Lame Superhero of the Week: Congorilla

Imagine 'Freaky Friday' with a jungle adventurer and a gorilla

Real Name: Congo Bill
First Appearance: Action Comics #228 (1957)
Alias: Congorilla, The Golden Gorilla, The Amazing Man-Ape, Jamie Lee Curtis
Creators: Robert Bernstein, Whitney Ellsworth, George Papp
Lame Abilities: mind transfer, super strength and agility

Congorilla has a strange and convoluted history. First there was Congo Bill, a jungle adventurer and naturalist who wouldn’t kill any animal unless he had to. Congo Bill made his debut way back in “More Fun Comics” in 1940. He soon ended up in the back pages of “Action Comics,” home of Superman. Then in 1959, ol’ Bill had a transformation. The powers-that-be wanted the character to be more like a superhero, so they did the next best thing — they turned him into a gorilla.

A dying witch doctor, Chief Kawolo, gives Bill a magic ring. When Congo Bill rubs the ring, his mind is transferred into the body of a legendary golden gorilla for one hour. And where does the gorilla’s mind go? Into Congo Bill’s body, of course. It’s like “Freaky Friday,” except Lindsay Lohan is Congo Bill and Jamie Lee Curtis is the gorilla, or maybe it’s the other way around (or for the older crowd — It’s like “Freaky Friday,” except Jodie Foster is Congo Bill and Barbara Harris is the Gorilla, or maybe it’s the other way around).

So, whenever plain ol’ Congo Bill gets into trouble with evil Foreign Legion mutineers or the like, he rubs his magic ring, jumps into the body of the golden gorilla, and becomes Congorilla. With his enhanced strength and agility, he makes monkeys out of his enemies and protects the innocent. Of course, during the swap, Congo Bill has to be conveniently locked away or sedated, because, after all, he has the mind of a gorilla and he usually goes ape-shit.

The comic was quickly renamed “Congorilla,” and it ran in a variety of Superman titles on a regular basis up until 1961. Congorilla has turned up a few more times over the years and in the ’90s he had his own mini-series. So there’s hope for more gorilla / human swapping in our future.

12 Responses to “Lame Superhero of the Week: Congorilla”

  1. John Says:

    I’ve heard rumors that Jamie Lee Curtis is actually a transexual gorilla.

  2. Doghouse O'Reilly Says:

    I’ve heard that rumor too

  3. Jeb Says:

    I wouldn’t mind swapping minds with Lindsay Lohan

  4. Tom Says:

    I wouldn’t mind swapping something else with Lindsay Lohan

  5. Bill Says:

    I heard that Curtis is a gorilla…a male gorilla

  6. Radar Says:

    The “Golden” gorilla, huh

  7. NewsToob » Daily Links on the Toob Says:

    [...] Lame Superhero of the Week: Congorilla - Blogzarro [...]

  8. Mister Sinister Says:

    Congorilla died some time ago when Bill’s insane sidekick stole the ring, they both died & the gorilla still had Bill’s mind.

    Now Bill’s a gorilla.

    the end, sucks don’t it

  9. Jimzarro Says:

    That does suck.

    But that’s the chance you take when you trade brains with a gorilla.

  10. Lame Superhero of the Week: Congorilla « Promi News Says:

    [...] Lame Superhero of the Week: Congorilla Congorilla has a strange and convoluted history. First there was Congo Bill, a jungle adventurer and naturalist who wouldn’t kill any animal unless he had to. Congo Bill made his debut way back in “More Fun Comics” in 1940. He soon ended up in the back pages of “Action Comics,” home of Superman.[…] Thanks to AcePup for providing this nice story on Digg (more than 18 Diggs). [...]

  11. Rafael T.M Says:

    What a lame power!!!! couldn´t he transform into a golden gorilla instead? it would be much simpler!!

  12. Green Lantern’s Not The Only One With Super-Powered Bling | MoviesB.Com Says:

    [...] “me” time, he can transfer his brain into Congorilla’s body, and vice versa, by rubbing the ring. And no, “rubbing the ring to unleash the gorilla” is not a euphemism for [...]

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