Giganta

Giganta is a fictional character, a red-haired super-villainess appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. A longtime enemy of Wonder Woman and an occasional foil for The Atom, Giganta possesses the superhuman ability to increase her physical size and mass, effectively transforming into a giantess. Her first appearance (Wonder Woman #9, volume 1, published in 1944), written by Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston, presents her as a brutish strongwoman with no super powers other than unusual strength. Later adaptations (including appearances on Hanna-Barbera's popular cartoon series Challenge of the Super Friends in the 1970s) introduced Giganta's size-changing ability, a feature of the character which has been retained to date.

Publication history

Giganta was introduced as a foe of the Golden Age Wonder Woman, first appearing in Wonder Woman #9 (volume 1). In the story, a villainous scientist named Professor Zool artificially evolves an ape named Giganta into a malicious red-haired strongwoman. Giganta is ultimately subdued and captured by Wonder Woman and taken to Paradise Island for rehabilitation. In issue #28, she joins a rebellion of prisoners held on the island, thereby becoming a member of the criminal team Villainy Inc. Giganta is not seen again in the comics until 1966, in Wonder Woman #163 (volume 1), in which her origin is revamped to include another member of Wonder Woman's rogues gallery, Doctor Psycho. This appearance also premiered a short-lived update to her look, giving her waist-length blond hair and an even larger physical stature.

Fictional character biography

Giganta is Dr. Doris Zeul, who suffers from a fatal blood disease. She captures Wonder Woman and plans to put her "life-essence" into Wonder Woman's body using an experimental machine. Interrupted by Wonder Girl halfway through the experiment she ends up with her consciousness in a test animal gorilla named Giganta. through unknown means, though Olga was comatose due to a mysterious shaman) and uses the machine to successfully transfer her mind into that body and keeps the villain name "Giganta".

Following her transformation, Giganta allies herself with Queen Clea and the modern incarnation of Villainy Inc. in an attempt to conquer the lost world of Skartaris. Villainy Inc. is defeated by Wonder Woman, but Giganta is subsequently seen as a member of several criminal groups, including the Secret Society of Super Villains.

As part of the Society, she takes part in the "Battle of Metropolis", a confrontation with multiple heroes, including Elasti-Girl, the size-changing member of the Doom Patrol. The Society ultimately loses this battle.

When Diana Prince noted that Giganta's intellect reduces as she grows in size, compelling the villain to become less rational and more prone to violence, she was corrected by her colleagues in the Department of Metahuman Affairs. They implied that Giganta has overcome that limitation and retains her full intelligence at any size.

One Year Later

Giganta, along with The Cheetah and Doctor Psycho, engage in a battle with Donna Troy (who has assumed the identity of Wonder Woman one year after the events of Infinite Crisis), as part of a search for, as they term it, the "real" Wonder Woman (Diana of Themyscira).

Giganta is a teacher at Ryan Choi's Ivy Town University. Infected and controlled by M'Nagalah, the monstrous Cancer god, she was sent to seduce and capture, Ryan Choi, the new Atom, in the process even going so far as to swallow the miniature hero alive (he escapes, and also discovers that she has a tongue piercing). Now free of M'Nagalah's control, a seemingly repentant Dr. Zeul retains her position at Ivy University and has approached Ryan for a second chance, despite the bizarre circumstances of their first meeting.

Before their second date, the Atom is approached by Wonder Woman on behalf of the Department of Metahuman Affairs and asked to wear a wire on his date with Dr. Zeul. After professing her desire to reform, she is informed that Ryan is wearing a wire and tears off the roof of the restaurant to see Wonder Woman and Ryan talking - unaware that Ryan had removed the wire. A fight between Wonder Woman and Giganta ensues. Wonder Woman quickly knocks Giganta out but Ryan intervenes to stop Wonder Woman from beating her further, after admitting she had lost her temper - they realize that Dr. Zeul has disappeared. Whether she heard or saw Ryan's actions to stop her from getting further injuries is yet to be seen.

Giganta as a member of the new Injustice League and she is one of the villains featured in the Salvation Run. Over the course of the series she fights as one of the new incarnations of the Female Furies with Wonder Woman, Batwoman and Catwoman. She is possessed by the spirit of the fury Stompa, and only freed when Supergirl smashes the skull-and-crossbones mask from her face.

Giganta is attacked by Diana while on her way to a date with Ryan Choi, implying that their relationship has survived despite earlier difficulties. Mellower than in her appearances in the All-New Atom series, she seems to accept and respect the shortcomings brought by their different lifestyles, going so far to help Wonder Woman in a mission, reasoning that, with Ryan being a superhero, they should both be used to putting their heroics in front of their private lives.

Most recently, Bane hires her on as one of the new members of Secret Six. The team also includes the shrinking killer, Dwarfstar, who recently hired Deathstroke and his to kill Ryan Choi. Giganta initially seems unaware of this fact, admitting to Dwarfstar that she is dating the Atom (much to Dwarfstar's amusement). Following a disastrous mission to Skartaris, Amanda Waller reveals the details of Ryan's murder to Giganta. After luring Dwarfstar to her bedroom with the promise of sex, Giganta strips him of his belt (the source of his powers) and beats him into submission. She is last heard covering Dwarfstar's mouth with duct tape to stifle his screams, telling him that she plans on keeping him alive so that she can prolong his suffering.

Powers and abilities

Giganta has the ability to increase her size from 6'6" to several hundred feet. These powers seemed to have been given to her magically since the magical power stealing Black Alice is able to copy her powers.

Though her incredible power does not surface until she uses it and grows, she is still quite formidable having some fighting skill and training. In full-size mode, she is nearly as strong and as durable as Wonder Woman.

Giganta is also a brilliant scientist who now retains her full intelligence at any size.

It is presumed that she works out, keeping herself athletically healthy, lean, and muscular.

Giganta's suit is specialized to grow with her and enhances her invulnerability. Even at normal size, it is bulletproof and resistant to extremes of heat and cold.

In other media

Television

Giganta appears in Super Friends voiced by Ruth Forman. She appears as a powerful member of the Legion of Doom. In the TV series, she has the ability to grow to giant size (with accompanying superhuman strength) simply by willing it (at the time, she did not yet possess this ability in the comics). She typically dresses in a leopard skin two-piece loincloth (presumably treating them so that they grow with her when she uses her powers to achieve her gigantic stature), wears large, bangle-like bracelets and anklets, and she is always barefoot (like her original appearances). Her muscular body is a side effect of her powers. In the episode "History of Doom," it was revealed that Giganta was a normal woman who was horseriding when she witnessed Apache Chief using magic dust. The latter used it to grow larger so he could fight off a grizzly bear. Giganta stole the dust and used it on herself, gaining the ability to transform into a powerful, giantess. The dust not only gave the two size changing powers, but influences personality as well. Because Apache Chief was brave when using it he became one hundred times more brave. Because Giganta had evil thoughts, it made her more evil.

Giganta later appeared in the Super Friends short episodes "Two Gleeks are Deadlier Than One" and "Revenge of Doom" again voiced by Ruth Forman. In "Two Gleeks are Deadlier Than One," she and Gorilla Grodd capture Gleek and make an evil clone of him. In "Revenge of Doom," she was present when the Legion of Doom got back together but had no dialogue

as Giganta]]

Giganta also appeared in Legends of the Superheroes played by Aleshia Brevard. In keeping with the show's decidedly low budget, she doesn't demonstrate any ability to grow in size, and instead bends a prop steel bar around Riddler's neck for a "superstrength" effect. She returns in "The Roast" and is interviewed by "Rhoda Rooter" (who is an impression of gossip host Rona Barrett). Rooter interviews Giganta and the Atom about their recent engagement.

Giganta appears in the Justice League episode "Secret Society" voiced by Jennifer Hale. This version has an origin somewhat similar to that in the comics. Unlike her more brutish characterization in the comics Giganta acts in a more feminine manner in the Justice League cartoons, but is still eager for battle according to Hale. She was once a small female ape, transformed by Grodd. In "Secret Society," Giganta recruits The Shade into Grodd's Secret Society. During her first confrontation with the Justice League, she manages to defeat Wonder Woman with help from Killer Frost and later topples the Man of Steel. Then at Gotham Field, Superman is being beaten badly by her, but manages to escape. When he finally is about to strike back, she manipulates him by asking "Wouldn't hit a woman, would you?" Fortunately, Wonder Woman has no problem delivering a blow which knocks her out. While on a mission for Grodd as a backup to retrieve the Viking Prince's corpse, she ends up comatose after the Martian Manhunter tries to read her mind. However in the episode "The Great Brain Robbery", Giganta is seen among the rest of the Secret Society, apparently fully recovered. When the Secret Society becomes divided between Luthor and Grodd, she sides with Luthor, angry with Grodd for shutting off her mind and cheating on her with Tala. When Darkseid attacks the remaining members of the Society, she argues with the Justice League to fight alongside them, going with Green Lantern and Flash to defend Paris. At the end of the series, Giganta sacrifices a few seconds of her allotted five minute head start reward (for helping the League) and plants a fast kiss on the Flash.

Film

Giganta appears in the animated film with her grunts provided by Andrea Romano. She wears the same outfit as in her comic. She is defeated in a few seconds after she tries to kill Superman by stepping on him. Unlike in the aforementioned Justice League episode, "Secret Society," Superman had no problem hitting her this time around.

Video games

Giganta appears as a villain in a cinematic trailer for the upcoming video game DC Universe Online MMORPG, voiced by Lana Lesley. In the cinematic, "Who Do You Trust", the trailer depicts a dark future where Lex Luthor and other villains are engaged in what seems to be a final battle against what's then left of the Justice League. Giganta is seen only briefly crashing down through a building after being struck by the Green Lantern before he begins doing battle with Black Adam. In this depiction, she has her typical appearance and is wearing her modern, One Year Later black-and-yellow costume. In the hero's part of the story, Giganta is in cahoots with Circe in a plot to prepare a spell that would transfer her mind into the body of Wonder Girl. When Giganta succeeds, the players end up fighting Giganta in Wonder Girl's body. After destroying the Convergence Crystals, Giganta ends up back in her own body enabling the players to fight and defeat Giganta with Wonder Girl's help.

Miscellaneous

Giganta appeared in the spin-off comic book Justice League Unlimited #38. She tries to go straight so she could spend time with The Flash. She reveals her intentions angrily once he announces that he is going on a date.

See also

List of Wonder Woman enemies

References

External links

Justice League Animated Bio

Justice League Unlimited Animated Bio

Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman strength Category:DC Comics supervillains Category:Female supervillains Category:Fictional giants Category:Golden Age supervillains Category:Comics characters introduced in 1944 Category:Characters created by William Moulton Marston