Who's Who: Kantuu

Kantuu
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Kantuu

Super-Power(s): Phenomenal Cosmic Powers
Planet of Origin: Djinn

Relationship to Legion: Villain

Legion Log
Kantuu was a leader of the ancient warrior race known as the Djinn. They battled through the galaxy until they set their sights on the planet of Oa, home of the Guardians of the Universe. The Guardians of course defeated them. They then imprisoned the Djinn in power ring energized bottles and distributed them throughout the universe with this caveat: the Djinn would be obligated to grant three wishes to all who opened the bottles.

Kantuu landed on Earth, in ancient Arabia. After his master was granted his two wishes, he wished Kantuu off Earth.

Thousands of years later, former Legionnaires Duo Damsel and Bouncing Boy, on planet Wondil IX, accidentally released Kantuu, and in doing so, destroyed his bottle. Thinking that he was totally free, Kantuu headed back to Earth for revenge and to collect as many of his brethren as possible.

On their way back to Earth to confront Kantuu, the Legionnaires learned the history of the Djinn. Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel realized that they couldn't order Kantuu back into his bottle because it had been destroyed.

When the Legion caught up to Kantuu on Earth, Bouncing Boy ordered him to re-create his bottle. Kantuu was obligated to do so, but slapped Bouncing Boy away before he could make his final wish. Then Duo Damsel split into two. Kantuu threatened to kill her, but she threatened him back that if he were to strike one of her dead, the surviving Legionnaire would order him to kill himself. Otherwise, she was going to order him back into his bottle.

Faced with death or imprisonment, Kantuu returned to his recreated bottle. The Legion then said that they would bury him on the Moon with all the other Djinn that they had found on Earth.

The Legion soon reconsidered the security of storing dangerous aliens on the Moon. Although the Who's Who profile says that Kantuu and his comrades were buried on a distant moon (not Earth's Moon), the Legion actually stored them in the basement of their own headquarters to prevent anyone from accidentally releasing them.

Although the Who's Who profile draws Kantuu as if he were nude, in his actual appearances, he was shown to be dressed in traditional harem pants. And although the profile shows Kantuu with long, sharp toe nails, the assumption is that he was a normal humanoid, so his feet should not look so feral.

Kantuu never reappears, in any continuity.

After Infinite Crisis, Kantuu's original history has presumably been more or less restored.

Only Kantuu stories:

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #266

The debut of Kantuu

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #267

The  origin and defeat of Kantuu