We are closer than ever to the return of the world’s most famous kaiju in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The new movie looks to be a serious glow-up from its 2014 predecessor, replacing two generic antagonists with a complete array of familiar, but updated, monsters. Trailers for the new film has provided a who’s who of classic characters from the Godzilla franchise, including Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. This impressive lineup also serves as a reminder of the proud tradition of giant monsters in the pages of superhero comics.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Less than a decade after the release of the original Godzilla in 1954, both Marvel Comics and DC Comics exploded with oversized creations of their own. Jack Kirby and other foundational figures at Marvel were focusing on monster comics prior to shifting gears to become a superhero publisher in 1961, while DC Comics integrated these behemoths into many already successful titles. We’ve taken a look back at the history of both publishers and collected ten of the absolute kaiju-like creations from their histories. They all provide something well worth reading while counting down the last days before Godzilla: King of the Monsters arrives.
Giganto
Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee
First Appearance: Fantastic Four (vol. 1) #1
Giganto is one superhero monster that rises to meet the definition of “iconic.” Mole Man might be considered the first villain of the Fantastic Four, but it’s Giganto who dominated this classic cover and the first issue. His appearance has become central to the mythos of Marvel Comics, setting a devastating threat in the streets of New York City from the jump. Even people who don’t care much about superhero stories likely recognize Giganto’s green grimace, if not his name.
Titano the Super-Ape
Created by Otto Binder and Curt Swan
First Appearance: Superman (vol. 1) #127
This kryptonite-powered, overgrown chimpanzee (originally named Toto in the Silver Age), captures much of the charm from Curt Swan’s time drawing Superman comics. He is a truly outrageous-looking threat, adding to a King Kong-like appearance with laser vision. It’s the sort of thing that made Superman comics fun, even when the Man of Steel was facing down threats that could wipe out Metropolis.
Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man
Created by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani
First Appearance: Doom Patrol (vol. 1) #89
This cult classic villain is experiencing a revival thanks to appearances on the new Doom Patrol online series. His appeal matches the appeal of that adaptation and the original team’s comics perfectly. He is an absurdly strange threat that remains threatening nevertheless. Vines that can bind, crystal limbs that can crush, and a dinosaur’s chomping head add up for some seriously oversized destruction. It’s easy to imagine him blending into some of the later Toho films as well.
Fin Fang Foom
Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee
First Appearance: Strange Tales (vol. 1) #89
Giganto might be the original Marvel Comics monster, but Fin Fang Foom perfected the model. Everything from his long, craning neck to the fins across his form make for a monster whose back really feels like it could scrape the sun. He towers over any comics panel and can fill any spread, making him the perfect villain for so many heroes ranging from Iron Man to the Fantastic Four. There are lots of good reasons that Foom has remained a regular antagonist since he debuted.
Chemo
Created by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru, and Mike Esposito
First Appearance: Showcase (vol. 1) #39
Chemo works well in the silly tones of early Metal Men stories and in the grim future of Kingdom Come. He is a villain that can made to match almost any sort of superhero story, and who will undoubtedly fill it with a worthy menace. While his gelatinous features and lumbering gait make him look like a mid-tier kaiju, it’s his ties to radiation that allow him to be every bit as frightening as Godzilla himself.
Fenris Wolf
Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee
First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery (vol. 1) #114
This wolf updates the ancient Norse myth of Fenrir, the wolf that will slay Odin during Ragnarok. He is made out to be a giant in those legends and maintained his stature in Thor’s future superhero adventures. Fans got to see this beast rise to the big screen in Thor: Ragnarok where he reminded everyone why he is a god-killer, whether your call him Fenrir or Fenris.
Devil Dinosaur
Created by Jack Kirby
First Appearance: Devil Dinosaur (vol. 1) #1
Devil Dinosaur is another Jack Kirby creation that has recently experienced a revival, this time thanks to new adventures at modern Marvel Comics with his companion Moon Girl. Devil was originally created to explore how Kirby saw the age of the dinosaurs on Earth, leading to many spectacular fights with other massive reptiles. Devil continues that tradition battling supervillains in New York City today.
Starro the Conqueror
Created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky
First Appearance: Brave and the Bold (vol. 1) #28
Starro is renowned for many of the same reasons as Giganto. The cover to the very first Justice League story is unforgettable, replicated and homaged on a regular basis. Starro provided the team a threat worth rallying around, one that has continued to offer challenges to them across the decades. Even now a small, reborn version of Starro has teamed up with the current Justice League, even though it’s only a matter of time until he grows into a big threat again.
Goom
Created by Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, and Stan Lee
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense (vol. 1) #15
Goom predates Fantastic Four #1 by almost an entire year, but he was one of the world conquering, kaiju-like monsters whose stories continued after the publisher jumped between genres. Both he and his son, Googam, have provided terrifying, oversized threats for many heroes of Marvel to battle against. They likely haven’t finished rising from the grave to conquer Earth quite yet.
Giganto (the other one)
Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee
First Appearance: Fantastic Four (vol. 1) #4
Early issues of the Fantastic Four were foundational for Marvel Comics and game-changing for the entire superhero genre. However, there wasn’t a lot of time spent on worrying about what to name the monsters. That’s why there are two very different Gigantos in only four issues. This one is the Atlantean beast, an ally of Namor who almost destroys New York City and can only be stopped by an atomic bomb. He’s a truly great, seafaring kaiju, even if he has to share his name with a far more famous Marvel monster.
