A
superhero created by
John Byrne and published by
Marvel Comics. Sasquatch first appeared in
Uncanny
X-Men #120.
Walter Lankowski was a student in college with a brilliant
young student named Bruce Banner. The two often
hung out together and discussed scientific theory.
After graduation, the two did not keep in touch and it
wasn't until a freak accident in the desert of the
southwest United States, that Langkowski heard about
Banner again. Banner was exposed to intense gamma
radiation during a testing of a gamma bomb of his own
design and transformed into the savage beast known to
the world as the Incredible Hulk.
Langkowski, a former football player and now research
scientist, believed that under controlled conditions that
what happened to Banner would have a benificial effect
upon a subject. This belief along with Langkowski's desire
for the power Banner now had, led him to construct a machine
that would expose him to a massive dose of gamma rays.
Constructing is device in upper Canada at a research
station, Langkowski used the machine one night and the
result was that Langkowski was able to transform himself
into a massive, orange fur covered, being with incredible
strength. The fact that Langkowski's transformation had
none of the usual factors of a gamma induced episode
(green hair, green skin, green toenails, or the prediliciton
to smash everything in sight) was explained away by the
added influence of the aurora borealis.
Langkowski began a career adventuring becoming one of the
founding members of Canada's superhero team, Alpha Flight.
Langkowski began a relationship with one of his fellow
members Aurora. During this time, Langkowski began to
experience episodes of uncontrolled rage, in which he
was extremely destructive.
Eventually, it was discovered that Langkowski's experiment]
had actually torn a hole in the fabric of reality and
allowed one of the Great Beasts, a group of powerful evil
entities that had been imprisioned years earlier, to
form a bond with him. This villain, the Great Beast
Tanaraq, enabled Langkowski to take his form, though
each time he did, Tanaraq gained more control. Eventually,
Langkowski lost all control and Tanaraq went on a rampage
that was stopped by Langkowski's fellow Alphan Snowbird.
Snowbird killed Tanaraq's physical form, which transformed
back into Langkowski's lifeless body.
Langkowski's soul had been set adrift in a mystic realm
and his teammates travelled there, doing battle with the
Great Beasts, to rescue his soul. When many of his
teammates were struck down by their opponents, Langkowski
used the energy of his soul to restore them to health.
This sacrifice caused Langkowski's body to disintergrate,
so he was forced to inhabit the mechanical construct called
Box for a time.
Langkowski existed in the form of Box for a time until
he realized that his metal form was putting a strain on
his relationship with Aurora. Deciding to do something
about it, he and Roger Bochs constructed a device to
retreive a body for Langkowski to reside in. Unfortunately,
the two's invention linked with Langkowski's old college
friend Bruce Banner in his form as the Hulk. Langkowski
decided that it would be better to pass away than to continue
his existence as the Hulk and set his soul free.
For a time, Langkowski was believed to be dead, until
he returned to save his teammates from their enemy Pestilence.
Pestilence had taken over the form of Snowbird, who had
died and during the battle, was driven from her body,
while she was in the form of Sasquatch. Langkowski took
over her body and was pleased to be back in mortal form
until he discovered that when he returned to human form,
he was female, not male.
Calling himself Wanda Langkowski,
Sasquatch continued to adventure with Alpha Flight. He
eventually with the help of the spirit of his former teammate
Snowbird, was able to return to his male form and has
been a member of Alpha Flight from that time forward.