Gibbon (comics)
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| Gibbon | |
 Cover art for Punisher War Journal (vol 2) #16. Art by Alex Maleev. Gibbon in the background. |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Amazing Spider-Man #110 (1972) |
| Created by | Stan Lee John Romita Sr. |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | Martin Blank |
| Species | Human Mutant |
| Abilities | Superhuman strength, speed, agility, dexterity, reflexes, coordination, balance, endurance |
Gibbon (Martin Blank) is a fictional mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He was a villain from Spider-Man.
Contents |
[edit] Fictional character biography
Seemingly born a mutant with an apelike build and agility, The Gibbon later joins a circus where he does well as an acrobat. His powers are later enhanced by a potion given to him by Kraven the Hunter to "Unleash the Beast within". Martin Blank begins his career out as a friend of Spider-Man's. He even wants to be his partner, but Spider-Man laughs at him. Sick of being seen as a freak Martin can not take further ridicule and lashes out. He then catches the eye of Kraven the Hunter who enhances the Gibbon's powers with a herb broth, also giving him a great animal rage. After being defeated by Spider-Man, Martin wasn't seen for a while.
Later, Gibbon seeks revenge on Spider-Man, trying to prove himself as good as his foe. He is caught in the middle of a fight with Spider-Man and the Beetle. Eventually Gibbon helps Spider-Man by punching out the Beetle. Gibbon later joins up with other "has-beens" the Kangaroo, Grizzly and the Spot to form the Legion of Losers.
This team falls apart when Spider-Man carted the Spot and the Kangaroo to jail for bank robbery. He and the Grizzly would later attempt to go hero, helping Spider-Man thwart a bank robbery by the White Rabbit and eventually getting an action figure deal.
The Gibbon has been shown as retaining his physical mutation, but showed no sign of his former mutant abilities.
Gibbon is seen as a client for the law offices that employ She-Hulk. He steals her tuna melt lunch out of the fridge.[1]
[edit] Civil War/The Initiative
The Gibbon is a self-confessed loser at the wake of Stilt-Man. Almost all of the supervillains at the wake were the victims of murder/attempted murder. The Punisher disguised himself as a barman, poisoned drinks, and then blew up the bar.[2] It was later mentioned that "they all had to get their stomachs pumped and be treated for third-degree burns."[3]
Martin is being considered as a "potential recruit" for the Initiative program.[4]
Martin, now nearly hairless, has spent his time since the bar attack plotting vengence on the Punisher, against the wishes of his wife, Princess Python, who was apparently blinded in the explosion. When he finally found the Punisher, however, he decided his revenge wasn't worth throwing his life away, and handed his gun over to the Punisher, returning home.
[edit] Marvel Apes
Gibbon will be the lead character in the Marvel Apes storyline, and writer Karl Kesel has made some initial comments on his role:[5]
the Gibbon wasn’t the perfect choice just because he’s a mainstream Marvel character who can easily “pass” in an ape-filled monkeyverse, but because he’s such a lovable loser. Nothing ever goes right for him— he never gets a break, the girl, or the glory— and suddenly he finds the fate of an entire universe in his hands. In some ways, Marvel Apes is a sprawling epic like Lord of the Rings, and the Gibbon is our Frodo— one small person dwarfed by the overwhelming forces that stand between him and his goal. He even has his own Samwise— a spunky gal-scientist (human) named Fiona Fitzhugh who literally gets sucked into this adventure along with him.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Blank had a gibbon-like appearance, with superhuman strength, speed, agility, dexterity, reflexes, coordination, balance, and endurance. He was depowered after M-Day.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Gibbon at the Comic Book DB
[edit] External links
- Gibbon at Marvel Universe
- Martin Blank (Earth-626) at the Marvel Database Project
