Garokk
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| Garokk | |
|---|---|
 Garokk as depicted in X-Men #115 (November 1978). Art by John Byrne. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Astonishing Tales #2 (Nov. 1970) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas (writer) Jack Kirby (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Unknown (first body) Kirk Marston (second body) |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Partnerships | Zaladane Magneto |
| Notable aliases | The Petrified Man, Lazarus, Terminus |
| Abilities | Energy and matter manipulation Shape-shifting Telepathy Superhuman strength, stamina and durability Immortality |
Garokk (/ˈɡærɒk/; also known as the Petrified Man) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a resident of the Savage Land and an enemy of the X-Men and Ka-Zar, and possesses a stone-like body and matter-manipulating abilities.
Garokk has made limited appearances in media outside comics. An uncredited actor voiced him in X-Men: The Animated Series, while Dwight Schultz voiced him in X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse.
Publication history
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2016) |
Garokk first appeared in Astonishing Tales #2 (Nov. 1970) and was created by Roy Thomas and Jack Kirby.[1]
Creation
[edit]Roy Thomas explained in an interview the creation of the character stating,
"So, the Petrified Man clearly is similar to elements in the later Burroughs Tarzan novels where he'd have some kind of weird character that Tarzan would encounter. And Tongah was like a combination of Tarzan's native buddies that he would occasionally have. And it was also reference to one of my favorite series from Gold Key Comics Turok, Son of Stone. And so, Turok... Tongah... there was an element of that."[2]
Fictional character biography
[edit]Garokk was originally a sailor from Great Britain, whose ship, the H.M.S. Drake, crashed on the shores of Antarctica during the 15th century. The sailor was swept overboard and taken by a warm stream to the Savage Land. Wandering the Savage Land, the sailor entered the lands of the Sun People, who worshipped the Sun god Garokk. The sailor found a statue of Garokk with a cup beneath it. Thirsty, the sailor drank from the cup, but was chased off by the Sun People. The sailor escaped to the Kingdom of England, but found that he had become immortal after drinking the potion. Over time, the sailor's body became a living, organic, stone-like substance until he looked identical to the statue of Garokk. Nearly five centuries after he had left, the sailor returned to the Savage Land and discovered that the Sun People believed that their god would return and their high priestess Zaladane waged war as a form of worship to him. The sailor, now known as the Petrified Man, encountered Ka-Zar and related his story to Ka-Zar. The Petrified Man allied himself with Ka-Zar and journeyed with him to the Savage Land to prevent his worshippers from waging war there. The Petrified Man gained energy powers, and transformed into pure energy. The Petrified Man managed to stop Zaladane and her people by dissolving their weapons, and then returned to his physical form. However, the Petrified Man then went mad and believed himself to be Garokk himself. Garokk sought to destroy all life on Earth to bring about peace, and he and Ka-Zar fought each other. On Zaladane's instructions, Ka-Zar lured him inside an underground pool, which causes Garokk to lost his powers and immortality. His age catches up with him rapidly and he dies shortly afterwards.[3]
Zaladane later captured adventurer Kirk Marston and magically resurrects Garokk in Marston's body, which is transformed into a duplicate of Garokk's own.[4] With Zaladane, Garokk attempts to unite the Savage Land tribes by forcing them to erect a colossal city for them. Garokk and Zaladane battle the X-Men and Ka-Zar; Garokk is defeated by Cyclops and falls into a thermal shaft.[4][5] The X-Men believe Garokk to be dead. The X-Men's enemy Magneto later learns that Garokk survived and was transformed; half his body had turned into crystal while the other half became like molten rock. Magneto forces Garokk to serve as the guardian of his Antarctic base. In this role, he battles the X-Man Storm, but again falls into a deep pit.[4][6]
Garokk survives and returned to his normal size and appearance. When the X-Men defeat the alien Terminus, leaving him to die, Garokk finds Terminus' armor and takes it for himself, devastating the Savage Land. The X-Men fought this "Terminus" and destroyed the armor to reveal Garokk. Garokk regained his free will and together with a machine made by the High Evolutionary, he restores the Savage Land to its original state. This process infuses Garokk's essence into the land, causing him to cease to exist.[7]
Garokk returns years later as an enemy of Ka-Zar, but Ka-Zar defeats him.[8][9]
Powers and abilities
[edit]Garokk's body consists of an organic, stone-like substance, giving him gray skin that seems rock-like and "petrified" in appearance. He has superhuman stamina and his petrified body also makes him difficult to injure. Garokk has the ability to project tremendous amounts of heat, light, and concussive force from his eyes. He can tap into other energy sources to replenish his own powers. Garokk has the ability to create dimensional warps with the energy projected from his eyes, and is capable of transporting an entire city through one of these dimensional portals. He has the ability to change his size and transform into a being of pure energy, and then back into his stone-like physical form at will.[citation needed] Garokk can also manipulate matter on a sub-atomic scale; he could rearrange the fabric of the Savage Land. He has a limited telepathic ability which allows him to learn of the activities of his worshippers through his dreams and his mental connection to his followers. Garokk is immortal; he does not age, and even when his body is destroyed, he can be brought back to life.
Other versions
[edit]An alternate universe variant of Garokk from Earth-928 appears in 2099: World of Tomorrow, where he possesses the Sorcerer Supreme Mlle Strange.[10][11]
In other media
[edit]
- Garokk appears in the X-Men: The Animated Series two-part episode "Savage Land, Strange Heart", voiced by an uncredited actor.[12][13][14][15][16][17] This version was previously defeated by the High Evolutionary and imprisoned in the Earth. He manipulates Storm into using her elemental energy to help him break free, but is defeated when Sauron absorbs his energy, becoming big and powerful enough to fight him.
- Garokk appears in X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, voiced by Dwight Schultz.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
- ^ Thomas, Roy (July 2023). "Alter Ego" (144): 7.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Astonishing Tales #2-5 (October 1970 - April 1971)
- ^ a b c "Godsmacked: 20 Weaksauce Comic Gods Even Fans Can Beat Up". CBR. May 29, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
One of Garokk's priestesses is responsible for the resurrection, having transformed an unfortunate mortal into her god...Garokk apparently meets his end when he falls into a bottomless pit and Storm is unable to get to him in time. Somehow Garrok survives the fall, though he soon wishes he had not. Magneto rescues him and forces him into service as guardian of Magneto's underground lair... Garokk dies again when he lunges for Kitty Pryde, despite knowing she can turn intangible. He sails right through her, inadvertently hurling himself into yet another bottomless pit.
- ^ Uncanny X-Men #115-116 (November - December 1978)
- ^ Uncanny X-Men #149 (September 1981)
- ^ Uncanny X-Men Annual #12 (October 1988)
- ^ Ka-Zar Annual (November 1997)
- ^ Ka-Zar (vol. 3) #20 (December 1998)
- ^ 2099: World of Tomorrow #2-6 (October 1996 - February 1997)
- ^ Sawan, Amer (December 15, 2020). "Doctor Strange 2099: How Marvel Pushed the Sorcerer Supreme Into the Future". CBR. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
In a move reminiscent of that fateful day her brother died, Strange's reckless use of power in the Savage Land freed an ancient entity named Garokk, who stole her magic for himself before being petrified.
- ^ Sims, Chris (February 3, 2014). "The X-Men Episode Guide 3×09: 'Savage Land, Strange Heart, Part One'". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
Through some handy exposition, we learn that she serves Garokk, something that is worshipped as a god by the people of the Savage Land, and that He has decreed in His wisdom that Sauron must leave the Savage Land.
- ^ Sims, Chris (February 10, 2014). "The X-Men Episode Guide 3×10: 'Savage Land, Strange Heart, Part 2'". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
Garokk was once just a gray dude who basically ruled the school in the Savage Land until someone showed up, zapped him with lightning, and reshaped him into the big frowny boulder that we know today...Oh, and that dude who turned him into a frowny rock to begin with? It was the friggin' High Evolutionary.
- ^ Craig, Richard (June 24, 2024). "The Worst & Best Episode Of Every X-Men: The Animated Series Season". Screen Rant. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
"Savage Land, Strange Heart" is the weakest episode of X-Men: The Animated Series season 3, largely because impeccable episodes dominated the season. "Savage Land, Stange Heart" began exploring interesting new territory with Sauron and his backstory, which initially promised an engaging narrative. However, the plot soon shifted focus to the underwhelming villain Garokk.
- ^ Craig, Richard (February 9, 2025). "All 43 X-Men: The Animated Series Villains, Ranked". Screen Rant. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
Garokk, also known as the Petrified Man, appears in the two-part X-Men: TAS episode "Savage Land, Strange Heart." Despite his grandiose title and backstory as an ancient deity of the Savage Land, his portrayal fails to engage. He spends much of the narrative trapped inside a statue and serves more as a plot device than a compelling antagonist, rendering him one of the series' more forgettable villains.
- ^ Craig, Richard (February 11, 2024). "9 MCU Characters You Forgot Previously Appeared In X-Men: The Animated Series". Screen Rant. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
The [High Evolutionary] made two appearances in X-Men: The Animated Series. The first was briefly in "Savage Land, Strange Heart, Part Two" where it was revealed that the High Evolutionary trapped the villain Garokk inside a stone carving.
- ^ "Days of Future Crap: The 15 Worst Episodes Of X-Men: The Animated Series". CBR. August 12, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
The two-part -- it had to be extra long?! -- episode eventually delivers Garokk as the primary X-antagonist in the Savage. Honestly, the beast [sic] thing about Garokk is that he kind of looks like Terrax, but that's no way to win hearts and minds.
- ^ "Garokk Voice - X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse (Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 25, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
