DEATH MASK OF KOALA MUNBA
DEATH MASK OF KOALA MUNBA
Classification: Magical item
Creator: Unknown (possibly a high priest of Koala Munba)
User/Possessors: Mr. Appletree, High Priests of Koala Munba, Spence Kodiak, Moon Knight, Podunk Slam, unnamed archeologist
First Appearance: Marvel Fanfare I#38/1 (June, 1988)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: "Twisting of the Path of Heart's Desire" (see comments)
In this case the Death Mask turned old men young again and took the youth from their fans who were seemingly enchanted by the Death Mask to follow the rejuvenated old men like they were gods.
History:
(Marvel Fanfare I#38/1 (fb) - BTS) - The Death Mask of Koala Munba came into the possession of Mr. Appletree who used the Death Mask to give five elderly men back their youth. As Podunk Slam the men gained youth and fans from the Death Mask, but the spell had a price. As long as Podunk Slam stayed young the Death Mask took the youth from some of their fans.
(Marvel Fanfare I#38/1) - Spence Kodiak bought the Death Mask for his employer Marc Spector who didn't like the ugly thing at all. Spector decided to loan the mask to the Museum of Natural History later that month for their traveling exhibition. Kodiak still tried to convince Spector to keep the mask by telling him that it supposedly carried a curse, but the curse's description was too vague for Spector to stay interested in the mask.
Later that evening after a terrible concert Spector had a vision wherein the Priests of Khonshu showed him elderly people who weren't supposed to be old and a picture of Podunk Slam with the Death Mask. Spector went out into the night again as Moon Knight to start investigating and learned that Podunk Slam's fans were transformed into elderly people by the Death Mask's curse. The next evening Moon Knight brought the Death Mask back to its former owners, Podunk Slam. He told them what was happening to their fans. Appletree tried to stop him by stirring up the Podunk Slam fans against Moon Knight. One member of Podunk Slam smashed the mask to stop the fans from attacking Moon Knight. A giant face (Koala Munba?) rose from the mask, and Podunk Slam turned into old men again while their transformed fans were rejuvenated.
Comments: Created by Jo Duffy, Judith Hunt & Bill Sienkiewicz.
Spence Kodiak created by Alan Zelenetz and Chris Warner.
Who created it? Where did it come from? Looks like a South American relic to me, but a search for Koala Munba brought up nothing (except for the Australian marsupial) and so the further history of this ugly thing will stay a mystery. Koala Munba itself was probably a deity or a demon and the face (see second picture) rising from the mask was likely him.
Generally the Death Mask seemed to grant something to someone only to take it away from somebody else.
Profile by Markus Raymond and Prime Eternal (Kodiak profile)
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Death Mask of Koala Munba has no known connection to:
Mr. Appletree has no known connection to:
Spence Kodiak has no known connection to:
Podunk Slam has no known connection to:
He was the owner of Appletree Enterprises and Productions. Five old men came to him, and he helped them to become young popstars with the Death Mask of Koala Munba. With an ironclad contract they had to work for him like slaves, and he wouldn't even give them more payment. He even knew that the Death Mask would take the youth from the enchanted Podunk Slam fans and when he revealed this to the band they were shocked. He told them to be more concerned about the fact that their archeologist sold the Death Mask to someone else. At that moment Appletree saw Moon Knight at the window and sent his bodyguard after him, but Moon Knight got away. The next day Moon Knight was back and Appletree once again sent others to fight him, namely his bodyguard, security, and the Podunk Slam fans. He wasn't seen after Podunk Slam transformed back into old men, but Moon Knight informed the authorities that Appletree had caused a riot.
--Marvel Fanfare I#38/1
(Moon Knight II#3 (fb) - BTS) - Spence hailed from Nome, and had been a champion dogsledder. He had a degree in fine arts from Yale, and compiled a three volume tome on western art, resulting in him being hired by Marc Spector to serve as director of acquisitions for Spector Galleries.
(Moon Knight II#3) - Spence and his husky Nanook timed Marc as he cycled laps around Spector Mansion. Marc was supposed to attend an auction with Spence that evening, but after receiving a call from Marlene Alraune he bolted, making his apologies.
(Moon Knight II#4) - Spence visited Marc at Spector Mansion with his husky Panofsky. Spence reminded Marc that there was an auction set for that evening at the Spector Galleries, and that Katherine Brick would be attending. Marc had just been working out, and suggested that Spence was jealous of him, but Spence performed a demonstration of his ability on the still rings, remarking that he was a "sound mind in a sound body."
(Moon Knight II#5) - Marc threw a party at Spector Mansion to celebrate the opening of a new gallery, with Spence in attendance. Spence knew that Marc had recently broken up with Marlene, and suggested to him and Frenchie that Marc was partying just to forget about her. It wasn't long before Marc took off with a beautiful woman on his arm, confirming their suspicions.
(Marvel Fanfare I#38) - Spence bought the Death Mask of Koala Munba from Appletree's trusted archeologist. He tried his best to convince Spector to keep the Death Mask, but not even the story about the curse could convince Spector. Kodiak was ordered to loan the Death Mask to the Museum of Natural History as soon as possible, but this never happened because the Death Mask was destroyed.
Rick, Harry, Gervase, Phil and Charlie were Podunk Slam. The newest and hippest band in the business thanks to their agent, Mr. Appletree, and the powers of the Death Mask of Koala Munba. Young girls loved them, and at one concert Marc Spector and Frenchie DuChamp accompanied some of those young girls. Spector hated the music and back home he had a vision brought to him by the Priests of Khonshu that showed Podunk Slam with the Death Mask of Koala Munba. Later that night he overheard a conversation between Podunk Slam and their manager. Podunk Slam wanted more money, but they didn't get it. They were shocked when they learned that their fans lost their youth to the Death Mask because they wanted to stay young. The next day Moon Knight visited Podunk Slam backstage with the Death Mask of Koala Munba. They were desperate because of what had happened to their fans. They watched Moon Knight fight the security and when fans came rioting to their dressing cabin they knew that Appletree was behind it. The fans couldn't resist touching Podunk Slam until one member smashed the Death Mask on the ground. Podunk Slam was transformed back into old man and now their former fans didn't like them anymore.
--Marvel Fanfare I#38/1
images:
Death Mask of Koala Munba: Marvel Fanfare I#38, p17, pan5
Koala Munba ?? head shot: Marvel Fanfare I#38, p21, pan3
Mr. Appletree head shot: Marvel Fanfare I#38, p11, pan1
Spence Kodiak head shot: Marvel Fanfare I#38, p3, pan5
Podunk Slam: Marvel Fanfare I#38, p9, pan1
Last updated: 08/10/05
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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