CHAKA

Real Name: Chaka

Identity/Class: Human (Inuit, World War II era)

Occupation: Artist

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Leatherneck Raiders

Enemies: Japanese soldiers

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: An igloo in Alaska

First Appearance: Captain Savage and his Battlefield Raiders#16 (September, 1969)

Powers/Abilities: Chaka was a trained survivalist, and knew something of medicine. He was an experienced whalebone and ivory carver. He commanded a pack of dogs on his sled, and carried a rifle and grenades.

History: (Captain Savage and his Battlefield Raiders#16 (fb) - BTS) - Chaka was visited at his igloo by a Japanese professor who claimed to be from California, and had come to unearth artifacts from the Alaskan snow and ice, using explosives to set them free. One of the artifacts he unearthed was a totem pole, which he presented to Chaka. The professor died one day while Chaka was out hunting.

(Captain Savage and his Battlefield Raiders#16) - Chaka was visisted by the Leatherneck Raiders, who had been in combat with invading Japanese forces, during which Sgt. Sam Yates had been shot. Chaka was entirely neutral with regards to the war, but Jay Little Bear helped convince him to help them, as a fellow Native. Chaka took care of Yates' injuries, using a bottle of gin to sterilize Yates' wounds, and let the Leathernecks use his radio to contact a plane to pick him up. When Yates asked what he could do in return, Chaka asked that he bring him some bars of soap and girlie magazines.

When he and the Leathernecks returned to the igloo, they found it in shambles, and when he told the Leathernecks about the professor, Captain Savage determined that the professor was actually using the explosives to create hiding places for gasoline so that the Japanese could refuel their bombers in Alaska and then strike at America, and that the totem pole was the key to locating the gasoline. Savage and Chaka set out together to stop the Japanese before they could radio the location of an American radar base to their forces, while the other Leathernecks went in another direction.

As Chaka and Savage traveled in his sled, a fissure opened, and Chaka was nearly crushed inside it when it closed. Although Savage saved him, Chaka's leg was broken. Savage left Chaka in the sled and went on to aid the Leathernecks against the Japanese, who were at Fire Hole Valley. They wound up pinned down by the Japanese, but Chaka came to their rescue, sacrificing himself to hurl a grenade at the Japanese.

Afterwards, Savage found an ivory carving of Sgt. Yates in the sled which Chaka had made, and gave it to Yates.

Comments: Created by Arnold Drake, Don Heck and John Severin.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Chaka should not be confused with:

• Chaka, Robert Chao, crimelord, leader of the Golden Dragons, @ Iron Fist I#5
• Chaka, Thomas Arn, succeeded Chao, @ Power Man and Iron Fist#72
• Chakan, Hyborian era, monstrous ape creature, @ Wolves Beyond the Border
• Chakar, Shi'ar praetor, sacrificed himself against Pulsar, @ Rom Annual#4
• Chakra, Shi'ar plumber, advised Professor X, @ Classic X-Men#31
• Chakra, agent of Judas Traveller, @ Web of Spider-Man#117
• Kwinn, heroic Inuit who sacrificed himself for the G.I. Joe team...coincidence?, @ G.I. Joe I#2

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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