Origin & First Appearance

Yuri Topolov was a Soviet scientist forced by his government to participate in dangerous atomic tests. In an accident that unleashed radiation, Topolov's face and body became horribly altered while his intelligence became vastly increased as a result. He became known as the Gargoyle due to his grotesque appearance. The Gargoyle, being a genius due to the effects of the radiation, became one of the Soviet Union's greatest scientists as well as a major figure in Soviet Intelligence.

One of the Gargoyle's intelligence agents, Igor Drenkov, was sent to the United States and assigned to spy on Doctor Bruce Banner's development of the Gamma bomb. Drenkov notified the Gargoyle about the appearance of the Hulk and the Gargoyle decided he must capture the Hulk. The Gargoyle went to the United States and captured the Hulk along with his companion, Rick Jones. The Gargoyle took them to his base in the Soviet Union and discovered that the Hulk was Banner when the Hulk reverted to human form at sunset. The Gargoyle longed to be a normal human being again, even at the cost of his genius, and Banner offered to try to help him.

Banner used treatments of radiation that succeeded in restoring the Gargoyle to his original human form. As Banner had predicted, in the process the Gargoyle also reverted to the level of intelligence he had possessed before becoming the Gargoyle. Then, Topolov helped Banner and Jones escape back to America. Then, he sought vengeance on his superiors who were responsible for making him the Gargoyle. Topolov set off a series of bombs at the base in which he and many of his colleagues were killed in the explosion. Topolov is survived by a son, the Gremlin, who inherited his father's deformity.

Alternate Earth

Earth 7711

On this alternate Earth that is later revealed to be a show put on by Bereet, the Gargoyle didn't die in the explosion but reverted back to his old self. He is then tricked by the Krylorians but when they turn on him he sacrifices himself so The Hulk, Rick Jones, and Bereet can escape.

Other Media

The Incredible Hulk (1996)

Gargoyle appeared in many episodes of this animated series as The Leader's mistreated and sometimes double-crossing henchman. He is voiced by actor Mark Hamill.