The MCU has still barely scratched the surface of the Cosmic Marvel Universe, but with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on the horizon, it seems like the film series may be taking a dive into the deep end. With alternate dimensions, returning actors, and Scarlet Witch letting her full power be known, the film is shaping up to be one wild ride.
With a certain tentacled cyclops being glimpsed in the trailer, many fans’ first thoughts went to the agent of chaos Shuma-Gorath. But is Shuma-Gorath really in the film? Reading this list is the only way to be sure…
10 Who Created Shuma-Gorath?
Shuma-Gorath made its first full appearance in 1973’s Marvel Premiere #10 by Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner, however, the character’s true origins date back much further. The character was first mentioned in 1972’s Journey into Mystery #1 by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane which adapted material from Robert E. Howard. Howard is famous for his fantasy works Conan and Kull as well as being close friends with H.P. Lovecraft and helping cement the Cthulhu mythos by incorporating it into his own work. Gorath was first uttered in his stories and as such has legal ties to his estate.
9 What Even Is Shuma-Gorath?
Shuma-Gorath is one of the Great Old Ones often alternatively known as the Many-Angled Ones. Considered the most powerful of his brethren, Gorath possesses many supernatural, and at times ill-defined, abilities that allow each encounter with the nightmare beast to vary. The creature is considered a demon of the highest order and was so powerful it took the efforts of Crom, the god of Conan’s age, to trap the beast so that it could no longer assault the Earth. While a powerful foe in direct combat, Suma-Gorath often employs servants and cultists to do his bidding.
8 Who Is Shuma-Gorath’s Nemesis?
Easily Shuma-Gorath’s most longstanding rival is the Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange. The two have battled dozens of times over the decades and have only quite recently come to some form of an understanding. Gorath eats realities and energies, which as such is why he often comes into conflict with the good Doctor.
However in Savage Avengers by Gerry Duggan and Patch Zircher the Sorcerer Supreme teams up with Conan the Barbarian to battle their mutual foe and eventually comes to realize that Shuma-Gorath, like all things, has its place and role in the multiverse which would be compromised should he ever truly meet his end.
7 Are There More Than One Shuma-Gorath?
Shuma-Gorath exists outside of time and space, making it a singular being throughout the multiverse. Anytime the creature appears it is always the very same monster that threatens the reality of Earth-616. This places Shuma-Gorath on the level of beings such as the Beyonders and other multiversal singularities. Though Gorath rarely gets tied into events on as grand a scale as Secret Wars, it does still pose a cosmic threat to all of reality. Gorath makes rare appearances in other media outside the comics, and as to why will be explained later, so it’s hard to gauge whether these are also the same as the monster comic fans are used to.
6 What Class Of Demon Is Shuma-Gorath?
According to The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror 2005 Shuma-Gorath is an “archetypal Class Three demon”. Being class three denotes that Shuma is an extradimensional demon whereas the lower ranks are terrestrial to their respective universes. This places the being well above creatures like Mephisto and even Chthon who without his magical tome “The Darkhold” is unable to move between dimensions. That doesn’t necessarily mean that lesser beings would be unable to best Shuma-Gorath, as the heroes of Earth often do, but rather that in the cosmic hierarchy of the Marvel Universe the tentacled beast is a bit above their paygrade.
5 What Other Universes Has Shuma-Gorath Traveled To?
Shuma-Gorath is known for consuming beings and realities of great power, and as such, it is unlikely a full catalog of his multiversal exploits could ever be compiled. What is known is that among the many realities he has invaded is Earth-9997, the Earth on which the story Earth-X takes place. While it was put under some scrutiny by Nighthawk as to whether or not it was in fact the real Shuma-Gorath his existence is at least a known factor for the heroes. One invasion that is indisputable is when the demon invaded Earth-9411 also known as the Earth where the UK Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel Super Heroes comic lines take place.
4 What Fighting Game Was Shuma-Gorath In?
Arguably Shuma-Gorath’s most notable appearance outside of the comics is in the line of Capcom made Marvel fighting games. The demon first appeared in 1995’s Marvel Super Heroes and would become a standard playable character for all games in the series up to Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3.
Gorath has a bizarre and wacky moveset with his height and size reduced to that of a standard fighter. In UMvC3 he also has an alternate costume of Quoggoth, his student and spawn. It’s unknown why Capcom and Japan have such a love for the character, but many fans speculate it has some less than safe-for-work connotations.
3 What Makes Shuma-Gorath’s Rights Complicated?
As mentioned, Shuma-Gorath is a creation of the late Robert E. Howard as part of the greater Chthulu mythos. The rights to Shuma-Gorath, as well as Conan the Barbarian and Kull of Atlantis, are currently held by Heroic Signatures who license out select characters to Marvel for use in their comics. This is how Conan was able to join the Savage Avengers and why Shuma remains a standard part of Marvel lore. As such, depictions in content outside the Marvel Comics usually require specific licensing agreements to be made between Marvel and Heroic Signatures. This will become important when it comes to the MCU.
2 Has Shuma-Gorath Appeared In The MCU Already?
Many fans believe that Shuma-Gorath has already appeared in the MCU due to the premiere episode of Marvel’s What If…? which depicted Captain Carter, and alternate reality version of Captain America where it was Peggy Carter and not Steve Rogers who tested the Super Soldier Serum, fighting off a tentacled and otherworldly threat that appeared through a Nazi-run portal. The monster is never explicitly named, although generally if there were to be a Chthulu like tentacle monster in a Marvel property Shuma-Gorath would make the most sense to appear. At least so one would think.
1 Is Shuma-Gorath In The Doctor Stranger Sequel?
Kinda. Appearing in the trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is an almost exact replica of Shuma-Gorath as they appear in Marvel Comics. However, as official statements come out and LEGO sets are revealed, the creature is actually named Gargantos. Gargantos first appeared in Sub-Mariner #13 by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin as an Atlantean beast who did battle with Namor. The reason for this confusion is due to the aforementioned connections to Heroic Signatures and Robert E. Howard.
If Marvel was to include Shuma-Gorath in a film they would have to strike a deal for the name and other minor elements from the original stories. However, since most of what makes Shuma-Gorath the creature fans know and love was introduced in the comics they can still use those elements by simply giving their monster a different name. So while the creature in the Doctor Strange sequel is not technically Shuma-Gorath, it does walk and talk like the figurative duck fans are after.
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