Giants (Marvel Comics)

There are different kinds of Giants in Marvel Comics. The most popular of the Giants are the Giants of Johunheim, fictional race of people based on the giants of actual Norse legends.

Giants of Jotunheim
The Storm giants first appeared in Journey into Mystery #100 (January 1964), and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; ice giants and rime giants first appeared in Journey into Mystery #101 (February 1964); frost giants first appeared in Balder the Brave #1 (November 1985).

Ymir first appeared in Journey into Mystery #97 (October 1963); the first Executioner first appeared in Journey into Mystery #103 (April 1964); Laufey first appeared in Journey into Mystery #112 (January 1965); these characters were all created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Utgard-Loki first appeared in Thor #272 (June 1978), and was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema. Fasolt and the second Fafnir first appeared in Thor #294 (April 1980), and were created by Roy Thomas, Keith Pollard, and Chic Stone. The second Hagen first appeared in Balder the Brave #2 (January 1986), and was created by Walt Simonson and Sal Buscema. Grundroth first appeared in Thor #378 (April 1987), and was created by Walt Simonson and Sal Buscema. Siggorth first appeared in Thor #381 (July 1987), and was created by Walt Simonson and Sal Buscema.

Brimer, King of Storm Giants, and Skagg the largest of the storm giants first appeared in Journey into Mystery #104 (May 1964). Nedra, Queen of the mountain giants, first appeared in Journey into Mystery #105 (June 1964). Arkin the Weak, and Knorda the storm giant first appeared in Journey into Mystery #109 (October 1964). Ghan the storm giant first appeared in Journey into Mystery #113 (February 1965). Kaggor the storm giant first appeared in Thor #193 (November 1971).

The Giants of Jotunheim received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #3.

Giants of Jojunheim
The Giants of Jotunheim are enormous beings who reside in the other-dimensional realm of Jotunheim, one of the Nine Worlds in Asgardian cosmology. They are the traditional enemies of the Gods of Asgard, with whom they have warred off and on for millennia, trying to bring eternal night to Asgard.

The first of the Giants was the Ice Giant, Ymir, who existed before any of the Asgardians. He fought Odin but was imprisoned in a ring of flame. Many different races of Giants arose in Jotunheim, including the Ice, Mountain, Rime, Storm, and Frost Giants.

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The Frost Giants are the direct descendants of Ymir, and their monarch is Utgard-Loki. The Giant Laufey was another monarch who died in battle against the Asgardians. In tribute to Laufey's courage, Odin adopted the giant's infant son Loki, who often attempted to overthrow Odin and became the God of Evil. Two other giants of note were Fafnir II and Fasolt (both deceased), who built Odin's palace in Valhalla in exchange for a Goddess, and battled over a magic ring and treasure that was given for the Goddess being released. Skurge the Executioner is another famous giant who went from being a villain to hero. Skagg was once released by Loki, but defeated and re-imprisoned by Odin, Thor and Balder.

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The Ice Giants are giants who are made of Ice. This is the kind that is associated with Ymir. The Ice Giants are the oldest living beings in the Nine Realms.

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The Storm Giants dwell in the mountainous regions of Jotunheim. They have frequently battled with the Asgardians during their history.

Giants of Olympus
The Giants of Olympus are based off the Giants of Greek Mythology. There history is the same as they were fertilized by Gaea from the blood of Uranus. Following the defeat of the Titans, Gaea sought for a way to make the Giants immortal like the Olympians. To keep Gaea from finding a solution to this, Zeus withheld Helios, Eos, and Selene from the night sky so that Gaea wouldn't find it. The Giants were prophesied by the female Titan Themis to be indestructible and could not be killed by a god or an immortal. Zeus obtained the help of his son Hercules to help fight them. Each of the Giants were killed in the similar way as in the actual Greek mythology.

In recent years, a blind Giant named Zeno and a one-armed giant named Callias encountered Hulk near the entrance to Tartarus where they held a meal to honor their brethren that are imprisoned there. They shared their meal with Hulk until it was interrupted by an attack from Ares. This attack ended up causing Hulk to attack Mount Olympus upon Hulk being convinced by Zeno and Callias that the Olympian Gods were his enemies. Callias and Zeno rallied the Giants into breaking the seal on Tartarus which ended up freeing Cronus. Cronus, Callias, and Zeno then stormed Mount Olympus only to end up fighting Hulk and Hercules. Hercules managed to slay Callias and Zeno before resealing Tartarus after throwing Cronus back into Tartarus.

Some years later, Hulk was invited to Mount Olympus as a guest of the Olympians. He and Hercules later took a path where they ended up fighting some Giants.

Frost Giants of Jotunheim
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Executioner -

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Fafner II -

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Fasolt -

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Laufey -

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Utgard-Loki -

Ice Giants of Jotunheim
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Ymir -

Storm Giants of Jotunheim
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Brimer -

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Ghan -

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Grondar -

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Hrungnir -

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Kagger -

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Nedra -

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Ogre -

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Skagg -

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Skoll -

Giants of Olympus
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Agrius -

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Alcyoneus -

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Callias - A one-armed giant that is exclusive to Marvel Comics.

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Enceladus -

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Eurymedon -

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Eurytus -

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Gration -

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Mimas -

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Pallas -

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Polybotes -

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Porphyrion -

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Zeno - A blind giant that is exclusive to Marvel Comics.

Ultimate Universe
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Frost Giants appear once again as Loki's henchmen in Ultimate Thor.

Television
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The Ice Giants appear in the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends episode "The Vengeance of Loki". Iceman escapes Asgard's Sea of Flame with "ice goddess" Zerona and helps her reclaim her throne from Ymir in exchange for information regarding Thor's whereabouts.

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The Frost Giants appear in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "Thor the Mighty", voiced by J. B. Blanc and Fred Tatasciore. Loki convinces them that the Asgardians will attack them causing the Frost Giants to attack Asgard when Odin is on the verge of his Odinsleep. They are all defeated by Thor. In the episode "The Fall of Asgard," the Frost Giants fight Ant-Man (who was protecting an unconscious Wasp) until Ant-Man and Wasp were saved by Sif.

Film
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The Frost Giants appear in the film Thor, and their king Laufey is played by Colm Feore.

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The Frost Giants appear in the film Thor: Tales of Asgard voiced by Michael Dobson and John Novak.

Video games
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The Frost Giants appear as enemies in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.

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The Frost Giants appear as enemies in Thor: God of Thunder.