EHRTHOLD
EHRTHOLD
Real Name: Ehrthold
Identity/Class: Demon (presumably Class Two)
Occupation: Demon
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: "Cult of 6G" (Margaret, at least six others)
Enemies: Allen Calex (and indirectly his mother), "Cult of 6G," Man-Thing
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Devourer of Babes (a literal translation of Ehrthold)
Base of Operations: Unidentified realm of Hell;
briefly apartment 6G in an unidentified apartment building on
345 Clinton Street in Atlanta, Georgia
First Appearance: Giant-Size Man-Thing#5 (August, 1975)
Powers/Abilities: Ehrthold is a minor demon of Hell who feeds on infants. His fully formed body looks to be about 10' tall, though he can manifest himself partially on Earth, his upper body emerging from the smoke of a brazier after being summoned under unspecified conditions. His earthly form's natural state seems to be a partially congealed miasma, which can surround and choke others; his sheer depravity can smother the Man-Thing's empathic nature. He cannot be touched unless he wills it, but he appears to have some degree of superhuman strength (enhanced human). The spell that summons Ehrthold can magically protect one select person from the brazier's flames. Ehrthold is dependent upon the flaming brazier to maintain his presence on Earth. He has three eyes, two long horns, and sharp claws.
History:
(Giant-Size Man-Thing#5) - Summoned to apartment 6G in an unidentified apartment
building on 345 Clinton Street in Atlanta, Georgia by the "Cult of 6G," Ehrthold
was pleased to see that both an infant sacrifice (Allen Calex) and a human bride
(Margaret) were properly prepared for him. Ehrthold instructed the sacrifice to
commence, but the violent emotions present summoned the nearby Man-Thing.
Ehrthold departed the brazier to confront the Man-Thing, taking his mystic
protection with him, and leaving his would-be bride to burn in the brazier's
flames. Margaret fell from the brazier, dropping Allen, and the Man-Thing caught
him, but then Ehrthold spiraled around the two, smothering the Man-Thing's
empathic nature and choking Allen with his fumes. Enraged that Ehrthold had left
her to burn, Margaret -- her own flames having been put out -- ordered the
others to douse the brazier, but Ehrthold heard this and strangled the first
cultist who tried to do so. The dazed Man-Thing then stumbled into the brazier,
overturning it and knocking its coals upon the carpet. Ehrthold's evil was
spread too thin, lost amid the smoke of the burning rug, and he vanished,
screaming.
Man-Thing saved young Allen, while Margaret and the rest of
the cult apparently perished in the fire.
Comments: Created by Steve Gerber, Ed Hannigan, and Dan Adkins.
Gerber describes Ehrthold as "infernal," and I'd consider that meaning from Hell, though it could be another Splinter Realm.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to:
Allen
& Mrs. Calex
Residing in apartment 7A of the same building as Margaret (who served as her babysitter), Mrs. Calex was tricked by Margaret into opening her door, at which point the other cultists rushed in and grabbed her, while Maggie located Allen. Mrs. Calex's fate is unrevealed (it would seem likely they either killed her or possibly just bound and gagged her), but Allen was taken down to apartment 6G, where he was nearly sacrificed to the demon Ehrthold. He was saved by the Man-Thing's timely arrival, and after Ehrthold had been banished from the Earthly plane, the Man-Thing grabbed Allen and leapt out a window, saving him from the burning apartment and using his muckish body to cushion him from the fall of 60'. As the police approached, the Man-Thing put Allen down and wandered off.
--Giant-Size Man-Thing#5
Bride
of Ehrthold
Margaret seemed to be the leader of the cult. Having served as Allen Calex's babysitter and become bored with her life, she purchased an occult paperback and decided to summon the demon Ehrthold to become her lover. Gathering together a small cult, Margaret made the proper arrangements, including kidnapping Allen, an infant for Ehthold to feed on. Within apartment 6G, presumably her own, she lighted an ornate brazier and performed the ritual to summon Ehrthold. Protected by the spell's magic, Margaret stepped into the burning brazier, and when Ehrthold arrived, she offered herself for him to take "and do with me whatever ya want." However, when the Man-Thing disrupted the sacrifice of Allen, Ehrthold departed the brazier, taking his magical protection with him, and leaving Margaret to burn. Margaret's feet swiftly began to blister and her cloak caught fire, at which point she collapsed and dropped Allen. Her cultists put out her flames, but -- enraged that Ehrthold had left her to burn -- Margaret ordered the others to douse the brazier; but Ehrthold heard this and strangled the first cultist who tried to do so. The Man-Thing then knocked over the brazier, banishing Ehrthold and setting the apartment on fire. Margaret and the rest of the cult apparently perished in the fire.
--Giant-Size Man-Thing#5 (5 (fb) - BTS, 5
"Cult
of 6G"
Presumably organized by Margaret, they aided her in taking Allen Calex from his mother and preparing the ceremony to summon Ehrthold. Margaret's cloak eventually caught fire after Ehrthold had abandoned her in the brazier, and the cultists put out her cloak, after which she ordered them to douse the brazier to destroy Ehrthold. Ehrthold strangled the first cultist who tried to do so, but the Man-Thing knocked over the brazier, and Ehrthold vanished. The brazier's fiery coals set the apartment on fire, and Margaret and the rest of the cult apparently perished in the fire.
At least six other cultists existed besides Margaret, two wearing bull masks, one in a goat mask, one in horned owl mask, one in a mandrill mask, and one in some other beast-mask.
--Giant-Size Man-Thing#5
images: (without ads)
Giant-Size Man-Thing#5, p3, panel 4 (cult)
p5, panel 4 (Mrs. Calex)
p9 (Ehrthold with bride)
p10, panel 1 (face close-up)
panel 7 (Allen Calex - sacrifice
baby)
p11, panel 4 (Maggie)
panel 5 (emerging from brazier -
closest to full body)
Appearances:
Giant-Size Man-Thing#5 (August, 1975) - by Steve Gerber (script), Ed Hannigan
(pencils), Dan Adkins (inks), Len Wein (editor)
First Posted: 06/14/2007
Last updated: 06/13/2007
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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