Before civilization came to the British Isles, legend had it that these lands were ruled by a fierce group of giants. Gogmagog was the most powerful of these beasts, and survived longer than any other-fighting through a brutal war with the armies of Troy. The stories say that this giant was the son of demons and had the strength of more than twenty men.
Big Brute: Gogmagog and others of his race stood up to 13 feet tall. Their bodies rippled with strength, and these giants could tear trees from the ground with their bare hands.
Cold Comfort: This giant was a hideously ugly and scary-looking creature. Gogmaog wore animal skins to protect himself from the cold weather in Albion, but left the animal's head and claws attached to add to his intimidating look.
Family Thing[]
Replicas of ancient giants show up in European parades.
Gogmagog's violent ways were passed down to him through his family's heritage. Diocletian, a legendary king of Syria, had 33 daughters, all of whom liked to cause trouble. These ladies killed their husbands, and were cast away on a drifting boat for their crimes. They eventually reached the shores of ancient Britain, where they made a pact with demons and gave birth to a race of giants, including Gogmagog. The giants killed all others on the island and ruled until the Trojans forced them to war.
Fierce Fighters: Gogmagog was strong, but not smart. His weapons were simple clubs, large axes and spiked balls-and-chains. But the strength with which he swung the weapons made up for his lack of battle savvy.
The End: When Gogmagog became the last remaining member of his race, he was challenged to a fight with the warrior Corineus. The battle was brutal, but Corineus won by throwing Gogmagog off a cliff.
The Bigger They Are[]
Legends tell that the Trojan army invaded Albion. Knowing that the giants there were far stronger than they were, the soldiers used clever battle strategies, setting traps that caught and killed many of the giants. In direct fights, Gogmagog and his people killed Trojans two at a time. In the end, most of the giants were defeated by the numerically-superior Trojan warriors and their military tactics.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The art for Gogmagog has him wearing a black bear pelt, despite them not being native to Britain (only brown bears once were, but they are long since extinct in Britain).