Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #89 (Oct. 1961), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Making his debut during the Silver Age of Comic Books, Fin Fang Foom appeared during Marvel's period of post comics code experimentation with monsters, which would not be integrated into the Marvel Universe until the Bronze Age of Comic Books. The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series; toys; trading cards and video games.

Publication history[link]

Stan Lee's inspiration for Foom's name was apparently the title of the long-running British musical comedy, Chu Chin Chow.^[1]

The character first appeared in a one-shot story "Fin Fang Foom" in Strange Tales #89 (Oct. 1961) and reappeared in Astonishing Tales #23 - 24 (April & June 1974). He was impersonated by the Midgard Serpent in Thor #379 (May 1987). His first story was reprinted in Fantasy Masterpieces #2 (April 1966), Where Monsters Dwell #21 (May 1973) and Marvel Monsterworks (1990). Foom eventually reappeared in Marvel continuity in Legion of Night #1 - 2 (Oct. 1991), and then made multiple appearances in Iron Man #261 - 264 (Oct. 1991 - Jan. 1992); 267 (April 1991) & 270 - 275 (July - Dec. 1992), and returned in Iron Man vol. 2, #15 - 18 (April - July 1999).

An alternate version appears in Mutant X Annual 2001.

Foom briefly appeared in the intercompany crossover JLA/Avengers #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 #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 #1 - 6 (Sept. 2008 - May 2009); one-shot titles Hulk Monster-Size Special #1 (Dec. 2008) and Dark Reign Files #1 (April 2009) and featured in another monster one-shot, Fin Fang Four Return! (July 2009) as well as another version in Hulk: Broken Worlds #2 (July 2009).

Character biography[link]

Fin Fang Foom is first awakened by teenager Chan Liuchow, whose homeland is under threat from invading forces of Communist China. Liuchow goads the dragon into chasing him into the Communist camp (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.^[2] Scientist Doctor Vault locates and mentally controls the dragon for use against Vault's foe, It, the Living Colossus. After a brief battle, Fin Fang Foom resists the control and aids the Colossus against an alien invasion (intent on preserving the planet for the alien's own race to conquer at a later date) before returning to hibernation once again.^[3] 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 alien once again returns to hibernation.^[4]

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 system of the Greater Magellanic Cloud. The aliens arrive on Earth in ancient China, intending to conquer the planet. Using their natural shapeshifting powers to mimic human form, the aliens infiltrate human society to study it before beginning their conquest. The alien navigator is the exception, and acting as a reserve is placed in a tomb in a catatonic state.^[5]

The Makluan vessel is eventually found by a man who steals ten sophisticated rings from it, and becomes the supervillain the Mandarin.^[6] The Mandarin is directed to the Valley of the Sleeping Dragon by a man called Chen Hsu, who is also an alien dragon and the captain of the 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 their fellows, who had been disguised as humans for centuries. Realizing he has been tricked, the Mandarin joins forces with heroes Iron Man and War Machine to defeat the dragons, the battle ending with their apparent annihilation.^[7]

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.^[8] Fin Fang Foom and several other monsters also briefly battle the dimensionally displaced superhero team the Justice League of America.^[9]

Fin Fang Foom is captured by the Elder of the Universe known as the Collector, and imprisoned with a subterranean collection of monsters.^[10] After being captured along with other monsters by the recently formed Fantastic Four and deposited on "Monster Isle", Fin Fang Foom returns to China and hibernation.^[11]

With the other members of the Makluan crew dead, Fin Fang Foom decides to reform and becomes a follower of Buddhism. Entering into a rehabilitation program with three other monsters - the robot Elektro; the giant ape Gorgilla, and the alien Googam - Foom is shrunk down to human size, hypnotically stripped of all powers and allowed to enter human society. Fin Fang Foom becomes head chef in a Chinese restaurant within the Baxter Building, and teams with the other monsters to defeat the size-changing warlord Tim Boo Ba.^[12] Fin Fang Foom begrudgingly aids Wong (the servant of Doctor Strange) in defeating a force of HYDRA agents.^[13]

Howard the Duck also has dreams of playing cards with the Thing; Man-Thing; Bigfoot; Frankenstein's Monster and Fin Fang Foom.^[14]

There have also been two imitations of Fin Fang Foom. The Midgard Serpent imitated Foom to attempt to trick the Thunder god Thor,^[15] while the villain Nightmare changed a Mindless One into a copy of Fin Fang Foom to battle the Hulk.^[16] Thor also claims to have killed the true Fin Fang Foom in battle, and uses the dragon's bones to build a tomb in the realm of Asgard.^[17]

Fin Fang Foom and several Makluans come into conflict with the Pet Avengers.^[18]

Under orders from the Roxxon Energy Corporation, Mentallo mind-controls Fin Fang Foom and other giant monsters in a plot to take over an island and drill for oil.^[19]

Powers and abilities[link]

The character possesses super strength, the ability to fly via his wings at supersonic speeds, and can spew combustible acid mist from his mouth. Foom is also extremely durable and can regenerate at a rapid rate. By entering into long periods of hibernation, Foom has managed to survive for centuries. The character possesses a gifted intellect, can communicate telepathically, and has access to advanced alien technology.

Other versions[link]

[edit] Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas

In the Iron Man film universe, Fin Fang Foom battles Iron Man in the limited series Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas.^[20]

[edit] Marvel 1602

In the Marvel 1602 universe, Fin Fang Foom rampaged through China before he was killed by Hulk at the Great Wall of China.^[21]

[edit] Mutant X

In an alternate universe story in Mutant X Annual 2001, Fin Fang Foom is a member of the Lethal Legion, who dies in battle against the Goblin Queen (posing as the entity the Beyonder).^[22]

[edit] Nextwave

Foom appears in the limited series Nextwave 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. ^[23] According to Volume 4 of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z hardcovers, this Foom was a clone created by the Beyond Corporation.

[edit] Thor: The Mighty Avenger

In Thor: The Mighty Avenger #6, Heimdall 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."^[24]

In other media[link]

Television[link]

• Fin Fang Foom appears as a recurring villain in Iron Man voiced by Neil Ross. He is shown as an ally of the Mandarin, but in the opening of the second season, it was revealed that this was a ploy to gain Mandarin's trust, then betray him when his people took over the world. He is supposedly killed in the explosion that scatters Mandarin's rings across the world.

• Fin Fang Foom appears in the Iron Man: Armored Adventures episode "Tales of Suspense." This version resembles a Chinese dragon that is the guardian of the 5th Makluan Ring located in the Temple of Sacrifice in Machu Picchu, Peru. Tony and Gene each placed their right hand on the imprint which started the test by awakening Fin Fang Foom from its statue form. The creature's awakening frightens away Zhang's minions. In "Tales of Suspense" Pt. 2, Pepper attempts to fulfill the test by throwing the Makluan Rings into it only to have it swallow them. Rhodey in the War Machine armor shows up and gives Tony his Iron Man armor in order to fight Fin Fang Foom. It then breathes a stream of Makluan energy that resembles fire. Gene pushes Pepper out of the way so that she wouldn't be eaten by Fin Fang Foom. Because of this, Gene passed the Test of Sacrifice and claims the 5th Makluan Ring and stops Fin Fang Foom.

• Fin Fang Foom first appears in The Super Hero Squad Show episode "And Lo! A Pilot Shall Come" voiced by Steven Blum. This version is a mindless beast that works for Doctor Doom's Lethal Legion. Mole Man once used an Infinity Fractal to control him into attacking Super Hero City alongside his other monsters. In "Mental Organism Designed Only for Kissing," he is used to ram into the wall separating Super Hero City and Villainville only to be defeated by the Super Hero Squad and Valkyrie. In "This Al Dente Earth," he helps some of the Lethal Legion fight Galactus when he swipes Galactus' helmet during Wasp and Ant-Man's keep away and starts chewing on it. When Galactus withdraws his helmet, it accidentally got caught on Fin Fang Foom's briefs causing everyone to avert their eyes until Fin Fang Foom was gone.

Film[link]

• Fin Fang Foom appeared in The Invincible Iron Man as the Mandarin's guardian in his ceremonial resting chamber, and is later killed by Iron Man.
• An image of Fin Fang Foom – based on the character's depiction in the Viva Las Vegas comic series but created specially for the film by artist Adi Granov – makes a brief appearance as an Easter egg in the 2008 live-action motion picture Iron Man.^[25][26]

Video games[link]

• Fin Fang Foom also features in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, voiced by James Sie. He is a member of Doctor Doom's Masters of Evil. Doctor Doom sent him to blow up the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier engines. He has special dialogue with Doctor Strange and Magneto (whom he mistakes for a sorceror). He is the last boss of that level, and at the end falls from the Helicarrier.
• Fin Fang Foom makes a brief cameo in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds in Arthur's ending. He has Arthur's betrothed princess in his jaws as Arthur repeatedly strikes him, but he stoically says nothing.
• Fin Fang Foom appears as a villain character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, voiced by James Sie.

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

• Fin Fang Foom at Marvel.com
• Fin Fang Foom at the Marvel Database
• Fin Fang Foom at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe