Originally co-created by writer Whitney Ellsworth and artist George Papp, he was later transformed into Congorilla by Robert Bernstein and Howard Sherman.

In 1954, DC gave Congo Bill a solo series, published on a bi-monthly schedule, which lasted for seven issues (August/September 1954 – August/September 1955).

[4] Since the demise of his series, Congorilla has mainly been seen as a guest star in other titles, including as part of the Forgotten Heroes.

The character received a mini-series of his own in 1992, where Janu betrays Bill, usurps the Congorilla identity, and partially blinds him.

Congo Bill appears in the Rebirth continuity as the warden of Monster Rock, where he trains the hero Damage in controlling his abilities.

Kawolo told the skeptical Congo Bill that, by rubbing the ring, he could transfer his consciousness into the body of the legendary golden gorilla.

[10] Years later, Bill (now known as Congorilla) is trapped in his golden gorilla form due to the death of his human body.

[11] After the trail leads to the villain Prometheus, Congorilla works with Starman and a splinter faction of the Justice League.

He is also part of a much larger makeshift Justice League squad when the return of Batman from a seeming death threatens to destroy time and space.

He ultimately chooses to resign from the JLA to organize the superheroes of Africa into a more efficient team and find a worthy successor for Freedom Beast.

As Congorilla, Bill's simian body granted him supernatural strength, stamina, durability, agility, reflexes, and senses, self-healing capabilities, the ability to grow in size, and virtual immortality.