AH PUCH	BIOGRAPHY
Created by Paul Kupperberg, Tom Grindberg and Dennis Janke after Mayan legends

Ah Puch; Art by Tom Grindberg and Dennis Janke.

PERSONAL DATA

Identity: The general public believes Ah Puch to be a figment of myth
Occupation: Mayan god of death, ruler of the Mayan hell Mitnal
Status: Deceased?
Place of Birth: Unknown
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: None
Base of Operation: Mitnal
Group Affiliation(s): Mayan Gods
Gender: Male
Height: About 12'
Weight: Unknown
Eyes: Red
Hair: White
Distinguishing Features: Fanged, snake.like tentacles protrode from his spine; claws
First Appearance: Action Comics Weekly #613 (August 16, 1988)
Creators: Paul Kupperberg, Tom Grindberg and Dennis Janke after Mayan legends

"Even in my slumber I could not help but hear the myriad of human voices calling out to me... Crying for my return! How is a deity to turn a deaf ear to such acclaim?" - Ah Puch

OVERVIEW

Ah Puch is the Mayan god of death. In modern times, he tangled with the Phantom Stranger.

HISTORY

Ah Puch was the Mayan god of death and ruler of Mitnal, the most abysmal of the nine Mayan hells. He thrived on human sacrifice, and was especially revered in the city of Chichen Itza, where people were thrown into the Cenote, a sacred well, as sacrifices for Ah Puch to feast upon.

With the advent of Christianity, worship of Ah Puch died out. This rendered Ah Puch so weak that he turned into a discorporeal spirit and was forced into dormancy. Ah Puch was given corporeal form once again many centuries later, when best-selling horror novelist Daniel Gleason included an ancient Mayan incantation in his book Mind Games. Upon reading the incantation in the book, the reader was claimed by Ah Puch, who absorbed the lifeforce of the reader. Ah Puch eventually came into conflict with the Phantom Stranger, when Gleason turned to him for help. Ah Puch possessed Gleason's body and brought the Phantom Stranger to Chichen Itza, where Ah Puch threw him into the Cenote in order to slowly devour his energies. Appealing to Gleason's soul deep within the form of Ah Puch, the Phantom Stranger was able to exorcise Ah Puch. If Ah Puch was truly vanquished remains to be seen.

POWERS AND WEAPONS

Ah Puch derives his strength from worship, especially human sacrifice. As a death god, he has the power to re-animate and control corpses.

At will, Ah Puch can have fanged, snakelike tentacles protrude from his spine. He was recently able to connect with the readers of the book Mind Games and feed off their lifeforce through these tentacles.

Ah Puch probably possesses superhuman strength and has the ability to walk on thin air. He is also endowed with claws.

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of Ah Puch in chronological order click here