Doris Zuel (New Earth)

Template:Character Stub

Giganta (Real name Doris Zuel) is a powerful DC Comics supervillainess with the ability to grow into a towering, incredibly strong giantess. She has appeared in comics and in TV adaptations. Her origin and powers have varied in different versions. (She should not be confused with Garganta, a similar though more benign character in the AC Comics universe.)

The original version of Giganta was a foe of the Golden Age Wonder Woman, first appearing in Wonder Woman vol. 1 #9 where the ape Giganta is artificially evolved into a large red-headed human woman by Professor Zool. After some complicated adventures she is eventually subdued by Wonder Woman and taken to Paradise Island for rehabilitation. It is there that she joins a rebellion of prisoners in issue #28 who call themselves Villainy Inc.

Giganta is not seen again until issue #163 where her origin is revamped to include Doctor Psycho and she becomes even larger (though not yet a giant) and blonde.

In the current DC Universe, Dr. Doris Zuel (named for Giganta's creator in the earlier origin) first appeared in Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #127 (Nov 1997), during a period when Wonder Woman was in a coma, and being kept at the experimental medical facility where Dr Zuel worked. Suffering from a fatal blood disease, Zuel planned to transfer her life-essence into the Amazon's body. They were discovered by the second Wonder Girl halfway through the experiment, and both women were declared dead. Subsequently her assistant, Branson, discovered Zuel's essence had been stored in the transference machine's buffer module, and put her in the body of one of the test animals, a gorilla named Giganta.

Desperate to return her mind to a human body, Zuel/Giganta abducted a comatose, beautiful red-haired 'strong woman' named Olga from a traveling circus. She apparently succeeded in transferring her mind into Olga's body, and most likely, Olga's mind into the body of the gorilla (although the fate of Olga, the gorilla, and Zuel's original body have never been revealed).

Giganta now possesses the ability to grow to gigantic size, like the animated Super Friends version. The origin of this new power was not revealed in vol. 2 of Wonder Woman, but according to issue #1 of vol. 3 Olga already possessed this power when Zuel stole her body. The source of the ability is unknown, though it may stem from the shaman who placed Olga in a coma prior to Giganta's attack. Whatever the case, the ability appears to be mystical in nature, as Giganta has been shown (in The All-New Atom) aligned with the forces of magic.

Following her transformation, Giganta allied herself with Queen Clea and the modern version of Villainy Inc. in an attempt to conquer the lost world of Skartaris. After their defeat by Wonder Woman, Giganta has also been a member of the united villain front known as The Society.

It was noted in Wonder Woman (vol. 3) #2 that Dr. Zuel formerly lost much of her intellect as she grew in size (becoming more brutish and prone to violence), but currently seems to have transcended that limitation and retains her full intelligence at any size.

One Year Later

Giganta, along with The Cheetah and Doctor Psycho, engaged in a battle with Donna Troy (who has assumed the identity of Wonder Woman one year after the events of Infinite Crisis) in Wonder Woman vol.3, #1, as part of a search for, as they term it, the "real" Wonder Woman (Diana of Themyscira). In the following issue, the villains continue their quest, holding Troy hostage in order to draw Diana out for a rescue attempt; they also contend with the current Wonder Girl, Robin, and (though they don't realize it at first), Diana herself, in the guise of government agent Diana Prince. In issue 3, Giganta and her allies also battle Hercules, with the giantess being felled by the legendary champion.

Giganta has also appeared in the pages of the The All New Atom, currently employed as a regular teacher at Ivy Town's University. Infected and controlled by M'Nagalah, the monstrous Cancer god, she was sent to seduce and capture, Ryan Choi, the new Atom, in the process even going so far as to swallow the miniature hero alive. Now free of M'Nagalah's control, a seemingly repentant Dr. Zuel retains her position at Ivy University and has approached Ryan for a second chance, despite the bizarre circumstances of their first meeting.

Super Friends TV series

Giganta was first seen outside comics as a member of the Legion of Doom in the 1970s animated TV series Super Friends. In the TV series, she has the ability to grow to giant size (with accompanying superhuman strength) simply by willing it (at the time, she did not yet possess this ability in the comics). She typically dresses in a leopard skin two-piece loin cloth, presumably treating them so that they grow with her when she uses her powers to achieve her gigantic stature. She wears large, bangle-like bracelets and anklets, and always goes barefoot. Her muscular body is a side effect of her powers.

In the Challenge of the SuperFriends TV series, Giganta was a normal woman who was hiking through a forest when she witnessed Apache Chief using magic dust. The latter used it to grow larger so he could fight off a grizzly bear. Giganta stole the dust and used it on herself, gaining the ability to transform into a powerful, 50 foot tall giantess. She didn't hesitate to use this new found power for evil.

Giganta was voiced by Ruth Forman.

Legend of the Superheroes

Giganta also appeared in Legends of the Superheroes played by Aleshia Brevard.

In keeping with the show's decidedly low budget, she doesn't grow to colossal size here, just bends a prop "steel" bar around Riddler's neck for a cheap "superstrength" effect.

She returns in "The Roast" and is interviewed by "Rhoda Rooter" (who is an impression of gossip host Rona Barrett). Rooter interviews Giganta and the Atom about their recent engagement.

Justice League TV series

Giganta also appeared in the Justice League animated series in an episode featuring the Secret Society of Super Villains, with an origin somewhat similar to that in the comics. In this version, she was a small female ape transformed by Grodd into a human woman who can grow to giant proportions.

In "Secret Society," Giganta helped The Shade escape from the Justice League. During her first confrontation with the Justice League, she defeated Wonder Woman and even toppled the Man of Steel. Later at Gotham Field, Superman almost defeated her but she manipulated him by asking "Wouldn't hit a woman, would you?" Fortunately, Wonder Woman had no problem delivering the final blow.

In the episode "Ultimatum" she attempted to break Grodd out of prison with the help of Bizarro; she manipulated him by playing his girlfriend. She was defeated by Wonder Woman and the simularly powered Ultimen member Long Shadow.

She then becomes Grodd's devout follower and has, in Justice League Unlimited, become a member of the modern day Legion of Doom. While on a mission for Grodd as a backup, she ended up comatose after the Martian Manhunter tried to read her mind. However, in the episode "The Great Brain Robbery", Giganta is seen among the rest of the Legion, apparently fully recovered. When the Legion became divided between Luthor and Grodd, she sided with Luthor, angry with Grodd for shutting off her mind. At the end of the series, Giganta sacrifices a few seconds of her allotted five minute head start reward (for helping the League) and plants a fast kiss on the Flash. Giganta is voiced by Jennifer Hale.