Fin Fang Foom
First Appearance: Strange Tales 89
Died In: Iron Man 275
What's His Problem? The sentient dragon known as Fin Fang
Foom is actually an alien starship navigator--the Mister Chekov
of the giant monster set, if you will. When his ship
crashed on Earth centuries ago, the survivors assumed
human forms and infiltrated Chinese society to plot world
conquest. Most of them went undetected, but one became
infamous as the legendary Fin Fang Foom after past
appearances in dragon form. Eventually, the dangerous
dragon-being was sealed in a subterranean crypt -- but he
inevitably returns to walk the Earth anew.
Powers: Fin Fang Foom's people, the Makluans of Kakaranathara, are highly advanced semi-humanoid reptiles who gradually grow into the huge forms that we associate with mythical Chinese dragons. In his true form, Fin Fang Foom is roughly fifteen stories tall and almost totally invulnerable. He possesses vast superhuman strength and wings which enable him to fly at great speeds. He can also exhale a highly corrosive acid mist that ignites air, making him a fire-breather of sorts. Like all his people, Fin Fang Foom can change his size and shape; however, for reasons unknown, he seldom deviates from his true form.
Favorite Quote: "Did you truly believe you had the least hope against me, mortal? Am I not the great destroyer? Does my name not mean He Whose Limbs Shatter Mountains and Whose Back Scrapes the Sun?" (Iron Man 271. Fin Fang Foom mocks a seriously outclassed Shellhead.)
Heroes He Kept Running Into: Taiwan's Chan Liuchow revived Foom and tricked him into destroying a Chinese invasion fleet before sealing him in his crypt once more. Years later, in America, Liuchow fought Foom as a member of the Legion of Night. It was Iron Man, though, who finally discovered the dragon's true nature and seemingly destroyed him using the Mandarin's Makluan power rings.
People Who Think He's Not So Bad: FFF's not such a bad guy if he hasn't woken up on the wrong side of his crypt; he once joined It, the Living Colossus (a giant animated Russian statue) in defending Earth from an alien invasion. FFF's crewmates liked 'im well enough, too, though he was apparently considered a junior member of their band. FFF was also pretty chummy with the Mandarin for a while, until Mandy realized that the dragons were merely using him as a pawn in their own quest for power.
Most Despicable Act: Playing crack-the-whip with the Great Wall of China was pretty bad, but Foomie-boy outdid himself when he helped the Mandarin forcibly conquer a third of China as a prelude to the dragons' own plans of world conquest.
Most Ridiculous Moment: FFF's silliest outing (and as such, one of my favorites) was his Astonishing Tales team-up with It, the Living Colossus against the Gargoyles of Stonus V; as if any story revolving around It, FFF and alien gargoyles weren't weird enough, they made a loopy attempt to cash in on the 70s martial arts craze by assuming that Foomie, as a Chinese dragon, must know the martial arts--so he starts slammin his opponents with kung-fu and karate moves. They called it "Ten Claws of Death". It was like mixing a Godzilla movie with a psychedelic Bruce Lee flick...
by Sean McQuaid
Fin Fang Foom Mug Shots!
Fin Fang Foom Growls!
From Iron Man: The Animated Series. All sounds in .wav format.
