Garokk

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Garokk

Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Astonishing Tales #2 (November, 1970)
Created by	Roy Thomas Jack Kirby

Characteristics
Alter ego	Unknown (first body) Kirk Marston (second body)
Affiliations	Zaladane, Sun People, Magneto
Notable aliases	The Petrified Man, Lazarus, Terminus (mind-controlled into impersonating)
Abilities	Energy Beams Immortality Dimensional Transportation.

Garokk aka. The Petrified Man is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He has been both an ally and an enemy of Ka-Zar and of the X-Men. He first appeared in Astonishing Tales #2 and was created by Roy Thomas and Jack Kirby.

[edit] History

Garokk was originally a sailor from Britain, whose ship crashed on the shores of Antarctica during the 1400's. 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 and managed to return to England, but found that he had become immortal. Over time, the sailor's skin became like stone and 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 Zala waged war as a form of worship to him. The sailor, now known as the Petrified Man allied himself with Ka-Zar to prevent any further bloodshed. The Petrified Man and Ka-Zar managed to stop Zala and her people, but the Petrified Man went mad and believed himself to be Garokk himself. Garokk and Ka-Zar fought and on Zala's instructions, Ka-Zar lured him inside a pool which turned Garokk human and mortal again. His age caught up with him and he died shortly afterwards. (Astonishing Tales 2-5)

Zala later captured an adventurer called Kirk Marston and turned him into Garokk with the ashes of the recently deceased Petrified Man. Garokk and Zala fought the X-Men and Ka-Zar, but Garokk was defeated and fell down a large crevice. The X-Men believed Garokk to be dead. The X-Men's enemy Magneto found Garokk, who had transformed: he was larger and half his body had turned into crystal. Magneto set Garokk as guardian of his base. In this role, he fought the X-Man Storm, but again fell in a deep pit. (Uncanny X-Men #115-116, 149)

Again Garokk survived and he returned to his normal appearance. When the Savage Land was destroyed by the alien Terminus, Terminus was defeated by the Avengers, his armor ruptured and Terminus himself left to die, but it turned out that this Terminus was just an impostor. Garokk found another Terminus armor and under mental control (presumably by the real Terminus) entered it and started destroying the remainder of the Savage Land. The X-Men fought "Terminus" and destroyed the armor to reveal Garokk. Garokk regained his free will and together with a machine made by the High Evolutionary, he restored the Savage Land at the cost of his own life. (Uncanny X-Men annual #12)

Garokk returned years later as an enemy of Ka-Zar, but Ka-Zar defeated him. (Ka-Zar annual '97, Ka-Zar #20)

[edit] Powers and abilities

Garokk is immortal: he does not age and even when killed, he can be returned to life. His petrified body also makes him difficult to injure. Garokk can fire beams of energy from his eyes. These beams can be heat, light, concussive force or can even open dimensional portals, capable of transporting an entire city. He can also turn his entire body into energy. Garokk has some mental connection to his followers.