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Shuma-Gorath

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Shuma-Gorath
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceMarvel Premiere #5 (November 1972)
Created byRobert E. Howard
Steve Englehart
Frank Brunner
In-story information
SpeciesDemon
Notable aliasesLord of Chaos
AbilitiesEnergy projection
Reality manipulation
Shapeshifting
Levitation
Teleportation
Vast mystical powers
Immortality

Shuma-Gorath is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Shuma-Gorath was first mentioned in a short story by author Robert E. Howard.

Publication history

Shuma-Gorath is first mentioned in the Robert E. Howard short story "The Curse of the Golden Skull," in The Howard Collector #9, Spring 1967, which features the character Kull. A dying magician named Rotath invokes the "iron-bound books of Shuma-Gorath" in a curse against humanity.

As a Marvel character, his first appearance was as an adversary for Doctor Strange in Marvel Premiere #5 (November 1972), created by Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner.

Fictional character biography

During Earth's pre-history Shuma-Gorath ruled the world, and demanded human sacrifice until eventually banished by time-traveling sorcerer Sise-Neg.[1] The entity eventually returns during the Hyborian Age, but is imprisoned within a mountain by the power of the god Crom.[2] Shuma-Gorath continues to be an influence on Earth until returned to its home dimension by Crom.[3]

When the entity tries to return to Earth via the mind of the Ancient One, his disciple Doctor Strange is forced to kill him to prevent this.[4] Years later, Strange battles Shuma-Gorath in its home dimension, and although victorious, he gradually becomes a new version of the entity. Strange commits suicide to prevent this transformation and is resurrected by an ally.[5] Sorcerer Nicholas Scratch summons the entity to Earth but it is driven back by the combined efforts of Doctor Strange, the Fantastic Four, the Salem's Seven and villain Diablo.[6]

Shuma-Gorath is eventually revealed to be one of the four undying extra-dimensional "multi-angled ones" guiding a metaphysical invasion from a dimension called the "cancerverse". In attempting to destroy Death itself, the entity and its allies are rendered inert by the conceptual form of Death and subsequently are trapped in the cancerverse when it is destroyed.[7] Shuma-Gorath survives and once again attempts to invade Earth but is repelled by the superhero team the Avengers with the Spear of Destiny.[8]

During the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline, Shuma-Gorath is among the demons to meet at the Devil's Advocacy to discuss the threat of the Serpent and what this means to them.[9]

During the 2013 "Infinity" storyline, Thanos' servant Ebony Maw manipulates Doctor Strange into summoning Shuma-Gorath to the streets of New York. The creature is met by Luke Cage and his new team of Avengers.[10] Blue Marvel arrives at the scene of the battle and flies through Shuma-Gorath's head, destroying its physical manifestation. Shuma-Gorath's astral body possesses a crowd of people in New York City and attempts to recreate itself on Earth. It is weakened through mystical attacks by Power Man and White Tiger and finally banished by Monica Rambeau, who penetrates Shuma-Gorath's eye as a ray of light and disperses the entity from within.[11]

Powers and abilities

Shuma-Gorath is an ancient force of chaos, the immortal, nigh-invincible, and godlike ruler of nearly a hundred alternate universes, capable of energy projection, shapeshifting, teleportation, levitation, altering reality, and sympathetic magic among many other feats. He is described as being vastly more powerful than other mighty demonic enemies, such as Satannish and Mephisto, and is capable of automatically destroying multiple galaxies through aura-pressure alone.[12]

In other media

Video games

See also

References

  1. ^ Marvel Premiere #14 (March 1974). Marvel Comics
  2. ^ Conan the Barbarian #240 (Jan. 1991). Marvel Comics
  3. ^ Conan the Barbarian #260 (Sept. 1992). Marvel Comics
  4. ^ Marvel Première #3-10 (July 1972 - Sept. 1973). Marvel Comics
  5. ^ Strange Tales vol. 2 #15 (June 1988). Marvel Comics
  6. ^ Marvel Knights 4 25-27 (Feb. - April 2006. Marvel Comics
  7. ^ Thanos Imperative #6 (Nov. 2010)
  8. ^ Invaders Now! #5 (Apr. 2011)
  9. ^ Journey Into Mystery #627. Marvel Comics
  10. ^ Mighty Avengers vol. 2 #2 (October 2013). Marvel Comics
  11. ^ Mighty Avengers vol. 2 #3. Marvel Comics
  12. ^ Strange Tales vol. 2 #14 (June 1988)
  13. ^ "Voices of Shuma-Gorath". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved 2011-09-28.
  14. ^ "Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds Collector's Edition – with Bonus!". Gamestop. 2010-11-16. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
  15. ^ "Marvel vs. Capcom 3: New Characters, Release Date, and Special Edition". Capcom. 2010-11-15. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  16. ^ "Doctor Strange Pinball". Marvel.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
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