Ego the Living Planet

Superherobox|

caption=Ego battles Thor and Galactus on the cover of "Thor" #161 (Feb. 1969) Art by Jack Kirby.
character_name=Ego the Living Planet
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Thor" #132 (Oct. 1966)
creators=Stan Lee (writer)
Jack Kirby (artist)
alter_ego=
alliances=Elders of the Universe
aliases=
supports=
powers=Matter manipulation
Psionic powers|

Ego the Living Planet is a fictional extraterrestrial being that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in "Thor" #132 (Oct. 1966) and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby.

Publication history

Ego the Living Planet was initially introduced in the Marvel comic book "The Mighty Thor" issue #132 (September 1966), and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. An early adversary of Thor, Ego also appeared in issues #133 (October 1966), issues #155 (Aug. 1968), #160-161 (Jan. - Feb. 1969) and #226 - 228 (Aug. - Oct. 1974).

The character also featured in several comics over the following decades, including "Fantastic Four" #234 - 235 (Sep. - Oct. 1981); "Rom" #69 (Aug. 1985); "Silver Surfer" #4 (Oct. 1987) and #22 (Apr. 1989); "Quasar" #14 - 15 (Sep. - Oct. 1990); "Thor Annual" #16 (1991); "Thor" #448 - 450 (June -Aug. 1992) and "" #5 - 6 (July - Aug. 2003).

Ego also played a prominent role in the "Maximum Security" storyline, appearing in "Avengers" #35 (Dec. 2000); "Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet" (Oct. 2000); "Iron Man" #34 - 35 (Nov. - Dec. 2000); "X-Men Unlimited" #29 (Dec. 2000); "Gambit" #23 (Dec. 2000) and "Maximum Security" #1 - 3 (Dec. 2000 - Jan. 2001).

Ego-Prime was a being created using a portion of Ego, and appeared in "Thor" #199 (May 1972), #201-203 (July-September 1972), and "Quasar" #14-15 (September-October 1990).

"Alternate reality" versions of Ego have appeared in a number of titles as well. A version of Ego was featured under the Amalgam Comics imprint, in "Iron Lantern" #1 (June 1997). Ego has also appeared in alternate versions of the Marvel Universe, in "Exiles" #53 (December 2004), "Marvel Zombies 2" #1 (December 2007), and "Marvel Adventures: The Avengers" #12 (June 2007), for younger readers.

Ego the Living Planet also appeared in the "Oni Press Color Special." [comicbookdb|type=issue|id=40618|title=Oni Press Color Special]

Fictional character biography

Like all celestial bodies, Ego condensed from gas and dust in the "Black Galaxy" to become a planet. For some inexplicable reason, however, this particular planet achieved sentience and the ability to move of its own volition. Ego then began absorbing space vessels and even other worlds to survive, planning interstellar conquest. It was this behavior that attracts the attention of the Rigellian Colonizers, who fear that the nearby Ego will consume their home-world.

The Rigellians discovered Earth, and promised to leave it unmolested if the Thunder God Thor would defeat Ego. Accompanied by a Rigellian Recorder, Thor encounters Ego and after an epic battle defeats it. As a result, Ego vows to never leave the Black Galaxy and renounced its plans of conquest. ["Thor" #132 - 133 (Sep. - Oct. 1966)] Several months later, a weakened Galactus invades Ego's space and seeks to replenish his energy by consuming Ego. Thor aids Ego in battling Galactus, and generates a massive God Blast that drives Galactus off. In gratitude Ego allows its surface to become the new home of the Wanderers, a race whose planet had been the very first to be devoured by Galactus billions of years ago. ["Thor" #160 - 161 (Jan. - Feb. 1969)]

A well-meaning Rigellian took a sample of Ego's form, in the hope that this could be used to fertilize sterile worlds being considered for habitation. ["Thor" #201] This act drives Ego insane, and it soon gives in to its primordial urges and absorbs the Wanderers, which causes Thor to side with a returning Galactus. Assisted by ally Hercules and Galactus' herald, Firelord, Thor holds Ego off until Galactus attaches a massive starship engine to Ego's south pole, which drives the planet constantly through space and thereby prevents it from being a threat to other planets and populated sections of the universe. ["Thor" #227 - 228 (Sep. - Oct. 1977)]

Years later, Ego eventually gains control of the engine and tracks Galactus to Earth seeking vengeance, but is unable to locate him. Ego began attacking Earth until finally stopped by the Fantastic Four and an unknown mutant known as L.R "Skip" Collins. It was on this occasion that Ego was destroyed — the Thing removes the attached propulsion engine and threw it into Ego's "brain", causing an angered Ego to activate it, which unintentionally drives the planet into the Sun. Ego's substance is then broken apart by the Sun's gravitational pull. ["Fantastic Four" #234 - 235 (Sep. - Oct. 1981)]

Ego, however, slowly reforms from a few surviving particles and repairs the propulsion unit. Ego then digested a number of Dire Wraiths to replenish its' energy reserves, and battles the Spaceknight Rom. ["Rom" #69 (Aug. 1985)]

Ego later joined the Elders of the Universe, as like them it is the only one of its kind in existence. The Elders planned to destroy Galactus, although Ego was sidelined before the confrontation when defeated by the Silver Surfer. ["Silver Surfer" vol. 3, #4 (Oct. 1987)] Ego later captured the Silver Surfer, and attempts to consume his energies. ["Silver Surfer" vol. 3, #22 (Apr. 1989)] After being used as a pawn by the Supreme Intelligence in a bid to reestablish the Kree Empire, Ego threatened Earth one final time before being absorbed by the cosmic hero Quasar. ["Quasar" #14 - 15 (Sep. - Oct. 1990)]

Ego later attacks a Korbinite fleet and fights the hero Beta Ray Bill. Ego reveals to Bill that Galactus' propulsion unit is driving Ego mad, and the fleet subsequently destroy the propulsion unit. ["Thor Annual" #16 (1991)] A sentient bio-verse, initially described as "Super-Ego", then begins to consume Ego, but Ego eventually escapes. ["Thor" #448 - 450 (June - Aug. 1992)] Driven mad again by the Supreme Intelligence, Ego battles Professor X and Cadre K. ["Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet" (Oct. 2000)] Ego is subsequently captured and sent to Earth as an "infant" in spore form. ["Iron Man" #34 - 35 (Nov. - Dec. 2000)] Ego begins to consume the Earth as it grows, and is absorbed into Quasar to prevent this. ["Maximum Security" #1 - 3 (Dec. 2000 - Feb. 2001)] Ego is later one of the beings who oppose Thanos in his bid to become all powerful. ["Marvel Universe: The End" #5 - 6 (July - Aug. 2003)]

Powers and abilities

Ego is exceptionally intelligent, although as its name suggests, it harbors an extreme superiority complex and can be emotional if thwarted. Ego is propelled through space via the engine Galactus implanted on it and can travel at faster than light speeds (for unknown reasons, Ego is unable to remove the powerful propulsion unit placed at its south pole). Ego has total control over its entire mass down to the molecular level; it often shapes its surface into the appearance of a gigantic face to address powerful beings, and can also shape its terrain to suit the circumstances. It is able to use its own substance to extrude tentacles, organic sensors, plant-like growth, and to create humanoid vessels for its consciousness. It can shape its surface to appear as a dead inhospitable world, or into an idyllic, lush green paradise to lure unaware space travelers to its surface, which it promptly consumes. Ego possesses various internal features analogous to a living organism, such as gigantic tunnels that have been compared to arteries, and a gigantic brain-like organ deep below its surface. Ego possesses both digestive organs, which it uses when absorbing living beings, and an immune system with which to create powerful antibodies to destroy beings which resist absorption.

Other versions

Amalgam Comics

During the "Amalgam Comics" intercompany crossover event between Marvel Comics and DC Comics, a new character named Oa the Living Planet was created by merging DC's Oa with Marvel's Ego the Living Planet. ["Iron Lantern" #1 (June 1997)]

Exiles

An alternate universe version of Ego is a deadly enemy of the cosmic entities the Celestials, and deliberately attempts to spoil their delicate experimentation on other worlds. Ego is eventually killed when Blink teleports one of Doctor Doom's devices into Ego's brain. This incarnation of Ego also made Earth into a sentient planet similar to itself. ["Exiles" #53 (Dec. 2004)]

Marvel Adventures

Ego takes an amourous interest in the Earth but flees once the Avengers are alerted for fear of being "infected". ["Marvel Adventures Avengers" #12 (2007)]

Marvel Zombies

In an alternate universe many of the "zombified" Marvel heroes have gained cosmic power after killing and eating Galactus. After decades in space, they encounter Ego and devour it. ["Marvel Zombies 2" #1 (2007)]

In other media

Television

* Ego appeared in the "Fantastic Four" episode "To Battle the Living Planet" voiced by Kay E. Kuter.
* Ego the Living Planet appeared in the "Silver Surfer" animated series voiced by Roy Lewis.

Notes

References

*comicbookdb|type=character|id=3879|title=Ego the Living Planet
*cite web |url=http://www.marvel.com/universe/Ego |title=Ego the Living Planet page on Marvel.com |accessdate=2008-03-07 |publisher=marvel.com

External links

* [http://www.marveldatabase.com/Ego Marvel Comics Database entry]