Professor Ivan Poppenov is character in the Jim Starlin saga Gilgamesh II. As it name implies, Gilgamesh II is a retold of the epic poem of Gilgamesh as a science fiction story. In this story, Professor Poppenov represents the role Utnapishtim, a old man who survived an universal flood and had discovered the secret of immortality and who guided Gilgameshin his search for that secret to avoid death and bring bach his friend Enkidu back to life.
In a parallel to the epic poem, Professor Poppenov was a russian scientist who had survived a teleportation experiment than had destroyed part of Russia. He was living at the heart of the anomaly and had learn to use the resources inside to make his living comfortable. When Gilgamesh found him at the heart of the anomaly the scientist share with him his knowledge and the resources to bring back anyone to life. However , unce Gilgamesh left, the professor choose to move his place of operations. He had not informed Gilgamesh of the time distortions of the anomaly and was not willing to answer to Gilgamesh if he ever returned to ask for that.