Wundarr the Aquarian

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caption=
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Wundarr the Aquarian
real_name=Wundarr
species=Dakkamite
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut=(as Wundarr) "Fear" #17 (Oct 1973)(as Aquarian) "Marvel Two-in-One" #58 (Dec 1979)
creators= (Wundarr) Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik (The Aquarian) Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=
aliases=Herald of the New Age
powers=|

Wundarr the Aquarian is a Marvel Comics character created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik in Adventure into Fear #17. His first appearance is thought of as a parody of the origin of Superman.Fact|date=June 2008

Publication history

Wundarr first appeared in "Adventure into Fear" #17 (October 1973), written by Steve Gerber. Before long he became a frequent supporting character in "Marvel Two-in-One", appearing in #2-4 (March, May, July 1974), and #8 (March 1975) by Steve Gerber, and issue #9 (May 1975) by Steve Gerber and Chris Claremont), and making a guest appearance in "Ms. Marvel" #15 (also written by Chris Claremont). After Gerber's run on Marvel-Two-in-One, Wundarr mostly disappeared until the Project Pegasus saga (written by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio), in which he became "The Aquarian." His later appearances in "Marvel Two-in-One" were in issues #42 (August 1978), 53 (August 1979), 55-58 (September-December 1979), 64, 69 (all written by Ralph Macchio and Mark Gruenwald), and issue #74 (by Mark Gruenwald).

After "Marvel Two-in-One", the Aquarian appeared in "Captain America Annual" #7 (Peter Gillis), "Quasar" #4 (December 1989) (Mark Gruenwald), "Marvel Comics Presents" #46 (March 1990) (Fabian Nicieza), "Quasar" #28 (November 1991), 50 (September 1993) (Mark Gruenwald), "What If" v2 #25: "What If The Marvel Super Heroes Had Lost Atlantis Attacks" (written and illustrated by Jim Valentino), *"Avengers West Coast" #97 (August 1993) (by Roy Thomas), "Spider-Man Team-Up" #6 (by Larry Hama). Some time later, he appeared in "The Thing" #8 (August 2006) and "World War Hulk: Front Line" #4 (November 2007). He appeared again in "Marvel Zombies 3" #1 (December 2008).

Aquarian received an entry in the original "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe" #1, in the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition" #1 and in the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition" #21.

Relaunch candidate

In 2005, Marvel.com presented four characters to be relaunched. The Aquarian was one of these choices and took second place to Death's Head. Steve Gerber asked his fans on the Howard the Duck Yahoo! Group to vote against a revival of the character, since he would have neither creative control nor receive financial compensation from such a relaunch.

Fictional character biography

Early years

On a distant planet called Dakkam, a scientist named Hektu had come to believe that the sun going nova would destroy his world. In a last effort to save his family, he and his wife, Soja, had an infant son named Wundarr, whom they planned to save from their world's destruction. They placed him aboard a ship that would maintain his life support as long as necessary, and launched him into outer space. Hektu and Soja later made flight and were captured and executed by the Internal Security Force to prevent them from alarming the populace. It would later be found out that Hektu's apocalyptic prediction was incorrect, and that he sent his son away for nothing.

In July, 1951, Wundarr's ship was caught by Earth's gravitational pull, and passed through a layer of cosmic rays before entering Earth's atmosphere, and crashing in a Florida swamp. An elderly couple known only as Maw and Paw observed the crash from their car. Paw considered checking out the crash site, but Maw insisted that it might've contained Martians or Communists and demanded that he ignore it.(Maw and Paw being possible parodies of the couple that found the crashed Superman). He therefore stayed in the ship for a number of years, growing to physical maturity, though keeping the mind of a child. Twenty years later, Wundarr was released, and the first creature he sees is Man-Thing, which he is convinced is his mother. He learns very quickly of his amazing strength, and bests Man-Thing in battle. Man-Thing's continued attempts to be left alone result in Wundarr eventually deciding that Man-Thing is not his mother. ["Adventure into Fear" #17]

With his great leaping ability, he eventually reaches the base that once belonged to Dr. Hydro, where Namor and Namorita are trying to rehabilitate the population of transformed humans. Namor believes that he is a malicious intruder, and quickly scares him off. Two Dakkam officials, Tuumar and Zeneg, despite their belief that Wundarr is stupid, believe that Wundarr may seek to avenge his father, and send a Mortoid robot to assassinate him. Wundarr's leaps bring him down in New York City, where he encounters Ben Grimm walking home from a screening of "Five Fingers of Death". Landing in the middle of traffic, Wundarr is hurt, and lashes back childishly, throwing the cars around. Ben pulls no punches trying to stop him, but quickly realizes he is not dealing with a supervillain. Namor and Namorita, having followed Wundarr, try to restrain Ben, which leads to fisticuffs between Namor and Ben. ["Marvel Two-in-One" #2, 4] Wundarr also found himself menaced by the Tiger Shark. ["Ms. Marvel" #58]

Tuumar and Zeneg use this as the opportunity to kill Wundarr "for tranquility". When Ben and Namor team up and destroy the Mortoid, Tuumar and Zeneg flee, and Ben is left to be "Unca Benjy" to Wundarr, whom Reed Richards determines to be of high intellect, but with the knowledge and experience of a child. Reed built Wundarr a containment suit that enabled his body to expel small amounts of energy so that his body would not overload.

The Aquarian

Wundarr was captured by the Project Pegasus leaders in order to test his abilities. During these tests, the project leaders decided to use his energy-dampening abilities to probe the Cosmic Cube, a device of great cosmic power. While probing, the Cosmic Cube overloaded Wundarr's mind and body, sending him into an autistic coma (though his energy-dampening field still functioned). ["Marvel Two-in-One" #42] This overload of energy greatly boosted his abilities, both mental and physical, giving him his power "dampening" ability. ["Marvel Two-in-One" #53] Being in communication with the Cube, though for but a short time, he was granted great knowledge and a sense of purpose. He awoke from his coma, and was further transformed by the Cosmic Cube. In light of his new knowledge, renamed himself The Aquarian. His new power allowed him to defeat the Nth Man. ["Marvel Two-in-One" #55-58] Since then, he roams somewhat aimlessly, seeking to bring peace and enlightenment to the Earth. For a time, he led the Water-Children, a philosophical cult dedicated to pacifism and awaiting the coming of the Celestial Messiah.

Aquarian served as a psychic "nesting place" for the Cosmic Cube, just before it awoke to sentience. ["Captain America Annual" #7] Aquarian was attacked by fellow Dakkamite Quantum, but was saved by the hero Quasar. ["Quasar" #4] Aquarian also aided Doctor Strange in preventing planet-wide disasters on Earth. ["Quasar" #25, 28]

The Initiative

After joining the program he was assigned a position on the Florida Initiative Team, "The Command" with Jennifer Kale and Siege. This team is the first to encounter the Marvel Zombies, who have made a breach into the Marvel Universe through the Nexus of Realities. He is then bitten on the shoulder by by a zombified Deadpool, whom Wundarr throws into the blades of a nearby skiff; Kale activates them, reducing Deadpool to a bloody pulp. Wundarr goes into a form of "hibernation" in an energy cocoon in order to stave off the zombie infection, and is later shown still in this state quarantined at A.R.M.O.R. headquarters. ["Marvel Zombies 3" #1]

Powers and abilities

Exposure to cosmic rays granted superhuman powers to Wundarr, and radiation from the Earth's sun causes all Dakkamites to undergo further mutagenic effects.

Initially, Wundarr could absorb energy directly into his body. This energy was converted into kinetic energy which could be used to increase his physical strength (allowing him to bench up to 15 tons), in leaping, or in energy projection. To keep him from building up more energy than his body could handle, Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four built him a suit that would allow him to "drain" the energy in his body.

After the exposure to the energies of the Cosmic Cube, the Aquarian could create a field around his body that nullified nearly all forms of energy (kinetic, electrical, magnetic, gamma, gravitational, etc.) that are higher than a certain preset level, which he called his "null field". For example, a bullet contains a level of kinetic energy higher than what his Null field will allow for, so once the bullet enters his field, its energy is nullified. His own body is subject to this field, and he cannot move any faster than it will allow. This field naturally resides five feet from his body, and he can never disable it. With concentration, however, he can contract this field to within five inches, or expand it to 500 feet.

*Physical strength - He has a great deal of physical strength, as shown in his besting of Man-Thing in battle. After his confrontation with the Cosmic Cube, his strength was lowered to the point of benching 1 ton.

*Leaping/flying - Wundarr has the ability to leap great distances. After his contact with The Cosmic Cube, however, his Null field negated any energy from leaping. However, since his Null field can negate gravity and wind, he can literally walk on air, via directed motion hovering.

*Knowledge - After being in contact with the Cosmic Cube, he is left with an unimaginable knowledge which he calls "Everything and Nothing". He appears to have strong grasp on the properties of life and death, as well as peace and discourse. He is sometimes shown transmitting (through touch) this knowledge to other beings, often in order to create harmony.

References

External links

* [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Aquarian The Marvel Universe official character bio]
* [http://www.classicmarvel.com/cast/aquarian.htm Wundarr the Aquarian's bio on ClassicMarvel.com]