HANUMAN

Real Name: Hanuman

Occupation: General of the Monkey-Gods, Warrior

Legal Status: Citizen of Nirvana

Identity: The general populace of Earth is unaware of the existence of Hanuman except as a mythological character.

Other Aliases: None

Place of Birth: Lanka (modern Ceylon)

Marital Status: Married

Known Relatives: Yayu (father), Anjana (father), Bhima (brother), Kesari (wife), Hidimba (sister-in-law), Ghatothacha (nephew), Indra, Agni, Surya (uncles), Tvashtri (grandfather), Ushas, Ratri (aunts), Yama, Soma, Sugriva (cousins), Dyaus (grandfather), Prithivi (grandmother), Varuna (great-grandfather), Madira (great-grandmother),

Group Affiliations: The Hindu Gods, General of the Monkey Armies of Nirvana, ally of Rama

Base of Operations: Sri Lanka in the dimension of Nirvana

First Appearance: Wonder Woman II #149

History: Hanuman is the son of Vayu, a member of a race of extra-dimensional beings who were worshipped as gods by the ancient Vedic and Hindu Empires. Unlike the more humanoid members of the Hindu gods, Hanuman was born with inherent primate features including a tail as well as exceptional skills in speed and agility. Renowned for his powers, Hanuman became the leader of the monkey-god armies of Nirvana ruled by King Sugriva, the son of Indra the thunder-god. The armies of monkey-gods were Nirvana's first line of defense against the Rakshasas, the foremost enemies of the gods. When the Rakshasas finally laid siege to Nirvana, Agni the fire-god, brother of Vayu, spirited Hanuman off to safety. The Rakshasas eventually claimed the island of Lanka on earth as well, driving the monkey-gods into exile.

In the Tenth Century BC, the hero Rama, one of the mortal avatars of the god Vishnu, became close friends of Hanuman. When Rama's wife, Sita, was kidnapped by Ravanna of the Rakshasas, Hanuman invaded Lanka on a covert mission to look for her. Sita gave him her ring to prove she was still alive, but he was discovered. As he tried to escape, the Rakshasas set fire to his tail and he set fire to their city as he escaped. King Sugriva rallied the monkey-gods to Rama's side to build a bridge for them to invade Lanka, and Hanuman lead the monkey armies to rescue Sita. During the battle, Rama and his brother, Lakshmana, were fatally injured and Hanuman rushed to the Himalayas to obtain the plant to heal them and save their lives.

Eventually, the Rakshasas were overthrown and the Devas gained control of the heavens. Hanuman became one of the most revered Hindu deities; monkeys were never armed in India for fear of earning his wrath. In recent years, a statue of Hanuman was animated against Daimon Hellstrom and his wife Patsy (who is better known as the costumed heroine Hellcat). A few years later, Nirvana was attacked by a new threat from the Titan Cronus using Nirvana as his foothold in invading Elysium, the Judeo-Christian afterlife. The Titaness Oblivion mentally enslaved the monkey-gods against the Devas, but Hanuman rallied his forces with the help of Wonder Woman and Rama against their foes. Further aided by the Olympian gods, Hanuman and the Hindu gods ousted Cronus and his allies from Nirvana, freeing his armies from Oblivion's control.

As of recent, Hanuman and the Hindu gods are at peace once more. Their reverence as granted them kinship with the majority of gods and other pantheons of immortals worshipped by mortals on earth.

Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 310 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

Unusual Physical Features: Hanuman has several simian characteristics including hair over his body and a tail.

Strength Level: Hanuman possesses superhuman strength, but to an unknown degree. The average Hindu god can lift (press) about 30 tons under optimal conditions.

Known Superhuman Powers: Hanuman possesses the conventional physical attributes of the Devas or Hindu gods. Like the Hindu gods, he is exceptionally long-lived, but he is not immortal like the Olympian gods. He ages at an extremely slow rate and cannot die by any conventional means. He is immune to all Earthly diseases and is resistant to conventional injury. If he were somehow wounded, his godly life force would enable him to recover with superhuman speed. It would take an injury of such magnitude that it dispersed a major portion of his bodily molecules to cause him a physical death. Even then, it might be possible for a god of significant power, such as Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva or for a number of Hindu gods of equal power working together to revive him. Hanuman also possesses superhuman strength and his Deva metabolism provides him with far greater than human endurance in all physical activities. (Deva flesh and bone is about three times as dense as similar human tissue, contributing to Deva superhuman strength and weight.)

Hanuman possesses incredible strength and speed over most of the Hindu gods enabling him to move fast enough that he cannot be caught. His leaping ability is powerful enough that he can jump from the coast of India to the island of Lanka (about 50 miles) in a single bound. His skin, bones and muscles are dense enough that he cannot be injured. He can move at almost 75 miles an hour, and his slender frame and level of agility allows him to get through most openings down to a foot in diameter. He can also use his tail as a third arm to lift and carry objects up to five hundred pounds in size.

Abilities: Hanuman is an exceptional warrior employing both armed and unarmed combat with his speed and agility.

Weapons: Hanuman is proficient with all forms of Hindu weaponry.

Comments: This bio includes Hanuman as he has appeared in the Marvel and DC Universes.

In his comic appearances, Hanuman's likenesses have been compared to African chimps and gorillas, but his most faithful depictions depict him closer to langur monkeys, primates actually native to India.

Clarifications: Hanuman is possibly not to be confused with:  

Last updated: 04/18/07

 

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