Apache Chief
Encyclopedia
Apache Chief is a fictional Native American
superhero
from the various Super Friends
cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera
. He was one of the new heroes added (along with Black Vulcan
, Rima the Jungle Girl
, El Dorado and Samurai
) to increase the number of non-white
characters in the Super Friends ranks. He was voiced by Michael Rye
.
In the Challenge of the Super Friends
series, Apache Chief was seen in every episode except one, but had spoken lines in only nine out of the sixteen episodes of the series. His arch enemy from the Legion of Doom
was Giganta
, who also happens to be an original arch enemy of Wonder Woman
.
"Native American English" and recited vaguely Native American philosophy
. In the 1978 episodes, "Revenge on Gorilla City" and "The Time Trap", and the 1984 short episode entitled "The Village of Lost Souls", it was shown that Apache Chief also had exceptional tracking ability.
Apache Chief's origin, shown as a recording in the episode "History of Doom", was thus: while still a young brave, he went for a walk with the chief of his tribe. The two men are quickly attacked by a bear, but the chief, recognizing that the young brave might be ready for a test such as this, gives the younger man a pouch of a special magic powder which will amplify the user's thoughts and abilities a hundredfold. The young man resolves to be strong and brave (heeding the chief's advice that whatever is in his mind at the time will be amplified by the dust), and upon sprinkling himself with the powder and invoking the magic phrase "Eh-neeek-chock", grows to fifty feet in size, stronger and braver. He disposes of the bear without violence, proving that he has passed the test. Unfortunately, a passerby witnesses the entire affair and steals the dust with a lasso. Despite the chief telling her her mind was evil, she uses it on herself and becomes the evil Giganta
, proclaiming "Your fifty feet of good are now matched by my fifty feet of evil!" The extent of his power is unknown.
universe
, but a somewhat similar character called Manitou Raven
was created as an homage to him and joined the canonical
JLA
. Like Apache Chief, Manitou Raven and later, Manitou's widow, Manitou Dawn
, have both been seen to say 'Inukchuk' when casting spells or invoking powers.
series is based directly on Apache Chief. Here he is a member of the Ultimen, the group itself a reference to the Super Friends. Long Shadow has the ability to increase his size, increasing his strength (he also demonstrates superhuman strength, fighting lava men hand-to-hand even before growing). He also gains enhanced hearing, and is voiced by Gregg Rainwater
.
Long Shadow comes off as the most innocent and selfless member of the Ultimen, a quality which sets him apart from his somewhat greedy teammates and catches the eye of Wonder Woman
. He is also the only member of the Ultimen to express interest in joining the Justice League, the others being more concerned with the material rewards of their current arrangement. When the team discovers that they are clones, and that their cellular structure is breaking down, Long Shadow remains the voice of reason as the others become increasingly unstable, Wind Dragon in particular. When they are unable to find a cure, his teammates begin to destroy the building that serves as their headquarters. Long Shadow assists in evacuating the civilians from the building, then tries to reason with Wind Dragon when he decides to destroy the Justice League. After all but Wind Dragon are defeated, Long Shadow convinces him to stop fighting, citing Wind Dragon's former appreciation of the Justice League as heroes. The Ultimen are incarcerated by Project Cadmus
, but Long Shadow is allowed to remain with the Justice League thanks to the efforts of Wonder Woman and Batman
. He does not appear after this point, and his fate is unrevealed, though it is likely that he died from his cellular disorder at some unspecified time after his initiation. Numerous clones of Long Shadow and the Ultimen appear in "Panic in the Sky" when Galatea and the Ultimen army attack the Watchtower.
, voiced by Maurice LaMarche
. He is one of the few heroes in the show to actually do superhero work, though he admits to taking various odd jobs to make ends meet (including, but not limited to, pornographic films). He first appears as the subject of the episode "Very Personal Injury". He spills hot coffee on his lap, preventing him from "growing larger
", a double entendre
that becomes a running gag
. He tries to sue the coffee shop that served the drink (a parody of Liebeck v. McDonald's Corp.), but the case is dropped when a beautiful witness makes an impassioned speech in court about his plight, causing him to become so "excited" that his power returns. He also makes several sporadic appearances in the background of other episodes, and now has a deep fear of coffee and other hot liquids.
titled "S&M Present," Britney Spears
and her pop-music minions merge together into a giant in order to fight a Pat Morita
-trained Joey Fatone
, and "Eh-neeek-chock!" can be heard as they combine.
episode "PTV", helping Peter
place a satellite dish on his roof. Afterwards, having nothing else to do, he dejectedly says, "that was the high point of my day" and decides to go gamble. In "Love Blactually
", Glenn Quagmire
uses the same catchphrase in reference to his penis, which is then implied to enlarge with the sound effects that accompany the phrase.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
from the various Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
. He was one of the new heroes added (along with Black Vulcan
Black Vulcan
Black Vulcan is a fictional African American superhero on the animated series Super Friends created by Hanna-Barbera. He was voiced by Buster Jones.-Fictional character biography:...
, Rima the Jungle Girl
Rima
Rima, also known as Rima the Jungle Girl, is the fictional heroine of W. H. Hudson's 1904 novel Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest. In 1974, she was adapted into a comic book character and featured in the short-lived monthly series Rima the Jungle Girl, published by DC Comics...
, El Dorado and Samurai
Samurai (Super Friends)
Samurai is a fictional superhero in the Super Friends cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera. His real name is Toshio Eto, and he is of Japanese descent. He was one of the later additions to the team along with other ethnically diverse heroes in an effort for the show to promote cultural diversity. His...
) to increase the number of non-white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
characters in the Super Friends ranks. He was voiced by Michael Rye
Michael Rye
Michael Rye is a US voice actor. He is also known as Mike Rye and sometimes used his surname at birth, Rye Billsbury...
.
In the Challenge of the Super Friends
Challenge of the Super Friends
Challenge of the Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from September 9, 1978, to December 23, 1978, on ABC. The complete series was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for Warner Bros. Television and is based on the Justice League and...
series, Apache Chief was seen in every episode except one, but had spoken lines in only nine out of the sixteen episodes of the series. His arch enemy from the Legion of Doom
Legion of Doom (comics)
The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains led by Lex Luthor that appeared in Challenge of the Super Friends, an ABC animated series that starred superheroes from DC Comics.-History:...
was Giganta
Giganta
Giganta is a fictional character, a red-haired super-villainess appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. A longtime enemy of Wonder Woman and an occasional foil for The Atom, Giganta possesses the superhuman ability to increase her physical size and mass, effectively transforming into...
, who also happens to be an original arch enemy of Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
.
Fictional character biography
By speaking the word "Eh-neeek-chock" ("Big Man"), Apache Chief could grow to unlimited sizes. In an episode titled "Colossus", Apache Chief shouts " Eh-neeek-chock" to grow to super size, making himself able to battle the Colossus, a titanic space creature that plucked Earth from its orbit and placed it in a small (relative to him) glass bottle. Originally his tribal powers limited his growth to only 50 feet tall. However in one episode, "Man in the Moon", he used the Atom's knowledge of atomic size and was able to increase his growing to unlimited size. He was then able to grow to 1/5 the size of the earth, stepping on most of North America, and defeated the creature, sending it back inside the moon. He also spoke in stereotypicalStereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
"Native American English" and recited vaguely Native American philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. In the 1978 episodes, "Revenge on Gorilla City" and "The Time Trap", and the 1984 short episode entitled "The Village of Lost Souls", it was shown that Apache Chief also had exceptional tracking ability.
Apache Chief's origin, shown as a recording in the episode "History of Doom", was thus: while still a young brave, he went for a walk with the chief of his tribe. The two men are quickly attacked by a bear, but the chief, recognizing that the young brave might be ready for a test such as this, gives the younger man a pouch of a special magic powder which will amplify the user's thoughts and abilities a hundredfold. The young man resolves to be strong and brave (heeding the chief's advice that whatever is in his mind at the time will be amplified by the dust), and upon sprinkling himself with the powder and invoking the magic phrase "Eh-neeek-chock", grows to fifty feet in size, stronger and braver. He disposes of the bear without violence, proving that he has passed the test. Unfortunately, a passerby witnesses the entire affair and steals the dust with a lasso. Despite the chief telling her her mind was evil, she uses it on herself and becomes the evil Giganta
Giganta
Giganta is a fictional character, a red-haired super-villainess appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. A longtime enemy of Wonder Woman and an occasional foil for The Atom, Giganta possesses the superhuman ability to increase her physical size and mass, effectively transforming into...
, proclaiming "Your fifty feet of good are now matched by my fifty feet of evil!" The extent of his power is unknown.
DC Comics universe
Apache Chief does not appear in the mainstream DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
, but a somewhat similar character called Manitou Raven
Manitou Raven
Manitou Raven is a fictional character and superhero from DC Comics. Manitou Raven was known to shout "Inukchuk!" when he cast spells. This is a reference by writer Joe Kelly to Apache Chief from the Super Friends animated series. Like Apache Chief, Manitou would shout this phrase in order to...
was created as an homage to him and joined the canonical
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
JLA
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
. Like Apache Chief, Manitou Raven and later, Manitou's widow, Manitou Dawn
Manitou Dawn
Manitou Dawn is a fictional superhero character in the DC Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Dawn and her late husband Manitou Raven hail from the Obsidian Age of Atlantis, circa 1000 BC. They were born in North America, from a tribe which would one day become the Apache Tribe. Few...
, have both been seen to say 'Inukchuk' when casting spells or invoking powers.
Other versions
The character Long Shadow from the Justice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
series is based directly on Apache Chief. Here he is a member of the Ultimen, the group itself a reference to the Super Friends. Long Shadow has the ability to increase his size, increasing his strength (he also demonstrates superhuman strength, fighting lava men hand-to-hand even before growing). He also gains enhanced hearing, and is voiced by Gregg Rainwater
Gregg Rainwater
Gregg Andrew Rainwater is an American actor of Osage, Cherokee, Irish, and Filipino descent, who is most well known for his role as half Kiowa Buck Cross on The Young Riders ....
.
Long Shadow comes off as the most innocent and selfless member of the Ultimen, a quality which sets him apart from his somewhat greedy teammates and catches the eye of Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
. He is also the only member of the Ultimen to express interest in joining the Justice League, the others being more concerned with the material rewards of their current arrangement. When the team discovers that they are clones, and that their cellular structure is breaking down, Long Shadow remains the voice of reason as the others become increasingly unstable, Wind Dragon in particular. When they are unable to find a cure, his teammates begin to destroy the building that serves as their headquarters. Long Shadow assists in evacuating the civilians from the building, then tries to reason with Wind Dragon when he decides to destroy the Justice League. After all but Wind Dragon are defeated, Long Shadow convinces him to stop fighting, citing Wind Dragon's former appreciation of the Justice League as heroes. The Ultimen are incarcerated by Project Cadmus
Project Cadmus
Project Cadmus is a fictional genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. It was created by Jack Kirby as the DNA Project in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 , and was run by the former Newsboy Legion...
, but Long Shadow is allowed to remain with the Justice League thanks to the efforts of Wonder Woman and Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
. He does not appear after this point, and his fate is unrevealed, though it is likely that he died from his cellular disorder at some unspecified time after his initiation. Numerous clones of Long Shadow and the Ultimen appear in "Panic in the Sky" when Galatea and the Ultimen army attack the Watchtower.
Harvey Birdman
Apache Chief appears several times on Harvey Birdman, Attorney at LawHarvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law is an American animated television series comedy created by Williams Street and produced by Cartoon Network Studios that aired on Cartoon Network during its Adult Swim late night programming block. The series' pilot first aired in 2000, and later became a series in...
, voiced by Maurice LaMarche
Maurice LaMarche
Maurice LaMarche is an Emmy Award winning Canadian-American voice actor and former stand up comedian. He is best known for his voicework in Futurama as Kif Kroker, as Egon Spengler in The Real Ghostbusters, Verminous Skumm and Duke Nukem in Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Big Bob Pataki in Hey...
. He is one of the few heroes in the show to actually do superhero work, though he admits to taking various odd jobs to make ends meet (including, but not limited to, pornographic films). He first appears as the subject of the episode "Very Personal Injury". He spills hot coffee on his lap, preventing him from "growing larger
Erection
Penile erection is a physiological phenomenon where the penis becomes enlarged and firm. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular and endocrine factors, and is usually, though not exclusively, associated with sexual arousal...
", a double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
that becomes a running gag
Running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
. He tries to sue the coffee shop that served the drink (a parody of Liebeck v. McDonald's Corp.), but the case is dropped when a beautiful witness makes an impassioned speech in court about his plight, causing him to become so "excited" that his power returns. He also makes several sporadic appearances in the background of other episodes, and now has a deep fear of coffee and other hot liquids.
Robot Chicken
In the episode of Robot ChickenRobot Chicken
Robot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
titled "S&M Present," Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
and her pop-music minions merge together into a giant in order to fight a Pat Morita
Pat Morita
Noriyuki "Pat" Morita was an American actor of Japanese descent who was well-known for playing the roles of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days and Mr. Miyagi in the The Karate Kid movie series, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984.-Early life:Pat...
-trained Joey Fatone
Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony "Joey" Fatone, Jr. is an American singer, dancer, actor and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband, 'N Sync, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reality show Dancing with the Stars...
, and "Eh-neeek-chock!" can be heard as they combine.
Family Guy
Apache Chief had a cameo in the Family GuyFamily Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "PTV", helping Peter
Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
place a satellite dish on his roof. Afterwards, having nothing else to do, he dejectedly says, "that was the high point of my day" and decides to go gamble. In "Love Blactually
Love Blactually
"Love, Blactually" is the first episode of the seventh season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on September 28, 2008. The episode features anthropomorphic dog Brian, after he meets a fellow atheist named Carolyn at a book store, and the two...
", Glenn Quagmire
Glenn Quagmire
Glenn Quagmire, often referred to as just Quagmire, is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. Quagmire is a neighbor and friend of the Griffin family. He is best known for his hypersexuality...
uses the same catchphrase in reference to his penis, which is then implied to enlarge with the sound effects that accompany the phrase.
Toys
- It was revealed at the 2009 New York Comic Con that Apache Chief, along with Black VulcanBlack VulcanBlack Vulcan is a fictional African American superhero on the animated series Super Friends created by Hanna-Barbera. He was voiced by Buster Jones.-Fictional character biography:...
and SamuraiSamurai (Super Friends)Samurai is a fictional superhero in the Super Friends cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera. His real name is Toshio Eto, and he is of Japanese descent. He was one of the later additions to the team along with other ethnically diverse heroes in an effort for the show to promote cultural diversity. His...
, would be released in a three-pack in the Justice League Unlimited toyline. - Apache Chief is the "Collect & Connect" build-a-figure in series 18 of MattelMattelMattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
's DC Universe ClassicsDC Universe ClassicsDC Universe Classics is an action figure toyline, a sub-line of the DC Universe toy brand manufactured by Mattel. These are 6-inch scale figures based on characters owned by DC Comics...
.