Man-Monster

Real Name: Paul Sanders

Identity/Class: Human mutate

Occupation: Olympic swimming champion

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Hellblazer

Known Relatives: Unidentified father (oil well owner)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unknown

First Appearance: Tales of Evil #3 (Atlas Comics, July 1975)

Powers/Abilities: Unknown, apart from a resistance to Hellblazer's heat-ray. I'd presume he was superhumanly strong and somewhat invulnerable.

History: Paul Sanders had been an Olympic swimming champion, so perhaps his decision to show off to a pretty female reporter by swimming out to his father's oil rig wasn't as foolish as it might sound. If it hadn't been for a drill breaching an unexpected cavity beneath the ocean floor and releasing a bizarre bacteria into the water around Paul, his swim would have been uneventful. Instead the bacteria invaded his body, transforming Paul into a giant, amphibious Man-Monster. Passing out, the creature was taken back to the reporter's apartment, where he reverted back to his human appearance.

Later the same day, Paul was awoken by Hellblazer, an old friend who has now adopted a costumed identity to rob Paul's father. He sought to enlist Paul, but while the swimmer had little love for his father, he wasn't willing to see him ruined. Angry, Hellblazer fired his heat ray gun at Paul, who transformed under the barrage into the Man-Monster. After a brief battle in the now burning apartment, Hellblazer flew away. The Man-Monster then rescued the reporter from the flames and carried her to safety, only to be faced by his father and armed police when he reached the street.

Comments: Created by Gary Friedrich, Rich Buckler and Mike Vosburg.

The story ended with a note that the Man-Monster's further adventures could be followed in Man-Monster #1, a title which never saw publication.

Thanks to Mike Murphy for informing me of the existence of this character and providing the image of him.

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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