| Tundra | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Alpha Flight #1 (Aug 1983) |
| Created by | John Byrne |
| In-story information | |
| Team affiliations | Great Beasts |
| Notable aliases | The Land Beast |
Tundra is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer and artist John Byrne, the character first appeared in Alpha Flight #1 (August 1983). [1] He is a mystical spirit which inhabits an ever-growing mass of Canadian land in gargantuan semi-humanoid form, and is the enemy of the Inuit gods whom he trapped in another dimension. [2]
Tundra debuted in Alpha Flight #1 (August 1983), was created by John Byrne. The character subsequently appeared in Alpha Flight #24 (July 1985), [3] #38 (September 1986), #55 (February 1988), and #64 (November 1988). [4] He appeared in X-Man #39-40 (July 1998), and Wolverine #172 (March 2002).
Tundra is the first of the Great Beasts confronted by Alpha Flight. [5] In a mystic ritual, a possessed Richard Easton traces a gigantic human shape in the barren land of Canada's Northwest Territories and then dons a metallic crown that summons the spirit of Tundra. Easton's corpse animates, the land mimicking the corpse's movement, until Tundra rises in the shape of a humanoid mass of earth. According to Shaman, Tundra was supposed to be controlled by the mind of the human who summoned him, but because of Richard Easton's weakened state, Tundra's real personality quickly took over.[ volume & issue needed ]
Tundra intends on causing destruction and cannot be persuaded otherwise by Shaman or Snowbird. Furthermore, technological attacks on Tundra as those from Guardian cause violent tremors in the surrounding land that threaten to cause severe damage throughout Canada. Sasquatch manages to temporarily wound Tundra by tearing off large portions of body mass, with Northstar and Aurora eroding him further with a wind vortex. Realizing that naturally eroding Tundra is the only safe way to defeat him, Shaman creates a rainstorm to finish him off. [5]
During Chaos War , Sasquatch summons the Great Beasts to Earth to kill Amatsu-Mikaboshi. Snowbird ends up freezing them, after which Mikaboshi impales them with his tendrils, presumably killing them.[ volume & issue needed ]
Tundra's powers stem from the land itself. He can summon mosquitoes, hurl boulders from his body, and increase his size by absorbing land mass. Since he is connected to the land, earthquake-style upheavals occur in the surrounding area when he is injured.