Real Name: "Salty" Gruner
Identity/Class: Human supernatural mutate; pre-modern era
Occupation: Really big
ape;
formerly convicted criminal
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: None
Enemies: The Ape Man
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Salty
Base of Operations: Lost Island Prison
First Appearance: Strange Tales I#85 (June, 1961)
Powers/Abilities: The Ape Man is "the size of a house." As such, he most likely has incredible strength. Due to the curse, the Ape Man has the ability to transfer his mutation to another human being.
History: (Strange
Tales I#85) - "Salty" Gruner
was among the convicts who were shipped out to a small island called
Lost Island Prison. There, he planned his escape, as the other convicts
noted that there was minimal security. However, he was told that two
things would prevent his escape: The sharks in the waters surrounding
the island, and a legendary ape monster that lived in the jungle.
Paying no heed to the legends, Gruner made his escape from the prison
one night, and ventured into the jungle. There, he was horrified to
confront the Ape Man, who cornered the criminal. Salty passed out, and
when he awoke, he realized that the creature had transferred its curse
on to him, making him the new Ape Man. He grieved at not believing the
legend, as he knew it would prevent any others from entering the jungle
to allow him to pass his curse on to them.
Comments:
Created by Steve Ditko.
Clarifications:
The Ape Man has no known connections to
An unidentified man on what would become Lost Island
Prison committed a grievance against a local witch-doctor. The mystic
cursed the man, turning him into a gigantic ape-like creature, whose
fate would remain so until he could encounter another human to transfer
the curse to. The Ape Man spent years roaming the jungles, and after
Lost Island Prison was erected, the inmates dared not go into the
jungle. Salty Gruner didn't believe the tales, and did so, encountering
the Ape Man. The monster, having finally encountered a human,
transferred the curse to Gruner. What became of the first and former
Ape Man after that remains unknown.
--Strange Tales I#85 ( 85 (fb)-BTS, 85
images:
Strange Tales I#85, story 3, page 5, panel 7
(main image)
page 3, panel 4 (human form)
page 4, panel 3 (original Ape Man)
Strange Tales I#85 (June, 1961) - Steve Ditko (artist)
09/25/07
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
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Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff,
you should check out the real thing!
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