EARTH-CRAWLERSEARTH-CRAWLERS
Classification: Chemically altered plant-life
Creator: Tutaku
User/Possessors: Tutaku
First Appearance: Journey into Mystery I#57/2 (March, 1960)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Earth-Crawlers were plant roots affected by Tutaku's secret potion. They grew to colossal size and smashed anything in their path. The Earth-Crawlers' bark was highly resistant to damage, even bombs left them unfazed. The Earth-Crawlers needed vast amounts of water for their continued existence and growth.
History: (Journey into Mystery I#57/2) - Tutaku stood on a mountain-ledge and spread his secret potion over plant-life in Africa. The potion turned any normal plant roots into gigantic Earth-Crawlers. A drop of the potion affected the roots under the mountain-ledge and Tutaku fell to his death. The Earth-Crawlers spread through jungles, past mountains and into villages. Africa was in danger of being overrun before the Crawlers sucked the rivers dry and temporarily ceased growing. Inventor Henry Salt brought his rain control device to Africa, and prevented the Crawlers from getting any rainwater for two days. The Crawlers finally dried up and died.
Comments: Created by an unnamed writer and Steve Ditko.
As with many 1950's and 1960's Marvel monster stories, this
story is not confirmed as part of Earth-616 continuity, but there's nothing to
exclude it either.
--Leave it in unless something rules it out!--Snood.
This story was reprinted in Where Monsters Dwell#12.
Despite the fact that Tutaku was a witch doctor there didn't appear to be anything magical in the creation of the Earth-Crawlers. He just mixed together a bunch of unspecified ingredients (the only ingredient pictured looked like leaves) in a bowl to make his Earth-Crawler potion.
PROFILE BY FUTURE
Clarifications:
No known connection to:
Henry Salt has no known connection to:
Martha
Henry's nagging wife. She constantly berated him for being unsuccessful. After Henry saved Africa she told him that he still needed to earn more money because she wanted a second car, among other things.
-- Journey into Mystery I#57/2
rain control device
The device created a field that blocked out any rainfall from entering an area.
-- Journey into Mystery I#57/2
Henry Salt
Husband of Martha and inventor of the rain control device. He saved Africa from the Earth-Crawlers by using his device to keep the plants water-starved. His wife didn't think any more of him after his heroic feat, but he was just happy to make life better for others.
-- Journey into Mystery I#57/2
Tutaku
Witch doctor who terrorized Africa and invented the Earth-Crawlers potion. He escaped a military compound and spread the Earth-Crawlers potion from a mountain-ledge. After the Crawlers started growing the ledge collapsed and he fell to his death.
-- Journey into Mystery I#57/2
images:
Journey into Mystery I#57/2, splash page;
(Martha) Journey into Mystery I#57/2, p2, pan2;
(rain control device) Journey into Mystery I#57/2, p2, pan1;
(Henry Salt) Journey into Mystery I#57/2, p5, pan5
(Tutaku) Journey into Mystery I#57/2, p2, pan5
Journey into Mystery I#57 (March, 1960) - Steve Ditko (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Where Monsters Dwell#12 (November, 1971) - reprint
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Last Updated: 01/28/05
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