Comic Books-like many forms of art-take inspiration from all corners of expression. Classical fiction, modern art, history itself has provided key elements to the heroes and villains we have today. Today we'll be exploring not only a race of creatures in the Marvel Universe, but we'll also the legend these creatures were based off of, these creatures are The Wendigo.
In Canada, there is an ancient legend crafted by Native American tribes that if a person in Canada were to eat another human being, they would be possessed by a creature called The Wendigo. The cannibal will transform into a skeleton-like creature, who's bloody and torn lips would gain an unquenchable hunger for human flesh. The Algonquian people believed cannibalism to be taboo, and such would resort to starvation or suicide before eating one another human. In modern science, "Wendigo psychosis" is a term used for those who have a psychological urge to eat human flesh. Much like vampires and werewolves these legends were crafted as folklore to be told around a fire. Also like vampires and werewolves, the Wendigo exist within the Marvel Universe.
The Wendigo first appeared in "The Incredible Hulk #162" in 1973. Both The Hulk, Wolverine, and The X-Men have gone blow to blow with these savage creatures, and there have been a total of six people who have been solo Wendigo hosts. In the Marvel Universe, the Wendigo are more presented like yeti, with lush hair and beastly features. Hopping back to it's relations to werewolves and vampires, the Wendigo can turn other people into Wendigo by bitting them. Or they can just eat those people whole. Wendigo can be turned back into humans through complex spells or by killing the first Wendigo to start the infection. The Wendigo curse can be spread to even super-humans and mutants.
The ties between comics and legend are thick, using the lore of various cultures to craft characters and stories. Often Wendigo stories are told like typical zombie invasions, with heroes trying to keep the Wendigo from populating the world. Luckily part of Wendigo lore says Wendigo can't leave Canadian land. Great, now we Americans can go back to fearing everything else! Thanks for reading!
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