LEI
KUNG
Real Name:
Lei Kung (possibly)
Occupation:
God of thunder and retribution
Legal Status:
Citizen of Ta-Lo
Identity: The general populace of Earth is unaware of Lei Kung except as a mythological character.
Other Aliases:
Lei Gong, Lei Gung, Kei Kung, Tien Chu (variant names), "My Lord Thunder," "Thunder Duke"
Place of Birth:
Marital Status: Married
Known Relatives:
Yu Huang (possible father, alias Yu Shih), Tien Mu (mother), Lei Zi (wife), Sien
Tsan Mu (aunt), Xi Wang Mu (step-mother), Ba Niang, Qi Gu Niang, Song Zi Niang,
Wang Mu Niang, Meng Po Niang, Chih Nu Niang (half-sisters), Er Lang (cousin)
Group Affiliations: The Gods of China
Base of Operations:
Ta-Lo
First Appearance: Thor and Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica
History: Lei-Kung is a member of an extra-dimensional race of beings known as the Xian, who were once worshipped as gods in Ancient China. Not much is known about the Xian, but it believed they once lived on Earth as human beings and were ancestors of the ruling families of China, Korea and Indochina. They departed Earth during the rule of Emperor Yu Huang in the Twenty-Second Century BC for the extra-dimensional realm of Ta-Lo, linked to Earth by means of an access point somewhere near Mount K'un-L'un in Western China.
Lei Kung is the son of Yu Shih, the god of rain, and Tien Mu, the goddess of lightning. It is possible but unconfirmed that Yu Shih and Yu Huang are the same deity. Lei Kung was given the task by heaven to fight the enemies of the gods and to punish and chase away evil spirits. He was also known to attack any mortal man who remained beyond the reach of mortal law. At some point in the past, Lei Gong was traveling on Earth through the woods at the foothills of Mount K'un-L'un with a mortal hunter when they were approached by a small child waving a flag. Suspecting it to be a demon in disguise, Lei-Kung slew the creature without hesitating if only to realize too late the being was a harmless tree-spirit protecting the woods. The hunter accompanying Lei Kung was killed in his display of power and restored to life afterward to replace the slain spirit.
On Earth, Lei Kung often took the form of a massive
human-sized bird to appear to mortals. His worship was eventually taken over
Garuda, the Hindu bird-god, from India. It's believed Lei-Kung still returns to China
to protect it from dangers that threaten it.
Height: 7' 5"
Weight: 510 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black (human form)
Unusual Physical Features: Lei Kung appears on Earth as
a bird of extraordinary size with blue skin, white to blue feathers and equipped with a
powerful falcon-like beak and talons that can scratch through solid steel.
Strength Level: Lei Kung possesses superhuman strength enabling him to lift
(press) around 100 tons under optimal conditions.
Known Superhuman Powers: Lei Kung possesses the conventional physical attributes
of the Xian or Chinese gods. Like all of the Xian, he is extremely long-lived,
but he is not immortal like the Olympian gods. He has aged at an extremely
slow rate since
reaching adulthood and cannot die by any conventional means. He is immune to all
Earthly diseases and is resistant to conventional injury. If he were somehow
wounded, his godly life force would enable him to recover with superhuman speed. It
would take an injury of such magnitude that it dispersed a major portion of his
bodily molecules to cause him a physical death. Even then, it might be possible for
a god of significant power, such as Yu Huang or for a number of Chinese gods of equal power working together to revive him.
Lei Kung also possesses
superhuman strength and his Xian metabolism provides him with far greater than
human endurance in all physical activities. (The flesh and bone of the Chinese
Gods is about three
times as dense as similar human tissue, contributing to their superhuman
strength and weight.)
Lei Kung also has the power to mystically summon and command the powers of storm, usually by using another medium such as a hammer or drum. He can summon forth thunder on his drum and control lightning with his hammer, channeling it and predicting where it strikes. He can conjure immense thunderstorms, produce rainfall and throw lightning bolts. It is is unsure how his powers compares with other thunder gods as Thor or Zeus.
Lei Kung also has the power to alter his form, usually into
that of a large humanoid bird of prey. In this form, he can use his wings to fly
through the atmosphere. He can reach
speeds of 120 miles an hour in the atmosphere unhindered by extra weight and
soar at heights of 6,500 feet, but he cannot attain any distance approaching
sub-orbital level over the planet. With his wings, he can create enough thrust
to carry over five tons in addition to his weight without utilizing his
strength. He can cover great distances such as from Mount K'un-L'un to the
Chinese coast in a matter of minutes.
Weapons: Lei Kung carries an enchanted hammer and chisel which he can wield as a
weapon or as his medium in controlling the forces of storm. His drum can produce
the sound of thunder to herald his arrival.
Comments: Lei Kung has yet to appear in the Marvel or DC Universe.
Clarifications: Lei Kung is not to be
confused with:
Last updated: 09/19/10