Origin

Pip the Troll was not always a troll. He was once a boozing more-or-less humanoid prince from Laxidazia with just one talent: painting starscapes. One night, Pip drank and partied with a band of Trolls and the next morning, he woke up as one. There's a moral tale for the young folk! Pip is by and large a foul mouthed, cigar smoking misogynist with little respect for anyone or anything but Adam Warlock.

Creation

Pip the Troll was created by Jim Starlin for the Strange Tales comic series and first appeared in Strange Tales issue 179 (1975).

Major Story Arcs

Warlock

Pip the Troll became a traveling rogue who would fatefully encounter Adam Warlock in a prison dungeon of the Universal Church of Truth (empire of The Magus), becoming Warlock's companion and ally (though Pip never really managed to contribute much). Pip accompanied Warlock on many adventures, during which they would recruit another ally, Gamora the deadliest woman in the universe and would even team up with Thanos himself to defeat The Magus, Warlock's evil future self.

Not too long after the Magus' defeat, Pip became separated from Warlock and had one solo adventure where he encountered Thanos' brother Starfox. Soon after, while looking for Warlock, Pip found himself on his former ally Thanos' ship, trusting that Thanos was still an ally and would help him find Warlock. Pip was wrong and Thanos grabbed Pip and destroyed his mind, leaving his brain dead body for Adam Warlock and Captain Mar-Vell to find. Warlock took Pip's soul into his soul gem and for years to come Pip's spirit would make appearances any time anyone ventured into soul world.

Return and the Infinity Gaunlet

Years later, with Pip, Gamora and Warlock himself all dead and living peacefully in Soul World, they would be visited by the Silver Surfer and Drax the Destroyer, bearing news of Thanos' return. This news caused the three spirits to have themselves reanimated in the land of the living by inhabiting bodies of three recently deceased humans. Pip helped Warlock gather his heroic forces to combat Thanos during the Infinity Gauntlet but did not join them in battle, instead staying behind in Dr. Strange's mansion and giving his servant Rintrah stress headaches.

The Infinity Watch

After the Infinity Gauntlet ordeal, with Warlock in control of the gauntlet but forbidden to use the gems in unison, Warlock invited Pip to join his new team, The Infinity Watch alongside Gamora, Moondragon and Drax the Destroyer. Pip was granted the Space Gem, allowing him to teleport himself and others anywhere in the galaxy he could think of. Pip kept his gem between his toes for safe keeping. Still not much help in combat, Pip's powers would mainly allow him to fight dirty and unfairly by teleporting behind or above foes and dropping things on their heads.

As a member of the Infinity Watch, Pip would be unable to avoid being heavily involved in The Infinity War and Infinity Crusade crossovers. In the Infinity Crusade, for a brief time Pip, Drax and Maxam were the only active Infinity Watch members around and Pip donned a costume more elaborate than his usual loincloth for the first time and attempted to establish himself as the team's leader. After this attempt failed, Pip teleported himself onto The Goddess' Cosmic Egg (her power source) and incapacitated her for a time; briefly possessing the powers of a god. Unfortunately for Pip, while he was brainstorming what to do with this power, he was attacked from behind by Silhouette and lost it all.

Eventually the Infinity Watch disbanded as their gems disappeared. Following the Watch's dissolving, Pip would almost completely fade into obscurity. A little over a decade (readers' time) later, he would appear a few times in She-Hulk, somehow still able to teleport. It is explained away as the space gem's abilities somehow having rubbed off on Pip, so he can still do it without the gem. Pip teleports throughout the galaxy picking up She-Hulk and others with superhuman strength to combat the Champion of the Universe, and later appears to retrieve She-Hulk and other key witnesses in a court case brought against Starfox for sexual misconduct.

X-Factor Investigations.

Pip got into trouble with the Northern Goddess of Death known as Hela, whom had enlisted the mutant detective agency known as X-Factor to find him. While the team of mutants found him, they eventually turned on Hela when they realized who she was and what she was about to do to Pip. Pip was rescued and grateful. From that moment on, Pip has stayed with X-Factor and has become the receptionist at the headquarters. He brings his cosmic powers to help to locate individuals; he could use his transportation as an asset to the team. More recently, Pip met a girl he supposedly saved from a mugger (this while the mugger was in league with Pip, so he could play the hero and get the girl). The girl however turned out to be a mercenary whom shot Pip point blank, seemingly killing him. Eventually it is revealed that Pip was not mortally wounded, due to his non-human physique. He returned back into space after X-Factor disbanneded.

Thanos, Hulk and Infinity

More recenytly, Pip encountered his former foe Thanos once more when he tried to help the earth powerhouse the Hulk. Thanos relunctandly agreed to help Pip and some form a alliance came between the two. Some months later, Thanos this time requered the help of Pip the troll in order to defeat the evil Annihilous, a being from the Negative Zone.

Powers & Abilities

Pip originally had no superhuman powers or abilities, aside from being notoriously decadent. When he returned from Soul World, Adam Warlock arranged for his new body to be endowed with superhuman strength, which he estimated to be around Spider-Man's level. He rarely engages in brawls, however, as he is incredibly cowardly.

While in possession of the Space Gem, Pip gained the ability to teleport himself and others in contact with him. There were no evident limits to the distance he could teleport, and he was able to teleport to places he had never personally visited, so long as one of the people he was transporting was able to visualize the location. Long-term exposure to the Space Gem's radiation allowed Pip to retain this ability even once it was no longer in his possession.

Other Media

Silver Surfer Animated Series (1998)

In the Silver Surfer animated series, Pip and his girlfriend Kili are slaves of the Kree Empire, as all the Trolls are as they were created for that sole purpose. When the Silver Surfer crash lands on their planet, he is made a slave as well. The Surfer is able to help the Trolls gain their freedom. Pip also asks the Surfer to tag along with him on his travels. Pip is voiced by Robert Bockstael.