JELENNA

Real Name: Jelenna

Class: Human

Occupation: Priestess

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: Sharra (daughter), Sug (husband)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Prehistoric Earth

First Appearance: Kong The Untamed #4 (December-January, 1975-1976)

Powers: Jelenna was a priestess knowledgeable in the rites of worship of the night goddes Dra. Jelenna was a charismatic and forceful leader.

History: (Kong The Untamed #4, 5) - Jelenna was the priestess of Dra, the night goddess, and ruled over her tribe, a matriarchy where the men served the women. Her daughter Sharra fell in love with Rolen, and they snuck away to the outskirts of the valley Jelenna ruled for a tryst. They spotted the young warrior Kong and his Neanderthal companion Gurat. Jelenna’s law demanded that any outsiders entering the valley be killed, so Rolen launched spears at them, striking Gurat, who fell into a nearby stream. Kong was furious at what they’d done to his friend and rushed them. Sharra staid Rolen from killing Kong, realizing he was just a boy, but when he attacked them she knocked him out with a rock. Kong awoke in Jelenna’s hut, and she made it clear that he would serve her and the women of her tribe, as all men of the valley were required to do. Kong overheard Rolen pleading with Jelenna to let him marry her daughter, and Jelenna demanding the skull horn of a spike-tail (Ankylosaur) as a dowry. Kong realized Rolen had attacked him because he feared Jelenna, and his hatred refocused on her for what had befallen Gurat. Gurat survived his injuries and once he struggled out of the stream he was drifting in he collapsed in a nearby forest. Kong shadowed Rolen on his hunt for the spike-tail, but Rolen soon spotted him. He was interested in Kong’s stories about his tribe, in which women served men, and decided that was the natural order. Kong helped him kill the spike-tail, goading it into chasing him onto a cliff face, and stepping aside as it charged and fell to it’s death. Rolen decided not to claim his bounty, but to return to the valley and demand that Jelenna free the men of his tribe from servitude and step down. Jelenna sacrificed a stag to her goddess Dra and Sharra said she was worried about her love, and that she cared more for Rolen than worshiping Dra. Jelenna struck her and said Rolen deserved to die, because she knew he criticized her and her religion in private. Rolen returned with Kong and preached to the men of the village, telling them they had to shake off servitude to Jelenna and Dra and find their own male god to worship. Sharra hit him in the head with a rock, knocking him out. She wept at her own betrayal of her love, but told Kong she had to be devoted to her mother and her goddess before Rolen and his heresy. Jelenna had Rolen tied to a stake and lit a bonfire beneath it. Kong tried to save him, but was restrained by Jelenna’s followers. Rolen accepted his martyrdom, and told Kong Jelenna and the women didn’t know what they were doing was wrong. A neighboring village was at war with Jelenna’s tribe, and attacked. They flew pterodactyls as steeds, and burned down Jelenna’s village. Jelenna herself was struck with a spear in the back. One of their number, Errus, had found the near-dead Gurat and saved him. Gurat took Kong on Errus’ steed, and they flew away from the carnage.

Comments: Created by Gerry Conway & Tony Caravana.