UNDERSEA TITANS

Classification: Terrestrial aquatic humanoids

Location/Base of Operations: Temporarily mobile throughout the surface-world; originally from somewhere on the (presumably Atlantic) ocean floor

Known Members: Aquaria, at least eight others (unidentified)

Aliases: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Mankind in general; Venus (Aphrodite)

First Appearance: Venus#17/4 (December, 1951)

Powers/Abilities: Possessing tremendous strength, the gigantic Undersea Titans could topple buildings. They were vulnerable to explosives.

Being a race that normally dwelt underwater, their skin constantly needed to be kept moist--when their skin dried, their bodies ossified into a stone-like state, and they were rendered immobile. They could be revived by exposure to moisture (e.g. rainfall), and were able to move only as long as they were in contact with water.

Traits: The Undersea Titans had shark-like faces and teeth, webbed hands, and talons on their fingers and toes. Despite being undersea creatures, they could apparently breathe on the surface. They were able to speak broken English (see comments).

Motivated by their curiosity of humans, their intentions seemed peaceful when they initially came to the surface; but they later became aggressive when they were attacked by surface-dwellers.

Type: Humanoid
Eyes: Two
Fingers: Four (including opposing thumb)
Toes: Four
Skin color: White
Average height: 100' (by approximation)

History:
(Venus#17/4 (fb) - BTS) - The past of the Undersea Titans is unrevealed (see comments), but when their royal tribe discovered wrecked ships (along with the bodies of the human crews) on the ocean floor, they became curious about the little dead people and wanted to see how they lived. Before dawn, they swam to the surface by cities all over the world--New York, London, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and Leningrad--but because of the aquatic physiology of their bodies, they ossified when their skin dried, and they became immobile.

(Venus#17/4) - On a hot summer day in New York, Venus and Whit Hammond were taking a walk when they came upon a crowd gathered around a gigantic stone "statue" that had mysteriously appeared in the park--they soon learned that similar "statues" were also discovered throughout the world.

   Later, after night fell, Venus was walking near the harbor when she heard loud splashing; she investigated and saw a living "statue" rising from the water! The creature seized Venus and introduced himself as Aquaria--he told her that he had come to the surface to learn why his tribesmen had never returned. But moments later, Aquaria ossified as his body dried, and Venus escaped from the immobilized giant.

   The next morning, Venus went to city hall for an emergency conference with the mayor and his subordinates. Fearing the "statues" would decide to take control of the world if they suddenly returned to life, the city officials decided to send the police demolition squad to blast the giants with dynamite while they were ossified.

   At least two of the "statues" were blown to bits, but a sudden downpour of rain reanimated the remaining Undersea Titans (see comments), and the enraged giants began to rampage through the city, avenging their dead tribesmen by destroying buildings as they passed. The mayor contacted the Air Corps--jet-fighters dive-bombed and killed at least two more of the Undersea Titans.

   In the corner of Central Park, Aquaria spotted Venus--he grabbed her in his hand and blamed her for the deaths of his people, then he threatened to crush her to pulp. But as Venus tried to reason with Aquaria, in an attempt to convince him to gather his remaining tribesmen and return to their home, the rain began to subside--Aquaria realized that his body would soon dry, even as he could feel himself getting stiff again.

   Then, at his feet, Aquaria heard Whit Hammond, who held a box of dynamite and threatened to blow the "granite goon" to bits unless he let Venus go. Realizing he had no other choice, Aquaria dashed for the sea, and as he loosened his grip, Venus jumped from his hand, but Aquaria refused to admit defeat.

   Suddenly--as if at a single given signal, telegraphed around the world (see comments)--the giants in all major cities abruptly stopped their devastating rampage and leaped into the nearest sea, but they vowed to return when they found a way to stay alive in the air, and they promised to exterminate the human race when they came back.

   An hour later, Venus and Whit were surveying the damage wrought by the Undersea Titans--although the city could be rebuilt, Venus was more concerned about the monsters threat to return...

Comments: Created by Bill Everett (writer and artist).

The origin of the Undersea Titans remains unrevealed--maybe they were Deviant mutates (much like Gigantus), or perhaps they were the creations of Neptune (Poseidon).

This 8-page story--The Stone Man!-- was centered on the New York City contingent of the Undersea Titans--presumably, it must have rained in the other cities of the world, and those other Titans were revived as well.

In regards to the Undersea Titans being able to understand English (despite never having had any earlier contact with humans), and their simultaneous departure from the surface: Maybe they possessed some form of telepathy and had a "hive-mind" mentality (...in which case, maybe "Aquaria" wasn't an individual, but rather their collective race).

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Undersea Titans have no known connections to:

Aquaria has no known connections to:

Aquaria

He was a member of the royal tribe of gigantic Undersea Titans who dwelt on the ocean floor.

When his tribesmen discovered wrecked ships and the bodies of the crews, they became curious about humans, so they swam to the surface by cities around the world; but when they didn't return, Aquaria went to investigate. One night, he swam up to a harbor in New York City, where he encountered Venus (Aphrodite). He told Venus of his people's disappearance, but his skin began to dry, and his body ossified, leaving him an immobilized "statue"--his tribesmen had met the same fate.
The next morning, city officials--fearing the giant "statues" would take control of the world if they came back to life--ordered the police demolition squad to destroy them with dynamite. At least two of the "statues" were blown to bits, but a sudden downpour of rain revived the ossified Undersea Titans (including Aquaria), who then went on a rampage. Jet-fighters bombed at least two more of the giants.

When Aquaria spotted Venus, he grabbed her in his hand; Venus tried to reason with Aquaria, in an attempt to convince him and his people to stop and return to their home. But Aquaria  blamed her for the deaths of his tribesmen, and he threatened to crush her to pulp.
But as the downpour began to subside, Aquaria could feel his skin begin to dry, and his body begin to stiffen. When Venus' friend Whit Hammond threatened to destroy him with a box of dynamite, Aquaria had no recourse but to return to the ocean.

As he dived back in the water with his remaining tribesmen, Aquaria refused to admit defeat--he vowed that he and his people would return when they found a way to survive on the surface, and he threatened to exterminate the human race.

--Venus#17/4

images: (without ads)
Venus#17/4, p1, pan1 (Undersea Titans destroying city buildings; Venus (on shoulder))
Venus#17/4, p2, pan1 (immobilized Undersea Titan in New York; Venus and Whit Hammond (right) )
Venus#17/4, p8, pan3 (Aquaria and two other Undersea Titans dive back into ocean)
Venus#17/4, p4, pan6 (Aquaria rises out of harbor's waters; Venus (left) )
Venus#17/4, p5, pan2 (Aquaria holds Venus in his hand and tells her about his people)
Venus#17/4, p5, pan3 (Aquaria's skin dries, causing him to ossify; Venus (in Aquaria's hand) )
Venus#17/4, p7, pan6 (as rain downpour begins to subside, Aquaria feels himself stiffening; Venus (in Aquaria's hand) )

Appearances:
Venus#17/4 (December, 1951) - Bill Everett (writer, pencils, inks, and letters), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 06/14/2019
Last updated: 06/14/2019

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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