Great Beasts
Encyclopedia
The Great Beasts are fictional
villains of supernatural origin, originally created as antagonists for the heroes of the Marvel Comics
series Alpha Flight
.
Tanaraq first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 as the superhero Sasquatch. His true origins weren't revealed until Alpha Flight #23.
Tundra, The Land Beast first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #1 (August 1983). The same issue also stated that Tundra had been responsible for the defeat and imprisonment of Snowbird's mother, the goddess Nelvanna. The character subsequently appears in Alpha Flight #24 (July 1985), #38 (September 1986), #55 (February 1988), #64 (November 1988), X-Man #39-40 (July 1998), and Wolverine #172 (March 2002).
Kolomaq, The Beast of the Snows first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #6 (January 1984). The character subsequently appears in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #38 (September 1986), and X-Man #39 (July 1998).
Ranaq, The Devourer first appeared in Alpha Flight #18-19 (January-February 1985). The character subsequently appears in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #38 (September 1986).
Somon, The Great Artificer first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #24 (July 1985). The character subsequently appears in Alpha Flight #38 (September 1986), #55 (February 1988), #64 (November 1988), X-Man #39 (July 1998), and Wolverine #172 (March 2002).
Kariooq, The Corruptor first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #24 (July 1985). The character subsequently appears in Wolverine (vol. 2) #172 (March 2002).
Tolomaq, The Fire Beast first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #24 (July 1985). The character subsequently appears in Wolverine (vol. 2) #172 (March 2002).
Neooqtoq, The Ravager is referenced in Incredible Hercules #119 (September 2008). Neooqtoq is described as the "deadliest" of the Great Beasts. Although the beast itself does not appear, Snowbird assumes its form to battle the slave gods of the Skrull
s.
The Great Beasts received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89
#3.
During the Chaos War
storyline, Sasquatch gives Tundra, Kariooq, Somon, Kolomaq, and Tolomaq access to Earth so they can kill Amatusu-Mikaboshi. After Snowbird freezes them, the Great Beasts are impaled by Mikaboshi's tendrils and presumably killed.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
villains of supernatural origin, originally created as antagonists for the heroes of the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
series Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
.
Publication history
The Great Beasts were created by John Byrne and served as antagonists throughout the first 24 issues of his run on Alpha Flight.Tanaraq first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 as the superhero Sasquatch. His true origins weren't revealed until Alpha Flight #23.
Tundra, The Land Beast first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #1 (August 1983). The same issue also stated that Tundra had been responsible for the defeat and imprisonment of Snowbird's mother, the goddess Nelvanna. The character subsequently appears in Alpha Flight #24 (July 1985), #38 (September 1986), #55 (February 1988), #64 (November 1988), X-Man #39-40 (July 1998), and Wolverine #172 (March 2002).
Kolomaq, The Beast of the Snows first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #6 (January 1984). The character subsequently appears in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #38 (September 1986), and X-Man #39 (July 1998).
Ranaq, The Devourer first appeared in Alpha Flight #18-19 (January-February 1985). The character subsequently appears in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #38 (September 1986).
Somon, The Great Artificer first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #24 (July 1985). The character subsequently appears in Alpha Flight #38 (September 1986), #55 (February 1988), #64 (November 1988), X-Man #39 (July 1998), and Wolverine #172 (March 2002).
Kariooq, The Corruptor first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #24 (July 1985). The character subsequently appears in Wolverine (vol. 2) #172 (March 2002).
Tolomaq, The Fire Beast first appeared in Alpha Flight (vol. 1) #24 (July 1985). The character subsequently appears in Wolverine (vol. 2) #172 (March 2002).
Neooqtoq, The Ravager is referenced in Incredible Hercules #119 (September 2008). Neooqtoq is described as the "deadliest" of the Great Beasts. Although the beast itself does not appear, Snowbird assumes its form to battle the slave gods of the Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
s.
The Great Beasts received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
#3.
During the Chaos War
Chaos War (comics)
"Chaos War" is a Marvel Comics storyline that began publication in October 2010 across nine comic book series: the five-issue miniseries Chaos War, written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, supplemented by seven branded miniseries or one-shot publications, and by three issues of Incredible Hulks, a...
storyline, Sasquatch gives Tundra, Kariooq, Somon, Kolomaq, and Tolomaq access to Earth so they can kill Amatusu-Mikaboshi. After Snowbird freezes them, the Great Beasts are impaled by Mikaboshi's tendrils and presumably killed.
The Great Beasts
- Kariooq, The Corruptor - Kariooq appears in Alpha FlightAlpha FlightAlpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
(vol. 1) #24. He resembles a giant rotting corpse with green skin, similar to the Inhumanoid named D'Compose (although the two were created around the same time period). Kariooq is never fleshed out other than his weakness to ice ("the preserver") and his enmity with Tundra as a rival. It can be assumed however that his power might be that of decay and corruption or even control of the dead.
- Kolomaq, The Beast of the Snows - Kolomaq appears in Alpha FlightAlpha FlightAlpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
(vol. 1) #6. He appears during oil drilling in an unrevealed location of CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. His appearance destroys the oil well and catches the attention of the InuitInuitThe Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
demigodDemigodThe term "demigod" , meaning "half-god", is commonly used to describe mythological figures whose one parent was a god and whose other parent was human; as such, demigods are human-god hybrids...
SnowbirdSnowbird (comics)Snowbird is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 , and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:...
. Kolomaq possesses energy welding powers but his main ability is to create blinding snowstorms. Seven pages of Alpha FlightAlpha FlightAlpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
issue 6 are white panels captioned with dialogue and narration. Kolomaq is described as the most ferocious of the Beasts and enemy to Tundra the Land Beast. He is also capable of conjuring sharp icicles. SnowbirdSnowbird (comics)Snowbird is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 , and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:...
tricks Kolomaq into triggering a landslide which either kills or imprisons him. Kolomaq appears as a white Yeti-like creature with an angry totem mask as a face.
- Neooqtoq the Ravager - Called the deadliest of the Great Beasts, Snow Bird assumed its form during the Secret Invasion to battle off the Skrull Gods army of enslaved alien gods. It resembles giant brittle star whose arms are covered with fanged maws.
- Ranaq, The Devourer - Ranaq appears in Alpha FlightAlpha FlightAlpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
(vol. 1) #18 but his origin is expanded upon in issue 19. Ranaq appears as a floating shape of blob-like energy or corrupted flesh marked by evil red eyes and grotesquely large yellow teeth. He is summoned by a shamanShamanismShamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
in 19th-century CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, the summoning forced by fortune-seeker Zebediah "Zeb" Chase and his young cohort Lucas Strang. The two hold the shaman's granddaughter hostage and force the shaman to summon the Devourer. Zeb and Lucas use magical talismans to protect themselves from Ranaq but these same talismans prevent them from touching the treasure and prostitutes that they force Ranaq to conjure. It is unrevealed as to whether these treasures and women are real or merely illusions. When Zeb removes his talisman to embrace a prostitute, the woman's face turns into a gigantic maw that consumes Zeb, allowing Ranaq to possess the man. According to the shaman, this need for a human body makes Ranaq the weakest of the Great Beasts. Lucas Strang turns his talisman into a magic bullet and kills Ranaq in mortal form; he is cursed with a 100 year lifespan until Ranaq's soul is released after Zeb Chase's grave is disturbed in the year 1985.
- Somon, The Great Artificer - Somon appears in Alpha FlightAlpha FlightAlpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
(vol. 1) #24. He is an old looking humanoid depicted with long arms and a bull-horn headdress. He uses a powerful staff as a weapon and can control the other Great Beasts. The very land where the Great Beasts dwell responds to Somon's control. He is also capable of some sort of astral projection that allows him to kill by stabbing his victims with his astral fingernails. Somon is the most intelligent of the Great Beasts, known for his malevolent trickery. He, like Ranaq, is physically weak despite his great magical power. SnowbirdSnowbird (comics)Snowbird is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 , and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:...
mortally wounds him but he returns in perfect health at later dates.
- TanaraqSasquatch (comics)Sasquatch is a fictional character, a superhero in Marvel Comics' universe. He first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:Dr...
- Tolomaq, The Fire Beast - a minor Great Beast, Tolomaq first appears in Alpha FlightAlpha FlightAlpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
(vol. 1) #24. His character is never fully developed. He appears as a shapeless column of fire.
- Tundra, The Land Beast - first appearing in Alpha FlightAlpha FlightAlpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
(vol. 1) #1, TundraTundra (Marvel Comics)Tundra is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Tundra is a mystical spirit which inhabits an ever-growing mass of Canadian land in gargantuan semi-humanoid form, and is the enemy of the Inuit gods whom he trapped in another dimension....
is the first of the Great Beasts that Alpha Flight confronts. Tundra is summoned through a mystic ritual in which a vagabond (who is actually the father of SnowbirdSnowbird (comics)Snowbird is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 , and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:...
) traces a gigantic human shape in the barren land of CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's Northwest Territories and then dons a metallic crown that summons the spirit of Tundra. The vagabond's corpse animates, the land mimicking the corpses movement until Tundra rises in the shape of a humanoid mass of earth. According to ShamanShaman (comics)Shaman is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe and a member of Alpha Flight.-Fictional character biography:...
, Tundra is supposed to be controlled by the mind of the human who summons him but because of the weakness of the vagabond summoning Tundra, Tundra's real personality quickly takes over. Tundra's powers stem from the land itself. He can summon mosquitoes, hurl boulders from his body, increase his size by absorbing land mass, and is connected to the land so if he is injured, earthquake-style upheavals occur in the surrounding area. He is defeated by water erosion after MarrinaMarrina SmallwoodMarrina Smallwood is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe. She was a member of the Alpha Flight and an honorary member of the Avengers. John Byrne created the character in Alpha Flight vol. 1 #1 .-Fictional character biography:...
creates a water spout that ShamanShaman (comics)Shaman is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe and a member of Alpha Flight.-Fictional character biography:...
uses to create a torrential downpour. Tundra is arch-enemy to the Great Beast Kariooq, the Corruptor.