Medusa

== Golden Age Origin =

Medusa was one of the three Gorgon sisters (the others being Stheno and Euryale) who were born to the primordial sea gods Phorcys and Ceto in the caverns beneathe Mount Olympus. When Medusa was sexually assaulted by Neptune in the temple of Athena, Athena transformed Medusa, and her sisters who defended her, into bloodthristy monsters. They were each cursed with hideous looks, including snakes for hair, which would turn anyone who looked at them directly, into stone. Medusa became the most famous of the three because the Greek hero Perseus cut off her head and used it to save Princess Andromeda, by turning a huge sea creature into stone.

In addition to snake-like hair, the original versions of the Gorgons had wings, claws and scaly skin.

Golden Age Appearances
Jumbo Comics #31: Medusa attempts to turn Stuart Taylor to stone, but he escapes. Pep Comics #46: The adventurer Marco Loco encounters a version of Medusa that does not turn people to stone, but wants to eat him. The Beyond #8: With the help of a witch, Medusa is set free from a vault in the 20th century. Weird Horrors #5

Public Domain Comic Appearances of Medusa's Head
Thrilling Romances #12: The story of Perseus and Andromeda. Mystery Men Comics #24: Rex Dexter explains the story of Perseus and Andromeda. Pep Comics #45: Hangman faces a recreation of Medusa'd head, armed with poisoned barbs. Yankee Comics #3 Bulls Eye Comics #11 Mister Mystery #15 Weird Terror #3, 7 Tomb of Terror #5: Medusa's curse spread from her own severed head, to the heads of others, like a virus.