SuperFriends Team Member
Apache Chief was a Native American superhero and a member of the SuperFriends. He had the ability to grow to 50 feet or larger by saying "inook chook", which was explained as the Apache word for "big man."
Earth-1A History
While still a young brave, he went for a walk with the chief of his tribe. The two men are unexpectedly attacked by a bear, but the chief recognizing that the young brave man might be ready for a test such as this, gives the younger man a pouch of a special "magic powder", which will amplify the user's thoughts and abilities a hundredfold. The young man resolves to be strong and brave (heeding the chief's advice that whatever is in his mind at the time, the powder will amplify), and upon sprinkling himself with the powder and invoking the phrase "inook chook", grows a hundred times larger, stronger and braver. He disposes of the bear, without violence, proving that he has passed the test. Unfortunately, a passerby witnesses the entire affair and steals the dust, using it on herself and becomes the evil Giganta (though without needing to recite anything the way Apache Chief does).[1]
Powers and Abilities
Super powers
- Size Alteration: By speaking the words "ineck chock", Apache Chief can increase his size and mass, the exact range of which remains unknown. On the average, Apache Chief maintains an elevated height of fifty feet, but has been known to increase his size to literally cosmic proportions.
- On one occasion, Apache Chief encounters a creature who was inside the moon and is 1/4 the size of the earth...With his Indian tribal powers he can only grow 50 feet tall, so he calls on the Atom to meet him at the Hall of Justice. Once there he asks the Atom to use his knowledge and powers of of atomic size to help him grow many thousand times larger. With almost unlimited power, he begins to grow and is soon as large as the creature whom he wrestles and is able to throw back into the moon. On a later incident, a space giant nearly as big as the solar system is using planets as marbles. The earth gets caught under his beard and he places the earth in a bottle around his waist. Apache Chief repeats his phrase to grow bigger and bigger until he's bigger than the earth. He climbs out of the bottle and grows even more until he's the size of Colossus. They wrestle in space until Apache Chief pulls out a shrink ray and shrinks him down to human size. With these two examples, it can be assumed that Apache Chief could possibly grow to many times the size of the solar system, or even universal size.
- Sixth Sense: Apache Chief has developed a "sixth sense," which allows him to sense things that normal people can't, like when something fishy is going on, or when someone isn't telling the truth. When he and Wonder Woman milked a gigantic cobra to provide the Red Cross with antivenom, Apache Chief thanked the snake for its contribution.
- Eagle Eyes: He was able to see things at a great distance, much like eagles.[2]
Abilities
- Tracking: Apache Chief learned a lot during his time growing up with the Apache people, learning tracking skills that became useful to him as a superhero. His sixth sense is also a big help with such abilities, not that he needs it, as his tracking skills alone are efficient enough for the task. One time he helped Batman who was beset by the ghost of a deceased Indian chief claiming Batman's corporate office was built on the chief's grave. Apache Chief looked for grave markings to find the grave and disprove Batman of committing that misdeed.
- Survival: Apache Chief can survive in the forest for long periods. He also knows how to communicate via smoke signals with a bonfire.
- Teamwork: Apache Chief often works other members in pairs. One time when the Legion of Doom figured by eliminating Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern they could ruin the Superfriends as all other members were useless, Apache Chief aids El Dorado, Batman and the others in reversing the elimination and proving the Legion of Doom their grave error in underestimating the "lesser Superfriends".
- Multilingualism: Apache Chief is fluent in both English and his native tongue.
Strength level
Without relying upon his super abilities, Apache Chief possesses the strength level of a man his age, size and build who engages in intensive regular exercise. When using his size-enhancing powers, Apache Chief's strength level increases in proportion to his relative size.
SuperFriends Team Members
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Episode Appearances
Notes
- Apache Chief has a different voice in his debut episode. It is believed to be the voice of Regis Cordic.
- The role is taken over by Michael Rye, who is already the voice of Green Lantern.
- During his appearances in Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, he is voiced by Maurice LaMarche.
- The character of Apache Chief was created by Hanna-Barbera Productions and is exclusive to Earth-1A, and the Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law universe. To date, no version of Apache Chief has ever appeared in the mainstream DC Universe. However, Apache Chief does appear in DC One Million 80-Page Giant #1 (Aug. 1, 1999), where he is seen to be one of many people from an alternate reality to be shown. So although this is an appearance in a "mainstream comic book," it's not actually a mainstream version of him, as he is shown to be from an alternate earth. (Likely Earth-1A).
- Apache Chief's origin was revealed in the Challenge of the SuperFriends episode, "History of Doom".
Appearances in Other Media
External Links
Reference
- ↑ As depicted on the Season 3 (1978) episode: History of Doom.
- ↑ As seen in the Superfriends season two episode Alaska Peril (November 5, 1977).