Giganta

Dr. Doris Zuel, Ph. D. (Secret Identity) FC
Non-player Character

CITIZENSHIP: United States of America, Adult; Criminal Record
MARITAL STATUS: Single
AFFILIATION: Villainy, Inc. (formerly Secret Society of Super Villains I, The Society)

DEX: | STR: | BOD: | IQ: | WILL: | MIND: | INF: | AURA: | INIT +:

Giganta was introduced as a foe of the Golden Age Wonder Woman, first appearing in Wonder Woman #9 (volume 1). In the story, a villainous scientest named Professor Zool artificially evolves an ape named Giganta into a malicious red-haired strongwoman. Giganta is ultimately subdued and captured by Wonder Woman and taken to Paradise Island for rehabilitation. In issue #28, she joins a rebellion of prisoners held on the island, thereby becoming a member of the criminal team Villainy Inc.

Giganta is not seen again in the comics until 1966, in Wonder Woman #163 (volume 1), in which her origin is revamped to include another member of Wonder Woman's rogues gallery, Doctor Psycho. This appearance also premiered a short-lived update to her look, giving her waist-length blonde hair and an even larger physical stature. [1]

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Modern Age (comics)

In the current DC Universe, Giganta is Dr. Doris Zuel (a name that tips its hat to Professor Zool, a key figure in the Golden Age Giganta's origin). Appearing in the modern continuity for the first time in 1997 in Wonder Woman #127 (volume 2), Zuel captures a comatose Wonder Woman and holds her at a secret research facility. Suffering from a fatal blood disease, Zuel plans to use an experimental machine to transfer her "life-essence" into Wonder Woman's body. Interrupted by Wonder Girl halfway through the experiment, Zuel seemingly dies. Her assistant Branson discovers that Zuel is in fact not dead, but instead had her essence stored in the transference machine's buffer module, which then channeled her consciousness into one of the lab's test animals, a gorilla named Giganta.

Desperate to return her mind to a human body, Zuel/Giganta then abducts a comatose circus strongwoman named Olga. Though the subsequent events have never been detailed in the comics, Zuel apparently succeeds in transferring her mind into Olga's body, and most likely, Olga's mind into the body of the gorilla.

When she next appears, the red-haired Giganta demonstrates the ability to grow to gigantic size, like the animated Super Friends version. In Wonder Woman #1 (volume 3), it was revealed that Olga already possessed this power when Zuel stole her body. The source of the ability is unknown, though it may be related to a shaman who placed Olga in a coma prior to her abduction by Zuel. Whatever the case, the ability appears to be mystical in nature, as Giganta has been shown (in The All-New Atom) to be aligned with the forces of magic.

Following her transformation, Giganta allies herself with Queen Clea and the modern encarnation of Villainy Inc. in an attempt to conquer the lost world of Skartaris. Villainy Inc. is defeated by Wonder Woman, but Giganta is subsequently seen as a member of several criminal groups, including The Secret Society of Super-Villains and The Injustice League Unlimited.

It was noted in Wonder Woman #2 (volume 3) that Giganta's intellect reduces as she grows in size, compelling her to become less rational and more prone to violence. Subsequent appearances seem to suggest that Giganta has overcome that limitation and retains her full intelligence at any size.

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One Year Later

Giganta, along with The Cheetah and Doctor Psycho, engaged in a battle with Donna Troy (who has assumed the identity of Wonder Woman one year after the events of Infinite Crisis) in Wonder Woman vol.3, #1, as part of a search for, as they term it, the "real" Wonder Woman (Diana of Themyscira). In the following issue, the villains continue their quest, holding Troy hostage in order to draw Diana out for a rescue attempt; they also contend with the current Wonder Girl, Robin, and (though they don't realize it at first), Diana herself, in the guise of government agent Diana Prince. In issue 3, Giganta and her allies also battle Hercules, with the giantess being felled by the legendary champion.

Giganta has also appeared in the pages of the The All New Atom, currently employed as a regular teacher at Ivy Town's University. Infected and controlled by M'Nagalah, the monstrous Cancer god, she was sent to seduce and capture, Ryan Choi, the new Atom, in the process even going so far as to swallow the miniature hero alive (he escapes). Now free of M'Nagalah's control, a seemingly repentant Dr. Zuel retains her position at Ivy University and has approached Ryan for a second chance, despite the bizarre circumstances of their first meeting.