Giganta
| Giganta | |
|---|---|
 Giganta in Wonder Woman #175. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Wonder Woman #9 (Vol. 1) (Summer 1944) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dr. Doris Zeul |
| Team affiliations | Injustice League The Society Villainy Inc. |
| Abilities | Can grow to gigantic size Strength increases in proportion with her size |
Giganta is a fictional character, a red-haired super-villainess appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. A longtime enemy of Wonder Woman and an occasional foil for The Atom, Giganta possesses the superhuman ability to increase her physical size and mass, effectively transforming into a giantess.[1] Her first appearance (Wonder Woman #9, volume 1, published in 1944), written by Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston, presents her as a brutish strongwoman with no super powers other than unusual strength. Later adaptations (including appearances on Hanna-Barbera's popular cartoon series Challenge of the Super Friends in the 1970s) introduced Giganta's size-changing ability, a feature of the character which has been retained to date.
Golden & Silver Age (comics)
Giganta was introduced as a foe of the Golden Age Wonder Woman, first appearing in Wonder Woman #9 (volume 1). In the story, a villainous scientist named Professor Zool artificially evolves an ape named Giganta into a malicious red-haired strongwoman. Giganta is ultimately subdued and captured by Wonder Woman and taken to Paradise Island for rehabilitation. In issue #28, she joins a rebellion of prisoners held on the island, thereby becoming a member of the criminal team Villainy Inc.. Giganta is not seen again in the comics until 1966, in Wonder Woman #163 (volume 1), in which her origin is revamped to include another member of Wonder Woman's rogues gallery, Doctor Psycho. This appearance also premiered a short-lived update to her look, giving her waist-length blond hair and an even larger physical stature.[1]
Modern Age (comics)
In the current DC Universe, Giganta is Dr. Doris Zeul (a name that tips its hat to Professor Zool, a key figure in the Golden Age Giganta's origin). Appearing in the modern continuity for the first time in 1997 in Wonder Woman #127 (volume 2), Zeul captures a comatose Wonder Woman and holds her at a secret research facility. Suffering from a fatal blood disease, Zeul plans to use an experimental machine to transfer her "life-essence" into Wonder Woman's body. Interrupted by Wonder Girl halfway through the experiment, Zeul seemingly dies. Her assistant Branson discovers that Zeul is in fact not dead, but instead had her essence stored in the transference machine's buffer module, which then channeled her consciousness into one of the lab's test animals, a gorilla named Giganta.[1]
Desperate to return her mind to a human body, Zeul/Giganta then abducts a comatose circus strongwoman named Olga. Though the subsequent events have never been detailed in the comics, Zeul apparently succeeds in transferring her mind into Olga's body, and, presumably, Olga's mind into the body of the gorilla.
When she next appears, the red-haired Giganta demonstrates the ability to grow to gigantic size, like the animated Super Friends version. In Wonder Woman #1 (volume 3), it was revealed that Olga already possessed this power when Zeul stole her body. The source of the ability is unknown, though it may be related to a shaman who placed Olga in a coma prior to her abduction by Zeul. Whatever the case, the ability appears to be mystical in nature, as Giganta has been shown (in The All-New Atom) to be aligned with the forces of magic. More proof of her powers being mystical in nature is the fact that Black Alice was able to tap into her powers.[2]
Following her transformation, Giganta allies herself with Queen Clea and the modern incarnation of Villainy Inc. in an attempt to conquer the lost world of Skartaris. Villainy Inc. is defeated by Wonder Woman, but Giganta is subsequently seen as a member of several criminal groups, including the Secret Society of Super Villains and Injustice League Unlimited. As part of the Society, she takes part in the "Battle of Metropolis", a confrontation with multiple heroes, including Elasti-Girl, the size-changing member of the Doom Patrol. The Society ultimately loses this battle.[3]
When Diana Prince noted that Giganta's intellect reduces as she grows in size[4], compelling the villain to become less rational and more prone to violence, she was corrected by her colleagues in the Department of Metahuman Affairs. They implied that Giganta has overcome that limitation and retains her full intelligence at any size, a theory backed up in the conclusion to the Who is Wonder Woman? storyline.[5]
One Year Later
Giganta, along with The Cheetah and Doctor Psycho, engaged in a battle with Donna Troy (who has assumed the identity of Wonder Woman one year after the events of Infinite Crisis), as part of a search for, as they term it, the "real" Wonder Woman (Diana of Themyscira).[6] In the following issue, the villains continue their quest, holding Troy hostage in order to draw Diana out for a rescue attempt; they also contend with the current Wonder Girl, Robin, and (though they don't realize it at first), Diana herself, in the guise of government agent Diana Prince. In issue 3, Giganta and her allies also battle Hercules, with the giantess being felled by the legendary champion.
Giganta has also appeared in the pages of the The All New Atom, currently employed as a regular teacher at Ivy Town's University. Infected and controlled by M'Nagalah, the monstrous Cancer god, she was sent to seduce and capture, Ryan Choi, the new Atom, in the process even going so far as to swallow the miniature hero alive (he escapes, and also discovers that she has a tongue piercing[7]). Now free of M'Nagalah's control, a seemingly repentant Dr. Zeul retains her position at Ivy University and has approached Ryan for a second chance, despite the bizarre circumstances of their first meeting.
Before their second date, the Atom is approached by Wonder Woman on behalf of the Department of Metahuman Affairs and asked to wear a wire on his date with Dr. Zeul. After professing her desire to reform, she is informed that Ryan is wearing a wire and tears off the roof of the restaurant to see Wonder Woman and Ryan talking - unaware that Ryan had removed the wire. A fight between Wonder Woman and Giganta ensues. Wonder Woman quickly knocked Giganta out but Ryan intervenes to stop Wonder Woman from beating her further, after admitting she had lost her temper - they realize that Dr. Zeul has disappeared.[8] Whether she heard or saw Ryan's actions to stop her from getting further injuries is yet to be seen.
On the cover of Justice League of America #13 (Vol.2), it shows Giganta as a member of the new Injustice League and she is one of the villains featured in Salvation Run.[1]
Giganta was seen as a member of Libra's Secret Society of Super Villains, and at the end of Final Crisis #3 she is shown as a thrall of Darkseid alongside several other super-powered women. She is now called Gigantrix.[9] Over the course of the series she fights as one of the new incarnations of the Female Furies with Wonder Woman, Batwoman and Catwoman. She is possessed by the spirit of the fury Stompa, and only freed when Supergirl smashes the skull-and-crossbones mask from her face.[10]
In Final Crisis Doctor Light stated that he was going on a date with Giganta, although there is evidence to prove that he was not boasting or lying (a fact implied by his continuing remarks to the presumed sexual prowess needed to satisfy her). In Wonder Woman #36, Giganta is attacked by Diana while on her way to a date with Ryan Choi, implying that their relationship have survived despite earlier difficulties. Mellower than in her appearances in the All-New Atom series, she seems to accept and respect the shortcomings brought by their different lifestyles, going so far to help Wonder Woman in a mission, reasoning that, with Ryan being a superhero, they should both be used to putting their heroics in front of their private lives.
Powers and abilities
Giganta has the ability to increase her size from 6'6" to several hundred feet. These powers seemed to have been given to her magically since if it were by science, she would not be able to achieve that size.[11]. It is presumed that she works out, keeping herself athletically healthy, lean, and muscular. Though her incredible power does not surface until she uses it and grows, she is still quite formidable having some fighting skill and training. In full-size mode, she is nearly as strong and as durable as Wonder Woman. Giganta is also a brilliant scientist who now retains her full intelligence at any size from normal to maximum. Giganta's suit is specialized to grow with her and enhances her invulnerability. Even at normal size, it is bulletproof and resistant to extremes of heat and cold.
Other media
Super Friends TV series
Giganta was first seen outside comics as a powerful member of the Legion of Doom in the 1970s animated series Super Friends. In the TV series, she has the ability to grow to giant size (with accompanying superhuman strength) simply by willing it (at the time, she did not yet possess this ability in the comics). She typically dresses in a leopard skin two-piece loincloth, presumably treating them so that they grow with her when she uses her powers to achieve her gigantic stature. She wears large, bangle-like bracelets and anklets, and she is always barefoot. Her muscular body is a side effect of her powers. In the Challenge of the Super Friends TV series, it was revealed that Giganta was a normal woman who was horseriding when she witnessed Apache Chief using magic dust. The latter used it to grow larger so he could fight off a grizzly bear. Giganta stole the dust and used it on herself, gaining the ability to transform into a powerful, 50 foot tall giantess. The dust not only gave the two size changing powers, but influences personality as well. Because Apache Chief was brave when using it he became one hundred times more brave. Because Giganta had evil thoughts, it made her more evil. She later appeared in the Super Friends short episodes "Revenge of Doom" and "Two Gleeks Are Deadlier Than One". Giganta was voiced by Ruth Forman.
Legends of the Superheroes
Giganta also appeared in Legends of the Superheroes played by Aleshia Brevard. In keeping with the show's decidedly low budget, she doesn't showcase her ability to grow in size, and instead bends a prop steel bar around Riddler's neck for a "superstrength" effect. She returns in "The Roast" and is interviewed by "Rhoda Rooter" (who is an impression of gossip host Rona Barrett). Rooter interviews Giganta and the Atom about their recent engagement.
Justice League TV series
Giganta also appears in the Justice League animated series in an episode featuring the Secret Society, with an origin somewhat similar to that in the comics. In this version, she was once a small female ape, transformed by her mate Grodd. In "Secret Society", Giganta recruits The Shade into Grodd's Secret Society. During her first confrontation with the Justice League, she manages to defeat Wonder Woman with help from Killer Frost, another super-villainess, and later, topples the Man of Steel. Then at Gotham Field, Superman is being beaten badly by her, but manages to escape. When he finally is about to strike back, she manipulates him by asking "Wouldn't hit a woman, would you?" Fortunately, Wonder Woman has no problem delivering a one-hit, final blow which knocks her out.
Justice League Unlimited
In the episode "Ultimatum" she attempts to break Grodd out of prison with the help of Bizarro; she manipulates him by playing his girlfriend. She is defeated by Wonder Woman and the similarly powered Ultimen member Long Shadow (who was himself a thinly veiled homage to Apache Chief). She then becomes Grodd's devout follower and has, in Justice League Unlimited, become a returning member of the new Secret Society (based on the Legion of Doom). While on a mission for Grodd as a backup, she ends up comatose after the Martian Manhunter tries to read her mind; however, in the episode "The Great Brain Robbery", Giganta is seen among the rest of the Secret Society, apparently fully recovered.
When the Secret Society becomes divided between Luthor and Grodd, she sides with Luthor, angry with Grodd for shutting off her mind and cheating on her with Tala. When Darkseid attacks the remaining members of the Society, she argues with the Justice League to fight alongside them, going with Green Lantern and Flash to defend Paris. At the end of the series, Giganta sacrifices a few seconds of her allotted five minute head start reward (for helping the League) and plants a fast kiss on the Flash. Giganta is played by voice-actress Jennifer Hale.
Unlike her more brutish characterization in the comics, in Justice League Unlimited, Giganta acts in a more feminine manner, but is still eager for battle, according to Hale[citation needed]. She appeared in the spin-off comic book Justice League Unlimited #38, trying to go straight so she could spend time with The Flash. She reveals her intentions angrily once he announces that he is going on a date.
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Giganta appears in the animated film Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. She has no lines in the film itself, but her grunts are provided by Andrea Romano. She wears the same outfit as in her comic. She is defeated in a few seconds after she tries to kill Superman by stepping on him.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Giganta", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 137, ISBN 0-7566-4119-5, OCLC 213309017
- ^ Helmet of Fate: Black Alice #1
- ^ Infinite Crisis #7
- ^ Wonder Woman, volume 3 #2
- ^ Wonder Woman Annual #1
- ^ Wonder Woman volume 3 #1
- ^ All-new Atom #3
- ^ All-new Atom # 17
- ^ Final Crisis #4
- ^ Final Crisis #7
- ^ Blue Beetle #19
Superman/Batman Public enemies.
