XANTHA

Classification: Extraterrestrial semi-humanoids

Location/Base of Operations: New Xanth, New Jatskan star-system; formerly Xanth (also called "Planet X" (see comments)), Jatskan star-system

Known Members: Kurrgo

Affiliations: Consortium, Fantastic Four (Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Girl/Sue Storm, Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards, Thing/Ben Grimm), the Reckoning (Ruin, Wraith, Rapture, Reject)

First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#7 (October, 1962)

Powers/Abilities: The Xantha race possessed no actual paranormal powers, but many of them used highly advanced technology, such as anti-gravity devices and ray guns.

Traits: The Xantha race had pale yellow skin and overly enlarged heads (by human standards). Extremely dedicated to science and technology, the Xantha were isolationists and had little interest in space-travel.

Following their exposure to shrinking gas, every member of the race (excepting Kurrgo) was reduced to a height of about four inches.

Type: Semi-humanoid
Eyes: Two
Fingers: Five (including opposing thumb)
Toes: Five
Skin color: Pale yellow
Hair color: Dark gray
Average height: 4'6" (before exposure to shrinking gas)

History:
(Fantastic Four I#7) - The planet Xanth was threatened by a collision with a runaway asteroid--as a result, the world suffered from extreme tides, volcanic instability, and internal rioting. In order to save their people, members of the Xantha race (along with their ruler, Kurrgo) sent a robot in one of their two spacecrafts to Earth, to capture the Fantastic Four.

   As the ship entered Earth's atmosphere, it was detected by an American satellite, but a squadron of jet interceptors was unsuccessful in halting the spaceship's progress. Once the ship landed, the robot pilot disembarked and projected a hostility ray that caused those affected by it to become extremely angry at the Fantastic Four--the FF were meeting with members of Congress at that time, and the effects of the ray drove the FF out into the open.

   The robot eventually went back aboard the spaceship and began following the Fantastic Four's Fantasticar until they landed atop the Baxter Building. Once it met the team, the robot explained to the FF that since everyone had turned against them, their only asylum would be on the planet of its master, Kurrgo. Out of curiosity, the Fantastic Four agreed to accompany the robot and boarded its ship for a voyage to "Planet X" (Xanth), where they discovered that the Xantha needed their help to prevent the planet's destruction.

   In order to get themselves back to Earth and save the Xantha, Mister Fantastic synthesized the shrinking gas used by Ant-Man (Henry Pym), and used it to reduce the population of the planet so that the Xantha could all fit inside their second spaceship and escape to another planet (see comments), while the Fantastic Four boarded the first ship and returned to Earth.

   As the shrunken Xantha began boarding the spaceship and prepared to evacuate to their new world, Kurrgo was delayed because he was plotting to withhold the enlarging gas (which, unknown to him, was actually an empty canister) from his miniaturized people so that he could rule their new world as a "giant"; but as Xanth crumbled around him, Kurrgo watched the evacuation spaceship take flight, and he realized that his subjects had left him behind.





(Marvel Feature I#11 (fb)) - With the aid of his robot, Kurrgo escaped Xanth's destruction in a third hidden spaceship; for years, he searched the celestial byways, trying to find his people's new home. He eventually managed to locate New Xanth, where he found that his shrunken people had progressed remarkably in the intervening years--they had built great miniature cities that dotted the landscape. But Kurrgo's former subjects no longer wanted him to rule over them--despite his size advantage, the tiny inhabitants of New Xanth used their miniature weapons to drive Kurrgo and his robot back into space.

(Alpha Flight I#98 (fb) - BTS) - At some point some Xanthan began to work for the Consortium, an intergalactic business conglomerate with financial interests on thousands of worlds throughout the Milky Way galaxy.

(Alpha Flight I#99 (fb) - BTS) - To better serve the Consortium they had a universal translator implanted in their brain and a gun biocybernetically linked to their body and mind.

(Alpha Flight I#98) - A Xanthan and many other operatives of the Consortium were sent to Earth after Alpha Flight refused to turn over J'Ridia Starduster/Her to the Consortium. During the battle against Alpha Flight the Xanthan fired a gun at Diamond Lil that penetrated her skin.

(Alpha Flight I#99) - Diamond Lil hunted down the Xanthan and wanted his gun, but the Xanthan explained that it could only be removed without causing irreparable damage to him on his homeworld.

(Alpha Flight I#99 - BTS) - Diamond Lil removed the Xanthan's gun arm and caused him irreparable damage.

(Marvel Boy II#1 (fb)) - At some point Doctor Midas captured a Xanthan and added him to his collection.

(Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha#1) - The Xantha were one of the races the Reckoning gave powerful ancient weapons with Watcher technology to.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers.

Originally, their world was just called "Planet X" in the two stories they appeared in, and its actual name--Xanth--was not revealed until the Xantha entry in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12.

Kurrgo mentioned to Mister Fantastic that the population of Planet X was five billion--even at their reduced size, that evacuation spaceship sure must have been crowded.

Considering that he saved everyone on their planet, I'm surprised that New Xantha didn't put in a good word for Reed Richards when he was on trial for sparing the life of Galactus (@ Fantastic Four I#262 )--maybe they hadn't changed their isolationist ways...or maybe they were there, but since they're so small, nobody noticed.--Ron Fredricks

Profile by Proto-Man. Updated (additional images and more) by Ron Fredricks & Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Xantha race no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe#12, p31, Xantha entry (first full body-shot of Xanthan)
Fantastic Four I#7, p21, pan4 (two members of Xantha race, exposed to shrinking gas)
Marvel Feature I#11, p4, pan5 (two Xantha, reduced by shrinking gas, by Kurrgo's foot)
Marvel Feature I#11, p5, pan3 (shrunken Xantha in city on New Xanth, menaced by "giant" Kurrgo and robot)
Alpha Flight I#99, p10, pan1 (Xantha with gun arm working for Consortium)
Marvel Boy II#1, p10, pan1 (Xantha in Doctor Midas' collection)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition#15, p63, Xantha entry (second full body-shot of Xanthan)

Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#7 (October, 1962) - Stan Lee (writer and editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Dick Ayers (inks)
Marvel Feature I#11 (September, 1973) - Len Wein (writer), Jim Starlin (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12 (December, 1983) - Mark Gruenwald (head writer), Eliot R. Brown (technical writer), Peter Sanderson, Mark Lerer (writers), Paty (penciler, inker)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition#15 (March, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson (writers), Kyle Baker (artist)
Alpha Flight I#98-99 (July-August, 1991) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Michael Bair (pencils), Chris Ivy (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Marvel Boy II#1 (August, 2000) - Grant Morrison (writer), J.G. Jones (artist), Joe Quesada & Jimmy Palmiotti (editors)
Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha#1 (April, 2022) - Dan Slott (writer), Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Fonteriz & Carlos Magno (artists), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First Posted: 08/06/2006
Last updated: 11/18/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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