Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. The character has been depicted as an extraterrestrial creature resembling a
dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
. The character first appeared in ''
Strange Tales
''Strange Tales'' is a Marvel Comics comics anthology, anthology series. The title was revived in different forms on multiple occasions. Doctor Strange and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (feature), Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their d ...
'' #89 (
cover-date
The cover date of a periodical publication is the date displayed on the cover, which is not necessarily the true date of publication (the on-sale date or release date); later cover dates are common in magazine and comic book publishing. More unusu ...
d Oct. 1961), and was created by
Stan Lee
Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...
and
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gr ...
. Later, the character becomes part of the superhero
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
's
rogues gallery
A rogues' gallery (or rogues gallery) is a police collection of mug shots or other images of criminal suspects kept for identification purposes.
History
In 1855, Allan Pinkerton, founder of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, established a ...
.
The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including
animated
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
,
toy
A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pet ...
s,
trading cards
A trading card (or collectible card) is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing (fictional or real) and a short description of the picture, along with other ...
, and
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s.
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
's List of Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Fin Fang Foom #99.
Publication history
Debuting in ''
Strange Tales
''Strange Tales'' is a Marvel Comics comics anthology, anthology series. The title was revived in different forms on multiple occasions. Doctor Strange and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (feature), Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their d ...
'' #89 (Oct. 1961) during the
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and widespread commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those featuring the superhero archetype. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an int ...
, Fin Fang Foom appeared during
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
'
"pre-superhero" period, which would not become integrated into Marvel's mainstream fictional continuity until the 1970s.
Writer-editor
Stan Lee
Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...
's inspiration for the character's name was the title of the
1934 movie version of the long-running British stage musical ''
Chu Chin Chow
''Chu Chin Chow'' is a musical comedy written, produced and directed by Oscar Asche, with music by Frederic Norton, based (with minor embellishments) on the story of ''Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves''. Gänzl, Kurt"''Chu Chin Chow'' Musical Tale of ...
.'' As Lee described in 2005:
The character first appeared in the standalone story "Fin Fang Foom" in ''
Strange Tales
''Strange Tales'' is a Marvel Comics comics anthology, anthology series. The title was revived in different forms on multiple occasions. Doctor Strange and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (feature), Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their d ...
'' #89 (Oct. 1961) where a Nationalist Chinese scholar Chan Liuchow awakened Fin Fang Foom and tricked him into destroying a Communist Chinese invasion force of Taiwan. Fin Fang Foom reappeared in ''Astonishing Tales'' #23-24 (April and June 1974) where he battled
It! The Living Colossus
It! The Living Colossus is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Initially a statue animated by a hostile extraterrestrial, he First appearance, first appeared in the science-fiction anthology series '' ...
. He was impersonated by the Midgard Serpent in ''Thor'' #379 (May 1987). His first story was reprinted in ''
Fantasy Masterpieces
''Marvel Super-Heroes'' is the name of several comic book series and specials published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
One-shot
The first was the one-shot (comics), one-shot ''Marvel Super Heroes Special'' #1 (Oct. 1966) produced as a ti ...
'' #2 (April 1966), ''
Where Monsters Dwell'' #21 (May 1973) and ''Marvel Monsterworks'' (1990). Foom, as well as his opponent, Chan Liuchow, eventually reappeared in Marvel continuity in ''Legion of Night'' #1-2 (Oct. 1991), and then made multiple appearances in ''
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
'' #261 - 264 (Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991); 267 (April 1991) and 270 - 275 (July-Dec. 1992), and returned in ''Iron Man'' vol. 3 #15-18 (April–July 1999).
An alternate version appears in ''Mutant X Annual'' 2001. Foom briefly appeared in the
intercompany crossover
In comic books, an intercompany crossover (also called cross-company or company crossover) is a comic or series of comics in which characters, that at the time of publication are the property or licensed property of one publisher, meet character ...
''
JLA/Avengers
''JLA/Avengers'' (issues #2 and 4 are titled ''Avengers/JLA'') is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to March 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, with ...
'' #1 (Sept. 2003). The villain Nightmare changed a creature called a Mindless One into a copy of Foom to battle the Hulk in ''Hulk'' vol. 3 #79 (May 2005).
The character's origins and early days are developed in ''Marvel Monsters: Monsters On The Prowl'' #1 (Dec. 2005) and ''
Fin Fang Four
Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an extraterrestrial creature resembling a dragon. The character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #89 (cover ...
'' #1 (Dec. 2005). Foom also appeared in ''Nextwave'' #1-2 (March–April 2006), ''Marvel Holiday Special 2006'' (Jan. 2007), in a dream in ''Howard the Duck'' vol. 3 #1 (Nov. 2007), in ''Iron Man: Las Vegas'' (May - June 2008); and appeared briefly in the limited series ''Age of the
Sentry
Sentry or The Sentry may refer to:
Comics
*Sentry (Kree)
*Sentry (Curtis Elkins)
*Sentry (Robert Reynolds)
*Senator Ward (comics) or Sentry
Vehicles
*Sentry (AUV), an autonomous underwater vehicle used to measure deep-ocean data
* E-3 Sentry AWAC ...
'' #1-6 (Sept. 2008 - May 2009); one-shot titles ''Monster-Size Hulk'' #1 (Dec. 2008) and ''Dark Reign Files'' #1 (April 2009) and featured in another monster one-shot title, ''Fin Fang Four Return!'' (July 2009) as well as another version in ''Hulk: Broken Worlds'' #2 (July 2009).
Fictional character biography
It is revealed in
flashback that Fin Fang Foom is an alien being from the world of Kakaranathara (also known as Maklu IV) in the Maklu star-system of the
Greater Magellanic Cloud
The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), or Nubecula Major, is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. At a distance of around 50 kiloparsecs (≈160,000 light-years), the LMC is the second- or third-closest galaxy to the Milky Way, after the ...
. The aliens arrive on Earth in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
nearing the end of its ancient periods, intending to conquer the planet. Because of them, the
Chinese dragon
The Chinese dragon, also known as ''loong'', ''long'' or ''lung'', is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, Chinese folklore, and Chinese culture at large. Chinese dragons have many Outline of life forms, animal-like forms such as Bixi (my ...
s symbolize potent and auspicious powers in
culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...
, allowing monarchs, especially
emperors
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
, to claim the banner "
Sons of Heaven" since
King Wen of the
Zhou dynasty
The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...
. In time, during the
Qin dynasty
The Qin dynasty ( ; zh, c=秦朝, p=Qín cháo, w=), or Ch'in dynasty in Wade–Giles romanization ( zh, c=, p=, w=Ch'in ch'ao), was the first Dynasties in Chinese history, dynasty of Imperial China. Named for its heartland in Qin (state), ...
, their presences signal the beginning of the country's imperial periods. Using their natural shapeshifting powers to mimic human form, the aliens infiltrate human society to study it before beginning their conquest. Foom, the navigator, is the exception and, acting as a reserve, is placed in a tomb in a catatonic state.
Sometime during the early
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
, Fin Fang Foom attacked the
Tianjin Prefecture for constructing the governor's mansion on top of the land's
dragon lines, but was thwarted by
Zheng Zu
Zheng Zu ( Chinese: 鄭祖), originally known as Fu Manchu (Chinese: 傅满洲 ''Fù Mǎnzhōu''), is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Based on Sax Rohmer's character of the same name, he ...
and the
Five Weapons Society
The Five Weapons Society is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Five Weapons Society was an organization created by the brothers Zheng Yi and Zheng Zu to defend China during the Qing Dynasty, ...
.
In the 1960s, Fin Fang Foom is awakened by a scholar Chan Liuchow, whose homeland of Taiwan is under threat from invading forces of
Communist China. Liuchow goads the dragon into chasing him into the Communist invasion force which Foom destroys and then back to Fin Fang Foom's tomb, where the creature is returned to sleep via the use of a rare herb. The mad scientist Doctor Vault locates and mentally controls the dragon for use against Vault's foe,
It, the Living Colossus
It! The Living Colossus is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Initially a statue animated by a hostile extraterrestrial, he first appeared in the science-fiction anthology series ''Tales of Suspens ...
. Fin Fang Foom resists the control and aids the Colossus against an alien invasion by the
gargoyle
In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry walls ...
s of the planet Stonus V (intent on preserving Earth for the gargoyles to conquer at a later date), then briefly battles the Colossus before being freed from Vault's control and returning to hibernation once again. Fin Fang Foom is again roused from his slumber when his body is possessed by the demon "Aan Taanu". Combating a group of occult adventurers (including an older Chan Liuchow, now a professor) known as
the Legion of Night in New York, Taanu is exorcised from Foom's body, and the creature once again returns to hibernation.
The
Makluan vessel is eventually found by a man who steals
10 sophisticated rings from it, and becomes the
supervillain
A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero.
Supervillains are oft ...
the
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
. The Mandarin is directed to the Valley of the Sleeping Dragon by a man called Chen Hsu, who is actually the captain of Foom's vessel. The Mandarin finds and wakes Fin Fang Foom, using the dragon to threaten the Chinese government. Fin Fang Foom helps the Mandarin take control of one-third of China, and is then revealed as an alien of Kakaranathara. With "Chen Hsu", whose true form is also revealed, the pair begin to summon the rest of the crew, who had been disguised as humans for centuries. Realizing he has been tricked, the Mandarin joins forces with heroes
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
and
War Machine to defeat the dragons, the battle ending with their apparent annihilation.
Although Fin Fang Foom's body is destroyed, the alien's spirit survives and bonds itself to a small dragon statue, which was stolen from a curio shop by teenager Billy Yuan at Fin Fang Foom's mental urging. Using Yuan's body as a conduit for his power, Fin Fang Foom summons thousands of lizards from the sewers beneath New York, merging them with Yuan's body to recreate his own form. Iron Man, however, defeats Foom with assistance from the last remnants of Yuan's mind. Due to legal complications, the defeated dragon is sent to Monster Isle once again.
In the four-issue crossover miniseries ''
JLA/Avengers
''JLA/Avengers'' (issues #2 and 4 are titled ''Avengers/JLA'') is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to March 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, with ...
'', Fin Fang Foom and several other monsters are seen briefly battling the dimension-displaced superhero team the
Justice League of America
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
.
Fin Fang Foom is captured by the
Elder of the Universe known as the
Collector, and imprisoned with a subterranean collection of monsters. After being captured, along with other monsters, by the recently formed
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
and deposited on "Monster Isle", Fin Fang Foom returns to China and hibernation.
With the other members of the Makluan crew dead, Fin Fang Foom decides to reform and becomes a follower of
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
. Entering into a rehabilitation program with three other monsters - the robot
Elektro
Elektro is the nickname of a robot built by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation in its Mansfield, Ohio facility between 1937 and 1938. Seven feet tall (2.1 m), weighing 265 pounds (120.2 kg), humanoid in appearance, he could walk by voice ...
; the giant ape
Gorgilla
This article lists the known monsters in Marvel Comics.
History
In the earlier parts of Marvel Comics, issues such as ''Journey into Mystery'', ''Strange Tales'', ''Tales of Suspense'', and ''Tales to Astonish'' would detail stories of its differe ...
, and the alien
Googam
This article lists the known monsters in Marvel Comics.
History
In the earlier parts of Marvel Comics, issues such as ''Journey into Mystery'', ''Strange Tales'', ''Tales of Suspense'', and ''Tales to Astonish'' would detail stories of its differe ...
- Foom is shrunk down to human size, hypnotically stripped of all his powers and allowed to enter human society. Fin Fang Foom becomes head
chef
A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a kitche ...
in a Chinese
restaurant
A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
within the
Baxter Building
The Baxter Building is a fictitious 35-story office building appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The building is depicted in Manhattan, and its five upper floors house the Fantastic Four's headquarters.
Publication hist ...
, and teams with the other monsters to defeat the size-changing warlord
Tim Boo Ba
This article lists the known monsters in Marvel Comics.
History
In the earlier parts of Marvel Comics, issues such as ''Journey into Mystery'', ''Strange Tales'', ''Tales of Suspense'', and ''Tales to Astonish'' would detail stories of its differe ...
. Fin Fang Foom begrudgingly aids
Wong
Wong may refer to:
Name
* Wong (surname), a Chinese surname
Places
* Wong Chuk Hang, an area to the east of Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island
* Wong Chuk Hang Estate, a public housing estate in Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
* Wong Chuk Hang Road, a ...
(the servant of
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...
) in defeating a force of
HYDRA
Hydra generally refers to:
* Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology
* ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria
Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Hydra (constel ...
agents.
Fin Fang Foom is later confronted and defeated by
Squirrel Girl
Squirrel Girl (Doreen Allene Green) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Will Murray and writer/artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared in '' Marvel Super-Heroes'' vol. 2 #8, a.k.a. ''Mar ...
.
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. Howard the Duck first appeared in ''Adventure into F ...
also has
dream
A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5 to 20 minutes, althou ...
s of playing
cards with the
Thing
Thing or The Thing may refer to:
Philosophy
* An object
* Broadly, an entity
* Thing-in-itself (or ''noumenon''), the reality that underlies perceptions, a term coined by Immanuel Kant
* Thing theory, a branch of critical theory that focuses ...
; the
Man-Thing
The Man-Thing (Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in ''S ...
;
Bigfoot
Bigfoot, also commonly referred to as Sasquatch, is a purported ape-like creature said to inhabit the forest of North America. Many dubious articles have been offered in attempts to prove the existence of Bigfoot, including anecdotal claims o ...
;
Frankenstein's Monster
Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compares ...
and Fin Fang Foom.
There have also been two imitations of Fin Fang Foom. The
Midgard Serpent
In Germanic cosmology, Midgard (an anglicised form of Old Norse ; Old English , Old Saxon , Old High German , and Gothic ''Midjun-gards''; "middle yard", "middle enclosure") is the name for Earth (equivalent in meaning to the Greek term , "inhab ...
imitated Foom to attempt to trick the thunder god Thor, while the villain
Nightmare
A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, Retrieved 11 July 2016. is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety or great sadness. The dream may contain situations of d ...
changed a
Mindless One into a copy of Fin Fang Foom to battle the
Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
. Thor also claims to have killed the true Fin Fang Foom in battle, and uses the dragon's bones to build a
tomb
A tomb ( grc-gre, τύμβος ''tumbos'') is a :wikt:repository, repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be ...
in the realm of
Nidavellir.
Under orders from the
Roxxon Energy Corporation
The Roxxon Energy Corporation (otherwise known as the Roxxon Oil Company, Roxxon Oil Corporation, Roxxon Corporation or simply Roxxon) is the name of a fictional massive petroleum industrial conglomerate in the Marvel Universe appearing in Americ ...
,
Mentallo
Mentallo (Marvin Flumm) is a fictional supervillain, a mutant appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. After having been fired for cause after attempting a covert S.H.I.E.L.D. takeover, he has since operated as both a freela ...
controls the mind of Fin Fang Foom and other giant monsters in a plot to take over an island and drill for oil.
During the "
Monsters Unleashed" storyline, Fin Fang Foom, Gorgilla, the
Green Thing, and
Zzutak confront Kei Kawade in the forest outside his house and warned Kei Kawade against the preceding monster summoning. He was later seen falling from the sky alongside the other monsters, because they had been summoned by Kei Kawade to help superheroes fight the Leviathons. He was told by Tim Boo Ba that he and the other monsters are not fighting of their own volition. Kei Kawade later sends Fin Fang Foom to assist the
Heroes for Hire
Heroes for Hire are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in ''Power Man and Iron Fist'' #54 (December 1978), and was created by Ed Hannigan and Lee Elias. The team continued to appe ...
against the Leviathons in
Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is considered to be bordered by 34th Street (or 41st Street) to the south, 59th Street to the north, Eighth Avenue to the eas ...
. When the Leviathon Mother shows up and calls out to Kei Kawade, Fin Fang Foom shows up to challenge her. When Kei Kawade confronts the Leviathon Mother and gets her attention, she spits out Fin Fang Foom. Following the Leviathon Mother's death, Fin Fang Foom and the other Goliathons confront Kei Kawade. Even though Kei Kawade thanks the Goliathons for their help in fending off the Leviathons, Fin Fang Foom warns him about summoning them again before the Goliathons are teleported away.
Fin Fang Foom later embarks on a relationship with
Gwenpool
Gwenpool (Gwendolyn "Gwen" Poole; colloquial: "GwenPool" or "Pink Slayer") is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A girl from the real world transported to the Marvel Universe, her physical design ...
's tailor Ronnie, helping her drum up customers for her Pantsgiving Day sale.
Meeting Kei again, Foom would be called upon when an alternate verse iteration of itself had influenced the you Nuhuman into summoning him. This doppelgänger; a venomized entity enthralled to the poisons, sought to push Kid Kaiju into bringing more of their hive into Kei's native reality. But the prime universe Foom was able to convince Kawade that their adversary had been using its own mental abilities to undermine Kei's strength of will, thus weakening his titanic companions. The confidence boost enabled both Kei and prime Foom to topple their assailant, forestalling the eventual incursion by the rest of its kind.
Powers and abilities
Fin Fang Foom possesses super-strength and endurance, the abilities to fly via his wings at
supersonic
Supersonic speed is the speed of an object that exceeds the speed of sound ( Mach 1). For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) at sea level, this speed is approximately . Speeds greater than five times ...
speeds and spew combustible acid mist from his mouth. Foom is also extremely durable and can regenerate at a rapid rate. In the event his body were to be damaged beyond his capacity to heal, he can overshadow a waiting host & reshape a new physical body for himself from them. By entering into long periods of hibernation, Foom has managed to survive for centuries. Foom possesses a gifted intellect and can communicate telepathically (which, in his true form, is his ''only'' form of communication), shapeshift into almost any animal and shrink to human size. Foom also has access to advanced alien technology from his homeworld. Foom can also drain, metabolize and redirect energy of all kinds to make himself larger and stronger. At one time, Foom underwent intense meditative training in order to excise himself of his negative traits. The end result of divesting his rage, guilt and selfishness caused him to shrink yet gave rise to his malignant aspects in physical form. Fin Fang Foom also has the unique power to cause phy/men. transmogrification through optic beam emissions, having not only changed and rewired the persona's of the Avengers to mimic that of their animal forms. But Foom could even use these powers to bring inanimate objects to life at his discretion.
Other versions
Fin Fang Foom battles Iron Man in the limited series ''Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas''.
In the ''
Marvel 1602
''Marvel 1602'' is an eight-issue comic book limited series published in 2003 by Marvel Comics. The limited series was written by Neil Gaiman, penciled by Andy Kubert, and digitally painted by Richard Isanove; Scott McKowen illustrated the distin ...
'' universe, Fin Fang Foom rampaged through China before he was killed by the
Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
at the Great Wall of China.
In an
alternate universe story in ''
Mutant X Annual 2001'', Fin Fang Foom is a member of the
Lethal Legion
The Lethal Legion is the name of seven teams of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The first version of the Lethal Legion appeared in '' The Avengers'' #78 (Jul. 1970).
The secon ...
, who dies in battle against the
Goblin Queen
Madelyne Jennifer Pryor is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, the character first appeared in ''Uncanny X-Men'' #168 (April 1983). Madelyn ...
(posing as the entity the
Beyonder
The Beyonder () is a fictional cosmic entity appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Jim Shooter and artist Mike Zeck, the Beyonder first appeared in ''Secret Wars'' #1 (May 1984) as an unseen, self-procl ...
).
Fin Fang Foom appears in the miniseries ''
Nextwave
''Nextwave'' is a humorous comic book series by Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen, published by Marvel Comics between 2006 and 2007. ''Nextwave'' consistently features extreme violence and comedy, and simultaneously satirizes and celebrates Marve ...
'' as a pawn of the
Beyond Corporation. He is now back to his original size. Despite having no genitals, he wears purple pants. Captions indicate his mother became pregnant after interacting with radioactive materials. Foom had been buried for many years; when the Beyond Corp. releases him, he goes on a human-eating rampage. According to ''Volume 4'' of ''The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z'' hardcover books, this Fin Fang Foom was a clone created by the Beyond Corporation.
Foom returns from his slumber and transforms Earth's Mightiest into frogs, he and several Makluans come into conflict with the
Pet Avengers
''Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers'' is a four-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics from July to October 2009. It was followed up by the four-issue limited series ''Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers Unleashed'' from May to August 20 ...
. But hostilities are pacified when Lockheed explains that the space dragons were simply looking for space dragon hatchlings buried there thousands of years ago.
In ''
Thor: The Mighty Avenger'' #6,
Heimdall
In Norse mythology, Heimdall (from Old Norse Heimdallr) is a god who keeps watch for invaders and the onset of Ragnarök from his dwelling Himinbjörg, where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets the sky. He is attested as possessing for ...
takes the form of Fin Fang Foom, calling it "one which is common throughout the cosmos... echoes of a single, ancient dragon, now tamed and humbled".
Fin Fang Foom appears in a cameo in
Ty Templeton
Tyrone Templeton is a Canadian comic book artist and writer who has drawn a number of mainstream titles, TV-associated titles, and his own series.
Career
Templeton first received attention for ''Stig's Inferno'' (Vortex Comics), now a cult fav ...
's comic ''Stig's Inferno'' #4, in a parody cigarette advertisement on the inside back cover.
An iteration of Foom had been assimilated by the Poisons after being bonded to a symbiote. Upon sensing Kid Kaiju out amongst the ether of worlds, the Poison Foom would attempt to push his ability to create monsters to its own ends so it could summon it and others of its collective into the primary Marvel Universe for invasion.
In other media
Television
* Fin Fang Foom appears in ''
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
''. voiced by
Neil Ross
Neil David Ross is a British-American voice actor and announcer. Noted for his Trans-Atlantic accent, he has provided voices in many American cartoons, most notably ''Voltron'', ''G.I. Joe'', and ''Transformers'', as well as video games, inclu ...
.
He initially serves the
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
as a henchman before eventually betraying him to reunite with his fellow dragons. However, they and Fin Fang Foom meet their demise following a battle with
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
and
Force Works
Force Works was the name of different fictional superhero teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The first version of Force Works first appeared in the comic book series ''Force Works'' #1 (July ...
.
* Fin Fang Foom appears in the ''
Iron Man: Armored Adventures'' two-part episode "Tales of Suspense". This version is a
Chinese dragon
The Chinese dragon, also known as ''loong'', ''long'' or ''lung'', is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, Chinese folklore, and Chinese culture at large. Chinese dragons have many Outline of life forms, animal-like forms such as Bixi (my ...
-esque "Makluan guardian" created by the original Mandarin in the past to guard one of his Makluan rings and test potential successors. In the present, crime lord Shin Zhang forces his step-son
Gene Khan and his friends to confront Fin Fang Foom and claim the ring its guarding for himself. However, Khan is able to defeat the dragon, claim the ring from inside its body, and prove himself as the Mandarin's true successor.
* Fin Fang Foom appears in ''
The Super Hero Squad Show
''The Super Hero Squad Show'' is an American superhero animated series produced by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the Avengers, the X-Men, and various other characters o ...
'', voiced by
Steve Blum
Steven Jay Blum (; born April 29, 1960) is an American voice actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, his most well-known roles include Spike Spiegel from the anime series '' Cowboy Bebop'', Garazeb Orrelios from the animated series ''St ...
. This version is a mindless beast and a member of
Doctor Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the fi ...
's
Lethal Legion
The Lethal Legion is the name of seven teams of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The first version of the Lethal Legion appeared in '' The Avengers'' #78 (Jul. 1970).
The secon ...
.
* Fin Fang Foom appears in the ''
Ultimate Spider-Man
''Ultimate Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2011. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of the company's Ultimate ...
'' episode "The Avenging Spider-Man" Pt. 1.
* Fin Fang Foom appears in the ''
Avengers Assemble'' episode "The New Guy".
* Fin Fang Foom appears in the ''
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.
''Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.'' is an American animated television series based on the superhero character by Marvel Comics. The series premiered on August 11, 2013, on Disney XD as part of the ''Marvel Universe'' block, and ended on June 2 ...
'' episode "Mission: Impossible Man". This version is incapable of speech.
* Fin Fang Foom appears in the ''
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Guardians of the Galaxy is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
It may more specifically refer to:
Comic book teams
* Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team), the original 31st-century team fr ...
'' episode "One in a Million You". After the
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Guardians of the Galaxy is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
It may more specifically refer to:
Comic book teams
* Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team), the original 31st-century team fr ...
escape from the dragon, the
Collector adds it to his collection of alien creatures as Fin Fang Foom is the last of his kind. However, the Guardians eventually free the creatures and arrange for them to be released on another planet.
* Fin Fang Foom appears in the ''
Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers'' episode "Together With the Guardians", voiced by Keiji Hirai.
* Fin Fang Foom appears in the ''
M.O.D.O.K.
MODOK (also written as M.O.D.O.K.; an acronym for Mental/Mobile/Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first MODOK is George Tarleton, a former e ...
'' episode In "If This Be... M.O.D.O.K.!" This version runs a restaurant called "Fin Fang Farm to Table".
Film
* Fin Fang Foom appears in ''
The Invincible Iron Man''. This version serves as the Mandarin's guardian in his ceremonial resting chamber before Iron Man kills him.
* Fin Fang Foom serves as inspiration for films set in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
.
** An image of the character appears in ''
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
'' (2008), created by artist
Adi Granov
Adi Granov (;) is a Bosnian-American comic book artist and conceptual designer. He is best known for his painted work with Marvel Comics, for whom most of his comics work is produced, in particular his work on Iron Man. He is especially known for ...
based on the character's depiction in the ''Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas'' comic book miniseries.
** A heroic dragon inspired by Fin Fang Foom called the Great Protector appears in ''
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
''Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'' is a 2021 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Shang-Chi. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 25th film ...
'' (2021).
Video games
* Fin Fang Foom appears as a boss in ''
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance'', voiced by
James Sie
James Sie is an American actor and author. He was the voice of an animated Jackie Chan and several other characters in '' Jackie Chan Adventures'', Master Monkey in '' Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness'', taking over for Chan, and Eddy Ra ...
.
* Fin Fang Foom makes a cameo appearance in
Sir Arthur's ending in ''
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds''.
* Fin Fang Foom appears in ''
Marvel Super Hero Squad Online
''Marvel Super Hero Squad Online'' was a massively multiplayer online game for younger audiences based on the ''Marvel Super Hero Squad'', developed by American video game companies The Amazing Society and Gazillion Entertainment. The open beta ...
''.
* Fin Fang Foom appears as an unlockable playable character in ''
Lego Marvel's Avengers
''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, ...
'', voiced by
Patrick Seitz
David Patrick Seitz (born March 17, 1978) is an American voice actor
Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists ...
.
* Fin Fang Foom appears as a boss in ''
Marvel Avengers Academy
''Marvel Avengers Academy'' was a freemium mobile game for iOS and Android, based on the characters featured in Marvel Comics. It was released on February 4, 2016. The game was shut down three years later. Despite the name, the game was not rel ...
''.
*Fin Fang Foom appears as a boss in ''
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
''Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy'' is a 2021 action-adventure game developed by Eidos-Montréal and published by Square Enix's European subsidiary. Based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy, the game was released for Ni ...
''.
Footnotes
External links
Fin Fang Foomat Marvel.com
Fin Fang Foomat the Marvel Database
*
at
Don Markstein's Toonopedia
Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonopedi ...
Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2016.
{{Jack Kirby
Characters created by Jack Kirby
Characters created by Stan Lee
Comics characters introduced in 1961
Fictional characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability
Fictional dragons
Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds
Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing
Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength
Marvel Comics extraterrestrial supervillains
Marvel Comics male supervillains