Golem (comics)

The Golem is the name of a number of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. These include:

Monster

Golem
Cover to Strange Tales #174 (June 1974). Pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Dick Giordano, or possibly Tony DeZuniga and John Romita.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Strange Tales #174 (June, 1974)
Created by	Len Wein John Buscema
In-story information
Alter ego	not applicable
Team affiliations	S.H.I.E.L.D. Howling Commandos
Abilities	Supernatural strength and durability

Publication history

The Golem first appeared in Strange Tales #174 (June 1974), and was created by Len Wein and John Buscema.

The character also appears in Strange Tales #176-177 (October, December 1974), Marvel Two-in-One #11 (September 1975), The Hood #3 (September 2002), #5-6 (November–December 2002), and Nick Fury's Howling Commandos #2 (February 2006).

Fictional character biography

Golem is a humanoid creature that was made in the 16th century by Judah Loew Ben Bezalel. It was made from purple stone or clay and protected the Jewish people from persecutors in Prague. In later years it was reanimated by Professor Abraham Adamson’s life force as Adamson died.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

Golem later became a member of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Howling Commandos Monster Force.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

Powers and abilities

Golem is 8 ft (2.4 m) tall and has superhuman strength which it draws from the land as long as it is in contact with the Earth.

Invaders ally

Golem
The Golem makes his first cover appearance. From The Invaders #13
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Invaders #12 (January, 1977)
Created by	Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins and Frank Springer
In-story information
Alter ego	Jacob Goldstein
Team affiliations	Invaders
Abilities	Super strength Invulnerability

Publication history

This character first appeared in Invaders #12 (January 1977) as Goldstein, and was created by Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins and Frank Springer; he appeared in Invaders #13 (February 1977) as Golem.

The character subsequently appears in The Invaders #2-4 (June–August 1993).

Fictional character biography

Jacob Goldstein, the brother of the Blue Bullet, was a resident of the Jewish ghetto of Warsaw, Poland, during World War II. He mystically transformed himself into a Golem in order to fight the Nazis. He assisted the Invaders when his brother was kidnapped by Doctor Death.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

Powers and abilities

In Golem form, Jacob was a hulky humanoid of 3 m (9.8 ft) in height. His skin was hard as stone, giving him a good degree of invulnerability. His strength was greater than Captain America's but less than Namor's.

Hood foe

Golem
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Hood #2 (August 2002)
Created by	Eric Powell, Kyle Hotz and Brian K. Vaughan
In-story information
Alter ego	Dennis Golembuski
Team affiliations	Kingpin

Dennis Golembuski was the grandson of a Polish freedom fighter who immigrated to America. Dennis may or may not have killed a man at the age of eight. He spent some time working as an underboss for Kingpin, but he quit. He began to work for a mysterious new master.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

Later he had Mosh brought to him for robbing a liquor store under his "protection". Mosh refused to hand over a percentage of his take from the robbery. So Golem and his assistant Madame Rapier kill Mosh. He recruited the Constrictor, Shocker and Jack O'Lantern to help protect a batch of "bloodstones". After the Hood arrived and stole half the diamonds, he gave Madam Rapier a list of pawn shops for them to scout, in case Hood tried to sell them. Hood arrived at the Golem's office and asking for a cut of the diamonds if he returned the rest undamaged. Golem agreed, but after the Hood left, told Rapier to kill the thief at their rendezvous.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

After the Hood double-crossed Rapier, knowing she planned to double-cross him, she was killed in a hail of police gunfire. The Hood confronted Jack O'Lantern and the other super villains. He handed the diamonds over to them, telling them to tell Golem to just leave him alone. After they reported back to him, he promised that nothing was ended between him and the Hood.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

Powers and abilities

Dennis apparently possesses no powers beyond those of a normal man his age.

Other Golems

• Joseph, a resident of Yancy Street, was known as Golem. Joseph was brought over to the United States from the old country by Loew, the creator of the original Golem. Joseph was buried under a building as persecutors dropped away and unearthed decades later with the building's destruction. He began mimicking the protective/defensive actions of the Yancy Street Gang against outsiders but was confronted by the Thing. He was then sent to sleep in the East River by Grimm. Golem first appeared in Marvel Knights 4 #22 (November, 2005). He was created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer) and Valentine De Landro (artist).
• In Warheads #2, a being known as Golem briefly possessed Leona MacBride and then Mr. Grant. ^[1]
• A member of the Vampire Hunters is Inspector Judiah Golem. He first appeared in Tomb of Dracula vol. 3 #4.
• Agents of Cagliostro were known as the Golems. They first appeared in Dr. Strange Annual #2.

Reception

The Golem was ranked #26 on a listing of Marvel Comics' monster characters in 2015. ^[2]

Bibliography

• Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #134
• Marvel Handbook: The 1970
• Marvel Two-In-One #11
• Nick Fury's Howling Commandos #1-6
• Strange Tales #174, 176-177

See also

See also: Golem (disambiguation)

References

1. Warheads #2
2. Buxton, Marc (October 30, 2015). "Marvel's 31 Best Monsters". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on September 30, 2018. This Golem was infused with compelling Jewish lore and really captured the ancient feel of the Hebrew legend.

External links

• Golem (monster) at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Golem (Goldstein) at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Judiah Golem at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Golem (Hood foe) at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe