BELAG
Real Name: Belag
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial semi-humanoid
Occupation: Intelligence officer
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: The Cat (Greer Grant)
Enemies: Commander Kraken
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly a spaceship lying below Lake Michigan
First Appearance: The Cat I#3 (April, 1973)
Powers/Abilities: Belag wore a uniform made of unidentified extraterrestrial materials. Like all members of his race, he had large furry ears, possibly indicating his species possesses greater hearing powers than the average human. His people traveled aboard a large spaceship.
Height: 6'1" (by approximation)
Weight: 200 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
History: (The Cat I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Belag was
the intelligence officer for a crew of extraterrestrials who looked
nearly human. Landing their ship in Lake Michigan, they constructed an
elevator leading to a cove above. With captured uniforms and a boat,
they disguised their people as operatives of the U.S. Navy so that they
could observe humans close-up.
(The Cat I#3) - The super heroine the Cat detected the presence of the spaceship because of her own psychic abilities. When she came to investigate one night, two of the undercover aliens captured her and brought her to the cove and down the elevator to the spaceship. The men brought her to Belag in "Section 4" to be questioned. Alone with the Cat, Belag wondered how she found their base and who sent her; he was also confused by her cat-like costume and wondered what its significance was. The Cat refused to answer, demanding that Belag explain himself instead. Suddenly, an alarm went off as the pirate villain Commander Kraken invaded the spaceship with his henchmen. Belag went to investigate the alarm in "Section 7," and he left one of his underlings to guard the Cat, but she immediately punched her guard unconscious. However, when the Cat found the U.S. Navy uniforms which the extraterrestrials had obtained, she concluded that they were real Naval officers and that this entire operation was a secret government project she had intruded upon.
Belag's captain and the rest of the crew were quickly defeated by Commander Kraken and tied up. Commander Kraken told Belag and the others that their "pleasure dome" would now serve as his base and anyone who refused to obey him would be drowned. However, the Cat burst into the room and attacked Commander Kraken and his men. Inspired by her assault, Belag ordered the others to help her. Although their arms were still tied, Belag and the others aided the Cat as she fought off the pirates. The Cat used her claws to set Belag free and Commander Kraken finally fled, realizing he had lost the fight.
As the ship's viewscreen showed Commander Kraken's squid-ship departing, the crew took stock of the situation. The Cat asked Belag why he hadn't told her they were working for the U.S. government. Caught off-guard, Belag claimed he wasn't sure of her identity. The Cat responded by relating her entire origin story to him, believing him to be a trustworthy government agent. This done, the Cat promised to keep the secret of the dome's location so long as Belag kept her secrets. They agreed, and the Cat left from the surface aboard a boat.
Returning to his captain, Belag admitted he hadn't realized human women were as formidable as she but because Commander Kraken had found their location, they would have to move. Belag announced they had already "exceeded" their basic research for the project. Soon after the dome-shaped spaceship took off from Lake Michigan, heading into the sky for parts unknown. The Cat watched them depart and realized her new friends were actually extraterrestrials.
Comments: Created by Linda Fite, Paty Cockrum and Bill Everett.
His rank was given as "I.O." (Intelligence Officer).
Somehow Belag's people were omitted in both of the OHOTMU's Appendix: Alien Races.
Although Bill Everett was only credited with the finishes to the art in this story, it feels like something he would have written himself for Marvel back in the 1950s.
This profile was completed 5/30/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Belag should not be confused with:
The dome-shaped spaceship was used by Belag and his comrades to journey to Earth. They came to rest upon the floor of Lake Michigan. They constructed an elevator from the ship to a cove above so that their people could journey to the surface and disguise themselves as Navy operatives. After Commander Kraken tried to seize control of the ship, Belag's people decided to relocate and left Lake Michigan to an unrevealed locale.
--The Cat I#3
images: (without ads)
The Cat I#3, page 9, panel 1 (main)
The Cat I#3, page 19, panel 5 (headshot)
The Cat I#3, page 20, panel 3 (ship)
Appearances:
The Cat I#3 (April, 1973) - Linda Fite (writer), Paty Cockrum (layouts), Bill Everett (finishes), Roy Thomas (editor)
First posted: 09/03/2021
Last updated: 08/31/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
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