| Ogre | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Ogre (Male), Ogress (Female) |
|
First Appearance |
European Folklore |
|
Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
An ogre is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. The word ogre is of French origin, originally derived from the Etruscan god Orcus, who fed on human flesh.
In mythology, ogres are often depicted as inhumanly large, tall, and having a disproportionately large head, abundant hair, unusually colored skin, a voracious appetite, and a strong body. Ogres are closely linked with giants and with human cannibals in mythology. In both folklore and fiction, giants are often given ogrish traits (such as the giants in "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Jack the Giant Killer", the Giant Despair in The Pilgrim's Progress, and the Jötunn of Norse mythology); while ogres may be given giant-like traits.
Famous examples of ogres in folklore include the ogre in "Puss in Boots" and the ogre in "Hop-o'-My-Thumb". Other characters sometimes described as ogres include the title character from "Bluebeard", the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, Humbaba from the Epic of Gilgamesh, Grendel from Beowulf, Polyphemus the Cyclops from Homer's Odyssey, the man-eating giant in "Sinbad the Sailor", the oni of Japanese folklore and the ghouls of pre-Islamic Arabian religion. The fantasy race of orcs is also derived from a variant name of ogre.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Ogres from before January 1, 1929 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Histoires ou Contes du temps passé (1697)
- Hop-o'-My-Thumb
- Bluebeard
- Puss in Boots
- History of the Kings of Britain
- L'Orangier et l'Abeille (1698)
- Beowulf
- Sinbad the Sailor
- The Odyssey
- Beauty and the Beast
Public Domain Comic Appearances of Ogres[]
- Fairy Tale Parade #8-9
- Feature Comics #32
- Ha Ha Comics #29, 33
- Spotlight Comics #3
- Zip Comics #19
- Spook #26, 30
- Crack Comics #5
- Li'l Genius #12
- Tip Top Comics #201
- Planet Comics #6
- Captain Marvel Adventures #7
- Fantastic Comics #2
- Jest Comics #11
- Buster Crabbe #3
- Silver Streak Comics #16
- The Hand of Fate #11
- Famous Funnies #187
- Smash Comics #38
- Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact v17 #13
Public Domain Comic Appearances Inspired by Ogres[]
- THUNDER Agents #13
- Police Comics #20
- The Spirit (1940-10-20)
- Crime Does Not Pay #117