Who Is Pip the Troll?

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We’ve all heard the tales about princes turning into a frog or a beast, but have you heard of the one who turned into a troll? No? Well, you’re missing out! Pip Gofern of Laxidazia, or Pip the Troll, first appeared in STRANGE TALES (1951) #179, the creation of legendary talent Jim Starlin. Pip started off without super-powers, but that didn’t last long, especially since he was traveling with cosmic entity Adam Warlock. Pip can be self-serving and immoral at times, but in the end, he’s a good friend (to Warlock).

Run down Pip’s top moments and pivotal turns with these Marvel Unlimited comic picks!

MEETING ADAM WARLOCK

Because of his status as a troll, Pip was captured by the Universal Church of Truth and placed on the Death Ship with other non-humanoids. But it is on this ship that Pip met Adam Warlock (the good and past version of the Magus). They stage a rebellion, freeing every captive. Pip loses his new buddy during STRANGE TALES #180, and feeling betrayed, he goes to a bar, where he meets Gamora, “the deadliest woman in the whole galaxy.” The three fought against the true Magus in WARLOCK (1972) #9 and disposed of the false god, with the help of Thanos, in issue #11.

THE ORIGIN STORY

In WARLOCK #12, Pip exits a cabaret after indirectly starting a brawl there. He meets a woman named Heater Delight. Completely infatuated with her, he tells her his story. He was once known as Prince Gofern, and is 260th in line for Laxidazia’s throne. That’s a long wait to be king. It is a good thing that he had a hobby to pass the time. He explains to Heater that he used to draw starscapes, portraits of the sky at night. During one of those nights, he partied with trolls. The trolls are seen as less-than by the other Laxidazians, but Pip didn’t care. He woke up the next morning to find out that the ale he drank had transformed him into a troll! Pip tried to hide his new transformation but failed tremendously and was subsequently exiled from the kingdom. He is subsequently disappointed when he finds out that Heater only has eyes for Starfox and whisks her away. “Anger” doesn’t begin to describe how Pip feels.

DEATH AND REBIRTH

Not long after defeating the Magus, Pip’s mind was destroyed by Thanos. Give the guy a break! Luckily, his good friend Adam saved him by placing him within the Soul Gem (which also contained Gamora) in AVENGERS ANNUAL (1967) #7. He is eventually restored in a new body with enhanced strength in INFINITY GAUNTLET (1991) #1… and doesn’t do much else during the series except eat and drink.

INFINITY WATCH

During WARLOCK AND THE INFINITY WATCH (1992) #2, Warlock planned to share the newly-acquired Infinity Gems with five other people. He hands the Space Gem to Pip, which granted him the ability to teleport. With the gem, Pip can teleport anywhere, teleport others and objects, and find anyone (as long as he can picture where they are)! Pip joined the Infinity Watch along with Moondragon, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, and Warlock. Extended exposure to the gem’s radiation would eventually allow him to teleport without the Space Gem in later years. Pip proclaimed to other remaining members of the Infinity Watch that he is “Pipman” (so corny!) and the new leader of the group in issue #18.

KING PIP, THE UNIVERSAL MENACE

Pip finally became a king, not on his home planet of Laxidazia but in a more unorthodox way! In the INFINITY CRUSADE (1993) #3, via Charles Xavier telepathically communicating with Moondragon, Pip found out that the Goddess was located in Paradise Omega. Since he had teleportation skills, she was very easy to find. He touched the Cosmic Egg and gained immense powers, wasting no time getting rid of the Goddess by turning her into salt. It is at this moment that Pip became mad with power and claimed to be the “King of the Universe.” In WARLOCK AND THE INFINITY WATCH #20, Pip created a throne and developed various plans such as becoming eight feet tall and making Super Villains wash his car. (Can you imagine Mephisto washing a convertible?) In the end, Pip decided to just have a birthday party, hosted by his friends, as he only wishes to be liked. Before he could put this plan into motion though, he was knocked off the Cosmic Egg by a brainwashed Silhouette.

X-FACTOR INVESTIGATIONS

Once upon a time, Pip was on the run. From whom, you ask? Hela, the Goddess of Death! With a pendant shaped like Thor’s hammer in his possession, Pip was able to be “human” and therefore undetectable to Hela. So, Hela, in disguise as “Halja,” hired X-Factor Investigations to take on her case in X-FACTOR (2005) #207. Multiple Man and Siryn found the disguised and drunken Pip in a New York bar, and Hela captured him in the next issue. Feeling guilty about leading Hela to Pip, the X-Factor team traveled to Las Vegas. There they learned that Pip had made a deal with Hela: one year as a human, in Las Vegas, followed by a lifetime appointment as her jester. With the help of Thor, the team was able to rescue Pip in issue #212. The troll repaid the team by serving as their secretary in issue #213, but it seemed that he had an ulterior motive for joining the X-Factor crew...

RAVAGER LIFE

In one of his more recent appearances, Pip was working with Yondu Udonta’s Ravagers. When he and the other Ravagers met the Asgardians of the Galaxy in ASGARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2018) #6, Yondu revealed to them that they had been protecting refugees who can create diamonds from Chargazel’s Raiders. The Ravagers kept them safe as they moved from place to place, finally settling on Ego the Living Planet. Pip wasn’t there for the money, or the diamonds in this case—he was there because, in his own words, he wanted to “stay as far away from a system with cigars as possible.” He really wants to quit. He, the Ravagers, and the Asgardians of the Galaxy worked together to stop the Raiders from harming the refugees, and were successful as the Raiders retreated. Pip remained on Ego.

What do you think of Pip? Like him? Annoyed by him like every other Super Hero he comes across? Love him or hate him, Pip the Troll’s history can be found and read on the Marvel Unlimited app! Download for iOS or Android devices today.

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