Apache Chief

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character_name = Apache Chief
publisher = DC Comics
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Apache Chief is a fictional Native American superhero from the various "Super Friends" cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera. He was one of the new heroes added during the 1977 series "The All-New Super Friends Hour" (along with Black Vulcan, Rima the Jungle Girl, El Dorado and Samurai) to increase the number of non-white characters in the Super Friends ranks. He was voiced by Michael Rye.

In the "Challenge of the Super Friends" Series, Apache Chief was seen in every episode except one, but had spoken lines in nine out of the sixteen episodes of the series. His arch enemy from the Legion of Doom was Giganta, who also happens to be an original arch enemy of Wonder Woman.

Fictional character biography

By speaking the word "Inyuk-chuk" ("Big Man"), Apache Chief could grow to vast sizes. The limit to this ability has never been revealed, but in an episode titled "Colossus", Apache Chief "Inyuk-chuks" himself to cosmic proportions to battle the Colossus, a titanic space creature that plucked Earth from its orbit and placed it in a small (relative to him) glass bottle. He also spoke in stereotypical "Native American English" and recited vaguely Native American philosophy. In some episodes it was shown that he had a superhuman tracking ability as well.

Apache Chief's origin, related in an episode of the animated series, was thus: While still a young brave, he went for a walk with the chief of his tribe. The two men are quickly attacked by a bear, but the chief - recognizing that the young brave might be ready for a test such as this - gives the younger man a pouch of a special magic dust, which will amplify the user's thoughts and abilities a hundredfold. The young man resolves to be strong and brave (heeding the chief's advice that whatever is in his mind at the time, the dust will amplify), and upon sprinkling himself with the dust and invoking the magic phrase "Inuk-chuk", grows a hundred times larger, stronger and braver. He disposes of the bear, without violence, proving that he has passed the test. (Unfortunately, a passerby witnesses the entire affair and steals the dust, using it on herself - and becomes the evil Giganta.)

In relation to the mainstream DC Comics universe

Apache Chief does not appear in the mainstream DC Comics universe, but a somewhat similar character called Manitou Raven was created as an homage to him and joined the canonical JLA. Like Apache Chief, Manitou Raven, and later, Manitou's widow, Manitou Dawn, have both been seen to say 'Inyuk-chuk' when casting spells or invoking powers.

Other versions

The character Long Shadow from the "Justice League Unlimited" series is based directly on him. He has the ability to grow and expand his body to astronomical sizes increasing his strength. Later, he gained enhanced hearing. He has been a member of the Ultimen.

Long Shadow seemed to have the most innocence and had a pacifist quality that caught the eye of Wonder Woman. He also was the only member of the Ultimen that showed interest in joining the Justice League. Long Shadow would be the first to find out that he and the Ultimen were cloned. He told the rest of the Ultimen and they later found out that they were scientifically created and their bodies were deteriorating. While his teammates were blinded by rage and fought the Justice League, he was trying to save people from the chaos the fighting caused. He eventually got Wind Dragon to stop fighting while the others had been defeated. The other Ultimen were incarcerated and he would have forcibly gone with them if not for Wonder Woman and more notably Batman. From that moment until however long he had, implied to be a matter of days, Long Shadow became a member of the Justice League. He apparently died as he is not shown with the other members in "Panic In the Sky" as they fight the Ultimen clones.

In other media

Apache Chief appears several times on "Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law" voiced by Maurice LaMarche. He is one of the few heroes in the show to actually do superhero work, though he admits to taking various odd jobs to make ends meet (including, but not limited to, pornographic films). He first appears as the subject of the episode "Very Personal Injury". He spills hot coffee on his lap, preventing him from "growing larger", a double entendre that becomes a running gag. He tries to sue the coffee shop that served the drink (a parody of Liebeck v. McDonald's Corp.), but the case is dropped when a beautiful witness makes an impassioned speech in court about his plight, causing him to become so "excited" that his power returns. He also makes several sporadic appearances in the background of other episodes, and now has a deep fear of coffee.

In the episode of "Robot Chicken" titled "S&M Present," Britney Spears and her pop-music minions merge together into a giant in order to fight a Pat Morita-trained Joey Fatone, and "Inuk-chuk!" can be heard as they combine.

Apache Chief had a cameo in the "Family Guy" episode "PTV", helping Peter place a satellite dish on his roof, although his catch phrase sounds more like "In-a-chuck" instead of the correct "Inuk-chuck" Afterwards, having nothing else to do, he dejectedly says, "that was the high point of my day" and decides to go gamble.

Also, in "Love Blactually", Quagmire uses the same catchphrase talking about his penis, and sound effects imply that it was also growing.

External links

* [http://seanbaby.com/superfriends/apache.htm Seanbaby's Superfriends: Apache Chief]