avalanche. Presumably, he has or had powers of great growth, as his form in ancient times was said to sometimes represent the mountains.  It may also be that over the past thousands of years that the strength of his power has waned significantly from lack of use during his long retirement.

Height: 5'11"
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Unrevealed

History: (Egyptian Myth) - Geb is the son of Shu, the air-god, and Tefnut, the rain-goddess. Geb succeeded his father as Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt and took his sister, Nut, the sky-goddess, to be his wife. The Sky-Father Atum Ra, their ancestor, however, took offense by the union and ordered Shu to separate them. Geb pined for Nut to return so much that his brother, Thoth, the god of time, gambled with Selkhet the sun-goddess for five extra days for them to be together. Nut bore him one child for each day: Horus, Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys. (in the Marvel Universe Ammon Ra is Atum, which makes it even creepier and Thoth is Ammon Ra's brother and therefore Nut's granduncle)

Seth, however, grew to hate his brother, Osiris, and eventually killed him. Osiris was returned to life and became lord of the dead and eventually King of the Egyptian Gods. His son, Horus, continually fought Seth for control of Egypt until Geb arbitrated between them and gave Horus Egypt and Seth the underworld.

(Thor I#239-240 - BTS, 241) - Seth soon became bored with ruling just the underworld and imprisoned his siblings and parents in a pyramid in order to seize control of Celestial Heliopolis. The pyramid soon appeared on Earth where the Egyptian Gods were freed by the Asgardian Gods Thor and Odin who slew Seth for his treachery. Geb joined the other Egyptian gods in declaring Odin the reincarnation of Atum-Ra in the Ceremony of Rebirth.

(Thor I#398-400 - BTS) - Seth returned and stole the life forces of Geb and the other Egyptian Gods in order to invade Asgard. Thor, however, during the war released the stolen life forces and drove Seth from Asgard.

Comments: Adapted By Roy Thomas, William Mantlo and Sal Buscema

While it isn't explained in the myth, it might be assumed that Atum-Ra was against the union of Geb and Nut because he foresaw the birth of Seth.

During the classical Greek period, Geb was identified the Titan Cronus, the Olympian gods' father.

I believe that the growth power of Earth-Force's Earth Lord was provided by Seth from power siphoned from Geb.  In a sense, this would make Geb Earth Lord's patron god.--Kyle

by Will U and Kyle Sims

CLARIFICATIONS:
Geb should not be confused with:

  • Han of the Hyborian age, @ Savage Sword of Conan#67
  • Geb, of the Hyborian Age, @ Savage Sword of Conan#206
  • Sedna, Inuit goddess of the sea and the dead, @ Thor II#3
  • Seidring, Asgardian troll, @ Thor I#126

Appearances:
Thor I#241 (November, 1975) - Bill Mantlo (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Marv Wolfman (editor)


First Posted: 08/25/2003
Last updated: 11/13/2016

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters