Zuma

Real Name: Zuma

Identity/Class: Demi-god

Occupation: Conqueror and destroyer

Affiliations: (former) Dino

Enemies: Galema; Dino

Known Relatives: Kukulkan (Aztec serpent god, father); Galema (daughter); Dino (son)

Aliases: "King of the Snakes"

Base of Operations: Originally Central and South America.

First Appearance: Aztec

Powers/Abilities: Able to command snakes. Usually accompanied by a giant two-headed snake whose bite was powerful enough to decapitate a man. Immune to bullets.

History: Something of a demigod, Zuma was the son of the aztec serpent god Kukulkan. He had been entombed in a buried aztec pyramid until it was unearthed by an archaeological expedition. Unleashed into the modern world, he went on a murderous rampage. He took a bride, a madwoman who bore him a daughter, Galema. She looked almost human, but she was born with a two-headed snake around her neck like her father. Ironically, she held the key to her father's downfall. As Zuma held up his daughter, her snakes bit him. As it turned out, Galema's venom was toxic to her own father. Zuma appeared to die, and it seemed as though his reign of terror had ended. But only for a while.

Zuma had not died, but had only gone into hibernation. He awoke years later to resume his war on humanity. His arch-nemesis turned out to be his now grown-up daughter Galema, who had been raised by human foster parents and stood on the side of good. Zuma sired another child, the dinosaur-man Dino. For a time, Dino stood by his father's side, but later turned against him after falling in love with a human.

Comments: Created by Jim Fernandez.

Thanks to Oli Reyes for first informing me about Zuma and providing initial information. He mentions "There were at least two, possibly three Zuma movies, all of them in the 1980s. At least one of them is very infrequently shown in local cable.

Zuma looked almost exactly like the Martian Manhunter, with bald head and green skin. But his face would always possess a demonic glee, since he was, supposed to be a demonic creature. His most distinct feature would be a giant two-headed snake (one head on each end) which he would wear on his neck and rest on his shoulders, something like a lei. This snake was his primary mode of dispatching enemies, and their bite was powerful enough to decapitate an enemy.

Zuma was a conspicuous figure. Everytime he'd emerge in public, the government would always send out the army against him. However, he was of course immune from bullets.

Zuma was played in the movies by Max Laurel. In one movie, Zuma had a daughter named Galema. She was played by a young Snooky Serna, who was one of the more formidable box-office stars of the late 1980's"

Aris B. Panganiban wrote in with excellent additional information. He provided the more detailed history used above, and noted "He's not really a superhero, but more of a villain, really, or an anti-hero at best. Think Prince Namor with an appetite for human hearts.

The character of Zuma first appeared in the comic serial "Aztec." The character reached the peak of his popularity in the 1980's with the serial "Anak ni Zuma" ("Child of Zuma" or "Children of Zuma") in Aliwan Komiks. It spawned a spin-off prequel "Angkan ni Zuma" ("Ancestor of Zuma" or "Clan of Zuma"), chronicling Zuma's adventures in ancient times. "Zuma-Maria" was a science-fiction tale about his future descendant. In the mid-1990's, Zuma was revived in a short-lived comic book series all his own, Zuma Komiks (Zuma Comics).

There have only been two Zuma movies to date, "Zuma" and "Anak ni Zuma," both starring actor Max Laurel in the title role. Snooky Serna played Galema in the first film only (the role was played in the sequel by a little-known actress named Jenny Lyn). Max Laurel appeared in other films, but was primarily a character actor."

CLARIFICATIONS: None

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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