Walter Langkowski (Earth-616)

From Marvel Database

Sasquatch

Gallery

Real Name

Walter Langkowski

Current Alias

Sasquatch

Aliases

Dr L, Walt, Box, Wanda Langkowski

Identity

Secret

Alignment

Good

Affiliation

Omega Flight; Alpha Flight

Relatives

Veronica Langkowski (ex-wife)

Universe

Earth-616

Base Of Operations

Formerly Department H (Toronto), Mansion Alpha, Maison Alpha, Department H (Ottawa)

Characteristics

Gender

Male

Height

6' 4" , 10' 0" (as Sasquatch)

Weight

245 lbs (111 kg) , 2000 lbs (as Sasquatch)

Eyes

Blue, , red (as Sasquatch)

Hair

Blonde, , orange fur (as Sasquatch)

Skin

Orange

Unusual Features

Sasquatch has wide shoulders and no neck.

Status

Citizenship

Canadian

Marital Status

Divorced

Occupation

Adventurer, Professor of Physics at Simon Fraser University, former NFL player

Education

Doctorate in Nuclear Physics

Origin

Origin

Transformed during an experiment with gamma radiation, Dr. Langkowski must deal with his massive Sasquatch form.

Place of Birth

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Creators

John Byrne

First appearance

Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 #120

History

Sasquatch

Walter grew up in British Columbia. He went to Penn State University on a football scholarship, earning a degree in physics. Walter met Bruce Banner while he was a freshman. Although they only worked with each other for one semester, Langowski decided to focus on gamma radiation research. He played a few years for the Green Bay Packers, becoming very wealthy. He then continued his graduate studies at MIT. He was appointed to McGill University in Montreal. He studied all he could on the Hulk after learning that he was a transformed Banner. Guardian provided additional funding for a research facility at the Arctic Circle.

While on leave from the university, Dr. Langkowski began working on a gamma radiation experiment that could create a being like the Hulk, only under more controlled circumstances. Being bombarded by massive amounts of gamma radiation, Walter turned into a huge creature. He then went on a rampage until being found unconscious by Snowbird. Shaman and Snowbird helped Walter learn how to keep his personality and intelligence in his bestial form. He called himself Sasquatch noting the resemblance to the creature also called Bigfoot. After training in the Gamma and Beta Flight programs, he was accepted into Alpha Flight. He continued to research and teach at Simon Fraser University when not adventuring. Aurora became his lover and he assisted her with her powers. He assumed the closeness to the Aurora Borealis prevented him from turning green like the Hulk and other gamma-powered beings.

However, the experiment had instead opened a portal to the Realm of Great Beasts rather than empower Langkowski. He was linked to the beast known as Tanaraq. The more he transformed, the more Tanaraq was beginning to overtake him, especially when he grew angry or felt pain. Snowbird was forced to transform herself into a similar form and ripped the beast's heart out, killing him. Alpha Flight traveled to the Realm of Great Beasts to reclaim his spirit, Shaman sending it into the Box robot.

Walter and Bochs immediately began to search for a new body. Walter refused to enter the temporarily mindless Hulk and seemed to disappear. But he instead went into the body of Smart Alec, who had been thrown into Shaman's pouch. When Songbird appeared to die in her Sasquatch form, Walter entered the body. Transforming back left him in a female body. Now going by Wanda, this new state was awkward for Langkowski, especially when it came to working with Aurora. He and Snowbird were able to revert to their normal selves.

Later on he and Shaman found the missing Guardian. Department H also once captured an actual sasquatch and forced it to serve the team, assuming it was Langkowski with amnesia. He continued to serve the team, and led it for some time.

Alpha Flight apparently perished battling the Collective. Walter helped organize a new team to defend Canada, Omega Flight.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Original Sasquatch Form

Physical Transformation: Originally, Walter had the ability to transform himself into his original Sasquatch form at will. While he originally believed his powers were the result of exposure to gamma radiation, the experiment he used opened a mystical rift and linked him with the Great Beast Tanaraq. Walter's Sasquatch form was actually Tanaraq's body and, while transformed, Walter possessed not only his normal personality and intelligence, at least for most of the time he possessed Tanaraq's form, but various superhuman physical attributes.

• Superhuman Strength: In his original Sasquatch form, which was actually the form of the Great Beast Tanaraq, Walter possessed vast superhuman strength sufficien to lift well in excess of 100 tons. While the limits of his strength weren't fully revealed, he was strong enough to easily lift a 250 ton DC-10 aircraft off the ground and throw it.^[1] Walter's great strength also extended into his legs, enabling him to leap great distance in a single bound, much the same way as the Hulk. However, he wasn't able to leap as far as the Hulk.
  

• Superhuman Speed: In spite of his great size, Walter could run and move at speeds beyond the natural physical capabilities of the finest human athlete.
  

• Superhuman Stamina: Walter's enhanced musculature generated considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of an ordinary human. He was capable of exerting himself at peak capacity for a period of several days before the build up of fatigue toxins began to affect him.
  

• Superhuman Durability: Walter's body was considerably harder and more resistant to all types of physical injury than the body of a human. He could withstand tremendous impact forces like blows with the likes of the Hulk or Colossus, falls from great heights, powerful energy blasts, prolongued exposure to sub-zero temperatures, and high caliber bullets without sustaining injury.
  

Current Sasquatch Form

Physical Transformation: Walter can transform from his normal form to Sasquatch at will in much the same way as he originally did. At first he needed to enter a meditative state taught to him by Shaman and Snowbird. While he still retains his personality and intelligence in his transformed state and many similar powers to his original form, many of these powers aren't nearly as advanced.

• Superhuman Strength: In his current Sasquatch form, Walter is also superhumanly strong. However, his strength is currently only a fraction of what he possessed in his origninal Sasquatch form. While the exact level of his strength isn't revealed, he is capable of lifting more than 25 tons but no more than 75 tons.
  

• Superhuman Speed: Despite his great size, Walter is able to run and move at speeds that are beyond the capability of the finest human athlete.
  

• Superhuman Stamina: Walter's musculature generates less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of an ordinary human. However, much like his strength, his stamina in his current form is only a fraction of what it was while he had possession of Tanaraq's body. At his peak, Walter is capable of physically exerting himself for at least several hours before the build up of fatigue toxins in his blood begins to impair him.
  

• Superhuman Durability: Walter's current Sasquatch form is more resistant to injury than an ordinary human. However, his body's physical resistance isn't nearly equal to the level he possessed while in possession of Tanaraq's body. Sasquatch can still withstand powerful impact forces, falls from great heights, and high caliber bullets without being injured.
  

• Regenerative Healing Factor: One power that he does have that he didn't while in possession of Tanraq's form is an accelerated healing factor that enables him to rapidly regenerate damaged bodily tissues. Walter's healing powers have increased as time has gone by. Injuries such as deep slashes, punctures, or broken bones that once took days to fully heal now heal completely within a matter of hours. It isn't known if Walter's healing powers grant him an increased lifespan, greater resistance to diseases, drugs, or toxins than he ordinarily would.
  
  

Abilities

Langkowski is a professionally trained scientist with experience dealing with many forms of experimental radiation and their mutagenic effects on lifeforms under controlled settings. As a former professional football player, Langkowski has highly athletic physical strength and endurance, though he is no longer in the peak condition of his life.

Strength level

Unknown.

Weaknesses

While transformed, Walter's body is covered with thick, Brownish-Orange fur that helps keep his body comfortably protected from extremely cold weather. However, this fur becomes very uncomfortable in tropical climates. While in his normal form, Walter requires glasses to give him 20/20 vision.

Paraphernalia

Equipment: Walter developed a bag-like suit which allowed him to be carried in-flight by Aurora or Northstar in his smaller and lighter human form without being affected adversely by the friction caused by their high speed.
Transportation: Alpha Flight Omnijet.
Weapons: None known.

Notes

Related Articles

• Alpha Flight
• Snowbird
• Aurora

References

• Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #6 (November 1989)
• Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, Deluxe Edition #11 (October 1986)
• OHMU #9, MMM 1983, MARVEL COMICS GROUP ©

Trivia

• No trivia.

See Also

• Appearances of Walter Langkowski (Earth-616)
• Character Gallery: Walter Langkowski (Earth-616)
• Fan-Art Gallery: Walter Langkowski (Earth-616)
• Quotations by Walter Langkowski (Earth-616)
• Images that include Walter Langkowski (Earth-616)

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Links and References

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