KLAATU
Real Name: Klaatu
Identity/Class: Extra-terrestrial (Herm)
Occupation: None, really. (unless you include being prey for the Andromeda starship.)
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Hulk (sort of)
Enemies: Abomination, Captain Cybor, Cerexo, Crew of the Andromeda Starship, Hulk, Xeron the Star Slayer
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: The Bestial Behemoth
Place of Birth: Andromeda Galaxy, Deep Space
Base of Operations: Mobile
First Appearance: Incredible Hulk II#136 (February, 1971)
Powers/Abilities: Klaatu is a member of the extra-terrestrial race called the Herm, and as such it is immensely powerful, and has been described as power incarnate. It can drain power off of large areas, such as New York, and add to its own power. It can disperse its atoms to feed on a larger area and then bring them back together. It is huge, about as tall as a skyscraper, and is unable to be harmed by physical force, and the Hulk's mightiest blows did absolutely nothing. It is made up of energies and needs to consume them to survive. It can draw power from any electro magnetic energy source. It could fly through space unaided. It is however, susceptible to certain technology, which can injure, and even destroy it, such as special energy harpoons wielded by Xeron the Star-Slayer, and special energy blasts from the Andromeda Starship1. It also cannot live for too long in an environment that is rich with oxygen.
Height: 833' 3"
Weight: 27,766 lbs. (negligible in energy form)
Eyes: White (no visible iris)
Hair: None
History: Nothing is known of Klaatu before his first appearance. For unknown reasons, at an unrevealed time long ago in the past, Klaatu became the prey of the Andromeda Starship.
(Incredible Hulk II#137) (fb)- Long ago, a youth who was an oarsman on the Andromeda Starship faced Klaatu alone for unknown reasons. Klaatu destroyed the youth's craft, but the youth was rescued. However, half of the youth's body was burned badly and replaced with machinery. The youth went on to hunt Klaatu for the rest of his life, as Captain Cybor of the Andromeda Starship.
(Incredible Hulk II#136)- There was a power shortage in mid-Manhattan, strongest at the Empire State Building. Hulk jumped to the top since he sensed something troubling there. A ship, the Andromeda Starship, with a crewman named Xeron the Star-Slayer wielding a harpoon, showed up and flew toward the Empire State Building. Then, from within the building, Klaatu, emerged. When he emerged, the power went out all over New York. As Hulk looked on, he was very confused, but dove to attack Klaatu anyway. Because of the Hulk's interference, a shot of energy fired by Xeron the Star Slayer at Klaatu missed. The Hulk kept pounding and pounding on Klaatu, but Klaatu didn't even notice. Eventually Klaatu just swatted the Hulk away with a flick of its fingers. Klaatu then faded away, saying that it would disperse its atoms to feed on the electricity all over the city. Xeron was angered that Klaatu got away, and he knocked out Hulk with his energy harpoons.
(Incredible Hulk II#137)- Klaatu was found by the Andromeda
Starship and its crew. The ship almost immediately engaged Klaatu in battle.
Xeron and Cybor blasted Klaatu with their beams, but Klaatu destroyed Cybor's
ship. Klaatu was mortally wounded in the attack however, and as Cybor landed
on its back, Klaatu began to drift into the sun. Xeron tried to save the
rest of the ship, while Cybor and Klaatu plunged into the sun, apparently
both dying...
(Incredible Hulk II#306) (fb)- Klaatu did not die, but the energy of our sun actually revitalized him (seeing as how he absorbs energy and all). The Andromeda Starship latched onto Klaatu and Klaatu pulled them to safety. On the way, the Andromeda Starship picked up Cybor as well.
(Incredible Hulk II#306)- Klaatu appeared in the Crossroads (a dimension of sorts that is a link to many worlds and that the Hulk was imprisoned in at the time). Hulk spotted him, and though he did not remember him, decided to attack anyway, mostly from territorial instinct. Klaatu casually swatted the Hulk away. Hulk then ripped a signpost out of the ground and hurled it at Klaatu. Though it did not hurt Klaatu, it did reveal to Klaatu where it was. Klaatu then used his power to drain some energy from several worlds attacked to the Crossroads. Klaatu then leaves right before the Andromeda Starship arrives. The starship then captured the Hulk, and proceeded to track Klaatu into "Ocean World."
(Incredible Hulk II#307)- Klaatu was found and attacked by the Andromeda Starship. The ship successfully hit Klaatu with their energy harpoons, but were forced to pull back and renew the attack later when the Hulk woke up and started rampaging.
Klaatu was again found by the Andromeda Starship, and again, the starship latched several harpoons onto Klaatu. Klaatu drags the starship through several worlds until ending up on a cold barren desert one. Klaatu was severely weakened, and dying. The ship flew near to finish Klaatu off, but before it could, Klaatu hit the ship with its hand, and the ship crashed, with the entire crew dying as a result. The Hulk felt sorry for Klaatu, so it removed the harpoons from Klaatu's back. Klaatu was thankful to Hulk, and thanked him by replenishing his strength (which was also weakened by harpoons) by giving him some of its energy. Hulk than teleports back to the Crossroads.
Comments: Created by Roy Thomas and Herb
Trimpe
Frankly, I love Klaatu, and really wish we saw him more. I heard someone (I forget who) say that Klaatu was like a cosmic Moby Dick. I think that is a very good way to describe it.
Thanks to Jake, from Leader's Lair for the image and the info concerning the flashback in Hulk #106
Klaatu is almost certainly named after the humanoid alien Klaatu in film "The Day the Earth Stood Still". The name is probably most memorable as being the first part of the deactivation phrase "Klaatu Barada Nikto", which stopped the robot Gort from destroying the world. The film had such a seminal affect on later science fiction writers that those words have turned up in a number of places - notably Klaatu, Barada and Nikto were the names of three of the guards on Jabba the Hutt's skiff in The Return of the Jedi, and "Klaatu Varata Niktu" was the magical phrase that would render the evil Necronomicon harmless in the Sam (Spider-Man director) Raimi movie "Army of Darkness" - Loki.
Profile by Stunner
CLARIFICATIONS: Klaatu has no connection to
images: (without ads)
Incredible Hulk II#136, p10 (main image)
Incredible Hulk II#306, p5, pan1 (second image)
Appearances:
Incredible Hulk II#136 (February, 1971) - Gerry Conway & Roy Thomas (writers), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Sal Buscema (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#137 (March, 1971) - Gerry Conway & Roy Thomas (writers), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#306-307 (April, 1985) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Gerry Talaoc (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Last updated: 11/09/15
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.!