SEAWEED MAN

Real Name: None

Identity/Class: Magical creation

Occupation: Former guardian of Neptune's Cave

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Former agent of Neptune and later the Dire Wraiths

Enemies: Atlanteans, Namor, Rom

Known Relatives: None, possibly inapplicable

Aliases: The Ancient Sleeper

Base of Operations: Formerly Neptune's Cave, outside Atlantis

First Appearance: Tales to Astonish I#71/1 (September, 1965)

Powers/Abilities: The Seaweed Man's powers are magical in nature. In its natural state, the Seaweed Man is incalculably strong, able to easily smash an undersea Sub-Mariner with a single swat. It is composed of densely packed seaweed, affording it both great bulk and weight, and the ability to resist conventional blunt or penetrating wounds without significant injury.

The Seaweed Man's already vast power was further enhanced by black magic, increasing its size and strength even more, and allowing it to project lethal energy blasts from its eyes which could strip the flesh from one of the Homo mermani. It could also release bursts of energy that would whip the subsea currents into a violent frenzy.

Under certain circumstances, the Seaweed Man enters a deep slumber/hibernation, from which it can only be awakened by enormous infusions of magic.

History: No origin for the Seaweed Man has been given.

(Tales to Astonish I#71/1-72/1) - As the second part of his quest to locate the trident of Neptune, Namor was sent to Neptune's Cave. In order to obtain the trident, he had to get past the Seaweed Man. It didn't take Namor long to figure out that he could not hope to match the Seaweed Man in combat. Instead, he swam in circles rapidly, forming an immense vortex which occupied the Seaweed Man long enough to enter the cave, obtain the next clue, and escape.

(Rom#34-35) - Seeking to conquer Atlantis as part of their overall plot to conquer Earth, a group of Dire Wraith sisters discovered an immense source of magical power in the slumbering Seaweed Man. The Wraiths used a magical Black Pearl to amplify their own powers and began casting spells to awaken the ancient sleeper. Before they could complete their plans, they were discovered by both Rom and Namor the Sub-Mariner, who sought to put a halt to their efforts. Seeing they could not defeat the two warriors, a few of the Wraiths instead sacrificed their own lives and magical energies to the Pearl, finally enabling it to accumulate enough energy to awaken the Seaweed Man. In addition, their dark magical energies continued to pour into the Seaweed Man, amplifying its power and twisting it into an engine of destruction.
The Seaweed Man bypassed Namor and Rom and made tracks towards Atlantis. Namor and Rom wisely took some time to share their own back histories, allowing the monster to reach the gates of Atlantis. All of the city's defenses were for naught against the power of the Seaweed Man, who threatened to destroy it and all who lived there. Remembering how he had previously detained the monster, Namor convinced Rom to join him in forming an even larger vortex. Even this was not enough, until Rom began to unleash a barrage of blasts from his Neutralizer. Weakening the magical energies of the Seaweed Man enabled the immense vortex to shred it into tons of harmless seaweed, floating innocently throughout the ocean--or so the Germans would have you believe...

 

 

 

Comments: Created by Stan "The Man" Lee and Adam Austin.

So, no origin to the Seaweed Man...perhaps an Atlantean or human who was serving out punishment for some misdeed(s)...perhaps a creation from pure magical energy...perhaps a Deviant mutate controlled by the Atlanteans or

I'm betting that a lot of magical seaweed was left floating around after the destruction of the Seaweed Man. Much like the "milk" and/or meat of the Skrulls mutating a variety of people (see the Skrull Kill Krew, especially the comments), I'm thinking this magic Seaweed could well have mutated Atlanteans or various undersea creatures. Great story potential, eh? Ah, the heck with yez!

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connections to:

Atlantis, the undersea city of the Homo Mermani, @ Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly, Fantastic Four Annual#1,
was originally derived, but should be distinguished, from:

The Black Pearl

Created by the Dire Wraiths sisters it appeared to be a repository for black magic. The Pearl absorbed magical energy until, after reaching a certain limit, it would discharge blasts of energy towards a set purpose, such as the awakening of the Seaweed Man. The Pearl could also drain both the magical and the life energy from any being who contacted it.
Seaweed Man consumed the Black Pearl before Namor and Rom pursued him into Neptune's Cave.

--Rom#34 (35

 

 

 

 

Appearances:
Tales to Astonish I#71-72 (September-October, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Gene Colan (pencils), Vince Colletta (inks)
Rom#34-35 (September-October, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Ian Akin (#34), Brian Garvey (#34) & Danny Bulanadi (#35) (inks), Ann Nocenti (editor)

Last updated: 10/29/02

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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