Zabu
Encyclopedia
Zabu is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe
, a superhero
who is connected primarily to the Savage Land
, and the X-Men
, and most recently the Avengers
(by way of the "Pet Avengers"). He first appeared in X-Men #10 (Mar 1965). He is the last known living Smilodon
and is a companion and ally of Ka-Zar
.
. While still a cub, his mother and siblings were killed by human hunters. He wandered the Savage Land on his own, teaching himself how to survive as he grew to adulthood. Zabu encountered a young boy named Kevin Plunder as he was about to be attacked by a group of human Savage Land natives. Zabu saved Kevin, and the two became companions. Zabu protected the boy as he grew to adulthood, and eventually took on the name Ka-Zar, which means "son of the tiger." Zabu was brought to near-human intelligence due to exposure to radioactive mists.
Zabu helps Ka-Zar battle many enemies. For example, in Ka-Zar: Lord of the Hidden Jungle #3 they confront 'El Tigre
' and 'Man-God'. This particular battle resulted in El Tigre mentally controlling Zabu for a time, causing him to attack Ka-Zar. El Tigre lost control before any serious injuries happened. The assistance of Bobbi Morse
was vital in rescuing Zabu's mind. Zabu teams up with the X-Men to root out villains in the Savage Land.
Zabu's family grows by two when Ka-Zar marries Shanna the She Devil and they later have a son named Matthew. Zabu befriends the Savage Land native, Zira, who becomes Matthew's nanny. He also assists when Gregor, a hunter, kidnaps Matthew.
Zabu left the Savage Land in at least one instance, venturing to New York City with Ka-Zar during marital difficulties; his master was having difficulty controlling an addiction to outside technology. Zabu had many adventures in New York City, as he assisted Ka-Zar and Shanna against Parnival
Plunder, who wished to kill them all.
" maneuver, to which he played as though he were a stuffed animal, leaving Peter stunned at Zabu's intelligence. Afterward, Zabu felt better and Ka-Zar picked him up from Spider-Man. Zabu and Ka-Zar, returned apparently months later, and teamed up with Spidey to fight Sauron
. Zabu jumped on Peter/Spider-Man and seemed to be hugging him; Ka-Zar said this was a sign that he was part of Zabu's family, and that he had not seen Zabu do this for quite some time.
Around this time, hyper-evolved dino-humanoids try to take the entirety of the Savage Land. Zabu fights in a resistance cell with an array of inhabitants, hampered by the fact that Ka-Zar is psychically bonded to the forces controlled by the evil Brainchild. In the end, involved X-Men make friends with the humanoids.
, Zabu was present when the Skrull
ship landed in the Savage Land. He helped Shanna and Ka-Zar battle the Skrulls, killing the Skrull pretending to be Jessica Jones
. Tie-in issues at this point flashback to Zabu assisting his family in battling the murderous SHIELD impostors.
Zabu joined with other animal sidekicks to form the Pet Avengers
. Mentally linked to each other by one of the Infinity Gems
, they joined to fight Thanos. The gems were noted for increasing the intelligence of the animals. During the series, Zabu survives a confrontation with Devil Dinosaur
and being swallowed by Giganto.
Zabu becomes involved in the fight when a zombie infestation, caused by the infected alternate reality version of Deadpool, reaches his homeland.
Zabu and the Pet Avengers become involved in a power struggle in the land of Asgard; this situation could lead to the end of all reality.
reality, Zabu appeared as a picture in a Daily Bugle
article about Ka-Zar and his seeking of asylum
in the United States.
and other super-powered inhabitants of the Savage Land.
with sabre-teeth rather than looking like a traditional smilodon
, as he looks in the main Marvel universe. Flashbacks reveal that Zabu, Shanna and Ka-Zar have been together since childhood.
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
who is connected primarily to the Savage Land
Savage Land
The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #10...
, and the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
, and most recently the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
(by way of the "Pet Avengers"). He first appeared in X-Men #10 (Mar 1965). He is the last known living Smilodon
Smilodon
Smilodon , often called a saber-toothed cat or saber-toothed tiger, is an extinct genus of machairodonts. This saber-toothed cat was endemic to North America and South America, living from near the beginning through the very end of the Pleistocene epoch .-Etymology:The nickname "saber-tooth" refers...
and is a companion and ally of Ka-Zar
Ka-Zar
Ka-Zar is the name of two jungle-dwelling comics fictional characters published in the United States. The first appeared in pulp magazines of the 1930s, and was adapted for his second iteration, as a comic book character for Timely Comics, the 1930s and 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics...
.
Fictional character biography
Zabu was born in the Savage LandSavage Land
The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #10...
. While still a cub, his mother and siblings were killed by human hunters. He wandered the Savage Land on his own, teaching himself how to survive as he grew to adulthood. Zabu encountered a young boy named Kevin Plunder as he was about to be attacked by a group of human Savage Land natives. Zabu saved Kevin, and the two became companions. Zabu protected the boy as he grew to adulthood, and eventually took on the name Ka-Zar, which means "son of the tiger." Zabu was brought to near-human intelligence due to exposure to radioactive mists.
Zabu helps Ka-Zar battle many enemies. For example, in Ka-Zar: Lord of the Hidden Jungle #3 they confront 'El Tigre
Kukulcan (comics)
Kukulcan is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:El Tigre first appeared in X-Men #25-26 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Werner Roth....
' and 'Man-God'. This particular battle resulted in El Tigre mentally controlling Zabu for a time, causing him to attack Ka-Zar. El Tigre lost control before any serious injuries happened. The assistance of Bobbi Morse
Mockingbird (Marvel Comics)
Mockingbird is a fictional character, a superhero in the who first appears in the Ka-Zar story in Astonishing Tales #6 written by Gerry Conway and pencilled by Barry Smith...
was vital in rescuing Zabu's mind. Zabu teams up with the X-Men to root out villains in the Savage Land.
Zabu's family grows by two when Ka-Zar marries Shanna the She Devil and they later have a son named Matthew. Zabu befriends the Savage Land native, Zira, who becomes Matthew's nanny. He also assists when Gregor, a hunter, kidnaps Matthew.
Zabu left the Savage Land in at least one instance, venturing to New York City with Ka-Zar during marital difficulties; his master was having difficulty controlling an addiction to outside technology. Zabu had many adventures in New York City, as he assisted Ka-Zar and Shanna against Parnival
Plunderer
The Plunderer is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics who exists in that company's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
Plunder, who wished to kill them all.
Friends with Spider-Man
In a Spider-Man family one shot in issue six, the secondary story is about Zabu having emotional troubles, knowing he has no family left. Ka-Zar asked Peter to watch Zabu while he attends a world summit on global warming. Later, Peter's Aunt May (completely unaware Zabu is hiding in the garage, because after Uncle Ben was killed, she tries to stay away from there) told Peter that this is how she felt, knowing she has outlived her friends, husband, and relatives. Peter used this to bond with Zabu. Peter took Zabu to a museum to interact with the fake sabretooth tigers on display, and they were almost caught by a guard. Peter told Zabu to pull a "Calvin and HobbesCalvin and Hobbes
Calvin and Hobbes is a syndicated daily comic strip that was written and illustrated by American cartoonist Bill Watterson, and syndicated from November 18, 1985, to December 31, 1995. It follows the humorous antics of Calvin, a precocious and adventurous six-year-old boy, and Hobbes, his...
" maneuver, to which he played as though he were a stuffed animal, leaving Peter stunned at Zabu's intelligence. Afterward, Zabu felt better and Ka-Zar picked him up from Spider-Man. Zabu and Ka-Zar, returned apparently months later, and teamed up with Spidey to fight Sauron
Sauron (comics)
Sauron is a comic book character, a supervillain in Marvel Comics' main shared universe. An enemy of the X-Men, the character was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Neal Adams. He first fully appeared as Sauron in X-Men #60 ....
. Zabu jumped on Peter/Spider-Man and seemed to be hugging him; Ka-Zar said this was a sign that he was part of Zabu's family, and that he had not seen Zabu do this for quite some time.
Around this time, hyper-evolved dino-humanoids try to take the entirety of the Savage Land. Zabu fights in a resistance cell with an array of inhabitants, hampered by the fact that Ka-Zar is psychically bonded to the forces controlled by the evil Brainchild. In the end, involved X-Men make friends with the humanoids.
Killing Skrulls
Zabu is part of the resistance army when the Savage Land comes under attack by resource-stealing Skrulls disguised as S.H.I.E.L.D agents. An array of Avengers help beat back this invasion, unaware of the Skrull involvement. During the Secret InvasionSecret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
, Zabu was present when the Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
ship landed in the Savage Land. He helped Shanna and Ka-Zar battle the Skrulls, killing the Skrull pretending to be Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones
Jessica Campbell Jones Cage is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos. Jones debuted in the series Alias as an embittered former superheroine who had used the aliases Jewel, Knightress, and currently Power Woman...
. Tie-in issues at this point flashback to Zabu assisting his family in battling the murderous SHIELD impostors.
Zabu joined with other animal sidekicks to form the Pet Avengers
Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers
Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers is a four-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics from July to October 2009. The series was written by Chris Eliopoulos with art by Ig Guara.-Plot summary:...
. Mentally linked to each other by one of the Infinity Gems
Infinity Gems
Infinity Gems, sometimes referred to as the Soul Gems, are six immensely powerful gems featured in the fictional Marvel Universe. Whoever holds all six gems in the Infinity Gauntlet gains omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and God-like power, and has absolute dominion over the universe...
, they joined to fight Thanos. The gems were noted for increasing the intelligence of the animals. During the series, Zabu survives a confrontation with Devil Dinosaur
Devil Dinosaur
Devil Dinosaur is a Marvel Comics character who resembles a red Tyrannosaurus rex. He first appeared in Devil Dinosaur #1...
and being swallowed by Giganto.
Zabu becomes involved in the fight when a zombie infestation, caused by the infected alternate reality version of Deadpool, reaches his homeland.
Zabu and the Pet Avengers become involved in a power struggle in the land of Asgard; this situation could lead to the end of all reality.
House of M
In the House of MHouse of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
reality, Zabu appeared as a picture in a Daily Bugle
Daily Bugle
The Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City newspaper that is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man comic titles and their derivative media...
article about Ka-Zar and his seeking of asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
in the United States.
Marvel Zombies
Zabu and Ka-Zar are seen infected with the zombie virus, eating BarbarusBarbarus
Barbarus is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared was in Uncanny X-Men #62.-Fictional character biography:...
and other super-powered inhabitants of the Savage Land.
Ultimate Marvel
In this reality, Zabu is actually a tigerTiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
with sabre-teeth rather than looking like a traditional smilodon
Smilodon
Smilodon , often called a saber-toothed cat or saber-toothed tiger, is an extinct genus of machairodonts. This saber-toothed cat was endemic to North America and South America, living from near the beginning through the very end of the Pleistocene epoch .-Etymology:The nickname "saber-tooth" refers...
, as he looks in the main Marvel universe. Flashbacks reveal that Zabu, Shanna and Ka-Zar have been together since childhood.
Television
- Zabu appeared in the 1981 Spider-ManSpider-Man (1981 TV series)Spider-Man is a syndicated animated TV series based on the popular Marvel Comics character of the same name.-Production background:The series was created to launch Marvel Productions, successor of DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, who had previously produced the 1978 New Fantastic Four and 1979...
episode "The Hunter and the Hunted." J. Jonah Jameson hired Kraven the Hunter to capture Zabu, so that he could be the mascot for the Daily Bugle, much to the objection of Robbie Robertson and Betty Brant. Ka-Zar traveled to Manhattan to rescue Zabu. When the chain on the airport crane holding Zabu's cage broke, Zabu got loose and Spider-Man tried to subdue Zabu only for an allergy to smilodons to kick in. Spider-Man did manage to trap Zabu in his webs. Kraven later uses Zabu for bait when it came to hunting Ka-Zar. When Ka-Zar ended up tangled up in Kraven's vines, he managed to swing to Zabu's cage and release him. He and Ka-Zar managed to trick Kraven into one of his cages. After Kraven was handed over to the police, Ka-Zar and Zabu returned to the Savage Land.
- Zabu also appeared in the 1990s X-Men: The Animated SeriesX-Men (TV series)X-Men, also known as X-Men: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup...
episode "Reunions." He fought alongside Ka-Zar against Sauron, and for the safe return of Shanna the She-Devil, whom SauronSauron (comics)Sauron is a comic book character, a supervillain in Marvel Comics' main shared universe. An enemy of the X-Men, the character was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Neal Adams. He first fully appeared as Sauron in X-Men #60 ....
captured. In "Savage Land, Savage Heart," Zabu helped Ka-Zar, Shanna, and the X-Men fight Sauron and Zaladine.
- Zabu appears in The Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad Show is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the characters of the Marvel Universe in a cartoonish super-deformed-style...
episode "Stranger From a Savage Land" voiced by Steven BlumSteven BlumSteven Jay Blum is an American voice actor known primarily for his work in anime dubs and video games, using his distinctive deep voice. Among his credits include the voice of Spike Spiegel of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and Mugen of the anime series Samurai Champloo...
. A scientist had captured Zabu to help prove the existence of the Savage Land. Around Zabu's neck was a Star Quartz that would bind and merge any metal in the presence of Vibranium. Doctor Doom sent Batroc the Leaper, Sabretooth, Thunderball, and Toad to break Zabu out of the Super Hero City Zoo. The Super Hero Squad fought the villains on top of a construction site where Zabu assisted Ka-Zar and the Super Hero Squad by attacking Batroc the Leaper and Sabretooth. After Doctor Doom was defeated, he and Ka-Zar return
Video games
- Zabu makes a cameo appearance in Marvel vs. Capcom 3 in Amaterasu's ending.
Figures
- Toy Biz's 1997 "X-Men: Savage Land" had Ka-Zar and Zabu in one package.
- Sculptor Mark Newman did a 7 inch tall Ka-Zar and Zabu statue.