Chanoc

Real Name: Chanoc

Identity/Class: Normal human, raised in jungle

Occupation: Adventurer, fisherman

Affiliations: Seku; Chuchu Chuchu (chimp sidekick); Maley (girlfriend), Ixtac Port Authority

Enemies: Puk, Suk (a pair of indomitable cannibals, whose greatest dream was to eat Tsekub), Merecumbé, Pata Larga, vampires

Known Relatives: Tsekub Baloyán (godfather)

Aliases: el Jefe Anclitas (Chief Anchor), cachorro (cub, Tsekub's nickname for him)

Base of Operations: Ixtac

First Appearance: Chanoc, Aventuras de Mar y Selva (Adventures of Sea and Forest, October 1959)

Powers/Abilities: Chanoc is extremely fit, and an adept fighter.

History: Chanoc is an adventurer who battles supernatural foes as well as human ones. He was raised in the jungle but now resides in the cities after he was driven from his home. Accompanied by his ape sidekick and his boastful god-father Seku he seeks excitement.

Comments: Created by writer Ángel Martín de Lucenay, whose story proposal was rejected as a screenplay before Publicaciones Herrerías agreed to publish it as a comic instead. Artist Ángel Mora then developed the character's visuals. Chanoc did subsequently make it to the cinema, starting with Ángel Mora and Carlos Enrique Taboada's Chanoc in April 1967, which starred Andrés García in the title role. Gregorio Casal took up the mantle for  1970's Chanoc en las garras de las fieras (Chanoc in the Claws of the Beast) and 1972's Chanoc contra el tigre y el vampiro (Chanoc against the tiger and the vampire), Humberto Gurza replaced him for 1973's Chanoc en las tarántulas (Chanoc and the Tarantulas), 1975's Chanoc en el foso de las serpientes (Chanoc in the pit of the snakes) and 1977's Chanoc en la isla de los muertos (Chanoc and the island of the dead), Alejandro Fuentes took over for 1979's Chanoc en el circo union (Chanoc in the circus union), and in 1981 Nelson Velázquez portrayed the hero in Chanoc y el hijo del Santo contra los vampiros asesinos (Chanoc and the Son of Santo against the murderous vampires), teaming up with el Hijo del Santo (the Son of Santo) to battle "vampire assassins".

Thanks to Oscar Olivarez, who informed me about Chanoc's jungle origins, his god-father and his sidekick. He notes that "Seku is a funny old man who is always boasting about his feats as a young man, he is a funny old man whot is more amusing than dangerous," and that "the monkey always outsmarts Seku."

Valdemar Ramírez Loaeza informs me that "The name of the old man is Tsekub, and he has a friend named Pata-larga (long leg), a man with only one leg. Other important characters are Sisebuta and Rogaciana, the Wood Nymphs (two very fat women who fall in love with Tsekub.) Often the caracters play football (soccer to the Americans reading this); sometimes they play a sorcerer with an enormous mask that covers him (we only can see his legs and arms). Tsekub often visits a tavern: "El perico marinero" (The Sailor Budgerigar). They all live in Ixtac." He also mentions that the pen name of the artist who draws the strip is Ramón Alonso Grecia. Thanks Valdemar.

Thanks to Roberto Franco Pérez for correcting me as to the identities of Chanoc's creators, and Agustin H Torres for additional notes.

Mario Pineda mentions that "Tsekub Baloyan is also very fond of a certain bootleg liquor called "cañabar" which sometimes gives him incredible powers and reckless behaviour. On occasion he will also use it as fuel for his boat's outboard motor, thus giving it amazing speed." Thanks to him for this information.

Chanoc's boat is called Maley II after his girlfriend. Maley I, his previous boat, was destroyed by a large shark (guess he needed a bigger one!). Tsekub once won the Ixtac F1 Grand Prix, because he used cañabar, his favorite beverage, instead of F1 gas in his tank Thanks to Manny Cano for both these snippets of information, along with the name of Chanoc's girlfriend, and informing me of Puk and Suk.

Chanoc has been adapted to the movies, starting with Chanoc in 1968, starring Andres Garcia as Chanoc and Chano Urueta as his godfather. Thanks to Marco Aurelio for this information. Luis Suner adds "Chanoc is also a natural beast trainerand a biologist, so he often fights wild animals, besides in 2 movies he fought against vampires. He wears a shark fang as a necklace. The character's physical appearance was based on Andres Garcia, who played him in the first movie version."

Thanks to Olga Sanchez de la Vega for correcting me on who created Chanoc.

CLARIFICATIONS: None

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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