Art above drawn by, Abelardo (this dude's art is really good!).
1. Some names he goes by are, He Who Waits Behind the Wall, The Nezperdian Hivemind of Chaos, The One Who Will End the World (these are all somewhat specific. The dude probably gave himself all these nicknames, especially the last one).
2. His gender is unknown, but is presumed male.
3. His one and only goal seems to be to destroy humanity and the world... which is on-going... (on-going... something about that makes me want to laugh).
4. He is often associated with the "Zalgo text", which is basically just something called "combining characters". The most common combining characters in Latin script are the combining diacritical marks, which is what the first example of the Zalgo text uses (I think). The rest of the examples have both diacritical marks and letters:
(Ex. H̴̻̹͓͓͕̋̍̀͑̉̒͒̿̚i̵̛̛͍̖̒̉͐̈̄͗͛͘͝,̸̡͚̺̝̖̩̣̻̩̤͙̯̬̈́͋̕̚͜͝ ̷̢̨̲̱̘͙͎̥̲̥̰͍̔̽̐̈́͌̀̔̓͑́͊̚͘b̵͇̜͍̥̯͚̆͗̑̒̌̂̀͛̽̌̕͝i̵̛͔̮̱̙̬̙̣̙͓̺͌̇͐̅̀̈́̅͂̐̇͘͠ͅţ̶̛͙͇̭̦̬͔̗͎̦͖̰̼̺̀̊̉̀̚c̷͖͓̩̦̫̜͓̫͙̥͈̬̈̋́͒̔͗͆̇́͠͝ẖ̴͎̣̟̩̈́̈́̏̓͊̎́̍̀́͋͐͝,̴̧̧̰͙͍̞̗̲̪̦̞̜̠̄̍̐̓́̔̀͒͊͗̈́̃̋͘̚ ̸̡̮̗̭͈͍̊̐̌͐̀̀̅̋̄t̶̡̧̢̤̭͍̞͈͉͙͈̲̬͋͜͝ḫ̴̝̟̎͊i̴̞͍̼̫̼͇̺̘͖͑s̵̨̧̥̟̠͓̫̘͓͇͎͔̪̍͋ ̵̛͕͖͙͖̹͙̜͔̍̀̇̎͑͗̀͐͌̾̕͘͠ì̸̡̛̭̪̣̺͍̼̲̺͉̲̙̖͆̎̇̈́͝ṣ̶͖͖̩̬͉͚̱̟̂̑̒̿̃̔̑͆̑͌͘͠͝ ̴̛̩͔͙̝͇͈̹͎̬͆͗̂͊́͊̚a̸̧̢̡͕̩͍̥̤̹̻̍͌̆̌͋̾̀̽͝͝n̶̡̰͕̞̮̠̻̟̻̺͛̒̄̏̾̀ ̶̘͉̲͈̼̔̉̌̈̅́̒̀̂̕͝ȩ̶̩̞͚̝͙̭͉̜̞͈̟͊̓͌͗̾̕͜͝ẍ̷̧̛͎̗͈̂͐̉͌̓́̾̔̐̍̚̚͝à̸͚̞̬̭̭̳̮͎̲̐͊͐̅̓̊̈́̆͘̕͝͝m̷̡̼͉͇̬̙͒̓̔̔́̚͘͝͠p̴̲̮̼̱̲͔͇̓̈̃͗́̀̋̔̓̑̊l̷͉͙̮̠͉͖͙̈́̑̀ȩ̴̞̮̩̤̬̟̜͓̝̹̞̱͒̀̒͋̍̈́͂̈́̆̏̚)
(Ş̸̬͔̰̹̠̲̈̿̈́́ͩ͐ͧͯͣ̏̈ͪͯ͆̐̚̕o̙̰̪̙̝̬̯̪̲̟͍̭̘̺ͪ̍̾̋͘͘͢͟ ̴̜̱͇̮̫͚̹̠͓͎̱̙͉̖̦̍̾̌́̏̾̈́ͥ̄ͮ̇͆͑͂ͣͤ̎ͩͅi̶̵͎̩̲̠̹̞͈͔̯̯̼̮̳̤̜ͯ͛̾ͣ͐̊͗̓͒́͛́ͥͩ́͟s̨̠̥͕̫̜̥̺̖̲̩̭̦̗̟̣̙͊̓ͤ̀͆͐ͩͭ͛͢ ̠̝͓͍̆̏̈͂̏͛̒ͮ̀ͪ̈̽ͧ͊̚͢͞t̡̅ͪ͊̐̍͏̢͇͖͔̜͓̝̪̺̪̼̺̮͎̤̻̮͢͡ȟ͂̆́ͪͮ̑̚҉̶̬̘̤̫̣̙̘̣̺̤̪̘̻͉͖̗͎̖́̕iͣͯ͊͌̀͂̑͒̚͏̳̗͙̭̗̞̰̳̠͔̼̼̩̤̠͚͝ͅs͔̮̙̻̤͊͌̌͗ͥͯ̂͗ͮ̄̒͢͜) (Ḁ̠͚̩͒ͦ͜ṇ͓̩̹̻̓̈ͭd̳̼̬̭͕̼̄ ̻̟̫̮͇̖ͩ̽t͉̗̓͛͗ͧ̾̚h̷͈̟̾ͩ̐͑͆i̪ͭͭ̂̆͋̃̕s̻̫̀́͜)
(H̭̗̮̠̰̮̊̾̊ͬ̆̌͝e̢̡͕͋ͦͧ̃ͨͪ̀̎r̶̭͕̹̻̠̖̱̓͒ͭ̉͂ḙ͉͙̞͓̻͙͓̈͑͡'ͮ͂́ͮ҉̴̻̞̳̤s̡̳̰̬ͥ͆͘ ̜̣͍̌̍̿̆ͭͦ̒̚͢a̝̹̱͉̫̱̱̜ͮͩͫ͊n̷̜̙͙̬̠̳͇̤̐̂ͯ̓ͨ̈̍̚͘ͅo͑̇͐ͨ̔͌͆̈́҉͏̧͎̮͇̰̪t̰̼̠͓̯̝̥͒̉̽̊̒̂̽̀͢ͅḧ́ͧ̒̋̏̽̚͏̸̫̫̘̫͉e̞̪͊̍ͮ̋̏ͫ͑͡r̶̨̲̩͇̔͒͑ͮ͂̃̋͂) (H̖̪̭̪͚̟ͬͪ͋͌̎ǐ̥̬̄ ̣̙̫͔̟ͬ̓̓̊͊ͯb͔̯ͪ̔͑r̹͉͖̞͔̤ͯ̉ͨo̝͚̮̯̥̺͓̘ͤ̉͆̌̈ͦ̚ș̝͚͇̟̦̗̰ͪͫe̤̠̙̯͋̐͒ͬ͛f̱́͊̈͆ͮ̆s̳̳͂͊ͫͨͪ̀͊̐)
(Ï̅ͧͤ͛̀ ͊͛͂̉̚t̓ͭiͧͥͭ͌̆̐́r̓̊̊e͛̑dͭ̆̿̿ͤ)
(A̲̞ṟ͉͈̹̬̗e͈̭̭͉̜ͅ ͉̺͈y̟̥͚̫͕̭ͅo̙̙̥̪̹̺u̼͖̖͕̮͚͚͇ͅ ̺͓̘͉͉͉̦ͅt̞̙͓̤i̗͍̘̳r̩̹͚̳̺̟̜͈e̬͎̜͕̗̟͎͙ͅd̟̦̼̳͙̮̹ͅ) (Saỳ ͢͞͡y̶̨ȩś)
5. Whenever someone (most likely a follower or maybe a troll) is using this text though, they often type these words:
T̞͖̼͈̼o̗̭̬͎̖̪̺͘ ̡i̜̙͓͖n̟̤͕̹̖̻v̡̹͎o̻̦̜ḳ̯͍̳̝e ̞̺͕t̨̜͓͔̞h̯͈̯e ̫̕h҉̘͕ḭv̢͎̲e̵-͏̻͉m̮͈̟͉̰̹ͅį̟̙̭̠n̸͇̙̩̠̹d̮̱͇ͅ ͍̬ͅr͕͎̝̤̳͡e̮̲̩̟͞p̹̘͍̺͇̠r̫͎͎̦e͍̖̟̳̩s̰̲̺͕en̩͟t̸̟͇͚i̵̮̮n̷̝g̟̣̱̖ ̙c̠̟̝h̷̠̮̞̬̘͈̮a̢̞͇͉o͙̭̱͔s҉̣̳̙̰̟̻͇.̹̘͎̬͔͘
̪̜̙̯̲͈̹Ì͙͉̱̜n̝̗̦v͇̫̖̫͈͍̙o̥̩k͕̼͢i̺̣̕ṋ͔̟͇g̥̻̗̥͇̤ ̻͎̥̮t̸̗͖̘͔̼h̢e ̛̮̬̱͖f̙e̸̦e̠̬̯̣̪̖̞͠l̘̜͉̭̱̀i̩̘n͈͙̮̜̘̹̰g̛̲ ͎̝̩͙̝̠ͅo̪f̸͖͉̖̯̫̝̻ ̻̞̫̬͓c̴̬͇͔̣͍̻̟h̰̰͓͔͇͢ạ͔̖͉̭̟́o̷̝̥̯s̴.̶̼͔͍̼
̜̳̤͞Wi͡ṯ͇h̯̬ ͚͕̙̠̘̠o̰̞͈̣̙̖̰͡u̜̜̘̼̱͔̼͟t͍̹͍̯̖̕ ̴̙̯o̼̯r̶͙d̥e̮͓͉̖ŕ͇.̲͎̲̞͚̰̖
̱͖̱̼̩̫̭T̥̩̰̝h͖̣͇̖͖̰e̤̳͍͞ ̣̱͉̻̣N̛̖̘̲̖̞ͅé̝͎͔͇z̭̼͝p͠er̲̗͓͍̀d̩͇͖̤̱̠̞ia̭̣͡n̝͙̝ ̫̩̣͓ͅh͔̻̫̼̝̠̭i̡̙̹͓͍̤ṿ̨̻e͎͘-̤͝m̞i̟͈͖n̯͖̠d̖̩͔ ͕o҉̱f̷̗̟͚͕̙͍ͅ ̺̹̮͉c̱̦͇͓ḩ̤̟̩̲͚ą͚͉̝͓̥ơ̰̯͕͍̦͕̯s̘.̷̝̭̲͖͓ ̩̰̱͙̦͎͎Z̺̺̯̙̙̹̳̕a̲͔͢l̝̱̦g̜o̙̞͇̞͓̞.̢͎
̱̪̯̤͝ͅH̼̹e̞ ̲̤̪w͉ͅh̝̻̣͓̝͚̳o̺̕ ̸͔̘͕͈W̤a͏̙̪͚̰̗̭̝i̠͙͙̠ṯ̶̙̼̩̤͎͖s͉͓̜̯͉͚ ̠͚͇̟̲̤̙͠B̼̪̗̦ęh̸̳͉̗͕̞͎i̢̻̖̖̺̻̻̞n̦͠d̨ ͎͕T̡̥̝̞̣͇͓h҉̰͓̦͖͈̬̭e̺̬̟͍̜ ̹͉̫̗͖W̗̦͎͉̣̖a̮̤͖̤̮͇̯͘l̢̙̦͎̳͇l͚͔͈͞.̴̙͎̩
̖̭̜͝Z͎̬̰̠A̲̗͎Ḻ̸̱͇̜G̶̺̥̝͖͖̘̫O̡!̖̳̱
Welp, I guess we know where those nicknames came from now. He did give them to himself!
6. "Ĥ̷̢̢̧̧̘̻͎̂̂̓̑́̓͝ͅĘ̴̛͉͖̥̞̫̜̬̋̽̒̐̆͂͌͆͗̈́̆̀͊̾ ̷̠̖̮͉̠̭̣̀̽͑̔͊̈́̈́̃̿̓͘͠͝ͅC̴̢̨̫̝͚͈̖̟͍̘̞͙̈́̅̆͛̄̉̏͛Ò̷̡̱͙͉̥̬̏̐̊͐̕͜͝M̶̲̘̟̟̑́̔͑̏̉̑̍̿̊̍͝͠͝Ȇ̸̛̲͗̚͘͠͠S̸̨̫̜̘̤͙̪͔̀̉͛̚͜ " is one of his famous
quotes/titles.
7. Zalgo is first mentioned (but not seen) in parodies of syndicated newspaper comics on a semi-secret page of Dave Kelly's (a.k.a. Shmorky, a.k.a. the creator of Zalgo) on his official site.
Here are few of the comics on that site, only the first one mentions Zalgo though:
Here's the website if you wanna see the rest of the comics: http://shmorky.com/parodies/parodies.html
8. Since Zalgo became a meme and spread throughout the internet, Shmorky has made several flash animations refer Zalgo and including him in them.
Here's one of them I found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZR0KcsiC9U
9. According to the creator of Zalgo, he only affects comics, cartoons, and illustrations, not reality itself (ah, yes, I can see why his world domination is still on-going now).
10. Zalgo was never an actual Creepypasta in the beginning. He was created to demonstrate how memes spread.
11. There is this thing called, "Zalgo's Invocation", or "Zalgo's Incantion", which is apparently an invocation used to summon Zalgo (welp, I watched the video yesterday and even said the words out loud too, but it sure is taking a while for Zalgo to arrive).
Here's what I presume to be the original version of the invocation since it's the oldest, but I'm not sure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFmHs6dJPww
There's also this thing. It's not the invocation since it doesn't have the same words, but it's older than the video above, so here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIlYg2P9AmA
12. Zalgo has been described in many ways, an early image of him had him depicted as a jet-skinned knight in silver armour surrounded by a corona of black lightning. In the video, Zalgo Invocation, he is described as having seven mouths speaking in six foul tongues, the seventh waiting to sing the song that will end the world (just watch the song he sings be Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley). The video also describes him as having four arms holding a dead star (probably burst in front of his face then) and a candle that sheds darkness rather than light (Zalgo s probably just being stupid again and didn't light up the candle. How stupid is this demon!). He has also been described as an amourphous, eyeless being. Since Zalgo is apparently malevolent chaos incarnate, people think it's possible that all of these descrpitions of him are true, as well as other descriptions of him that I have not listed. Despite differences in these portrayals, Zalgo is commonly depicted as being red and black and having a floating head.
13. As I explained above, Zalgo has no consistent form.
14. He is featured in the I Eat Pasta for Breakfast comic as Lazari's biological father.
15. He has several human followers, which use the scrambled text I mentioned earlier, to represent him.
16. His speech is glitched/scrambled.
17. Apparently, people who look up/look upon Zalgo end up going insane, disfigured, or dead (R.I.P. me).
18. Despite being a meme, he has inspired many Creepypasta stories such as, "He Comes" by Chris Phoenix and that one video I have mentioned a few times called, Zalgo Invocation.
19. The Zalgo meme is when someone takes a popular comic/comic strip or maybe even a popular picture and corrupts it resulting in something creepy. The most notable version of this meme are probably the Garfield ones.
This one is from Shmorky's website:
Here's more that I presume are from other people:
20. Zalgo was created by Shmorky (Dave Kelly).