Fin Fang Foom | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Strange Tales #89 (Oct. 1961) |
Created by |
Stan Lee (Writer) Jack Kirby (Artist) |
In-story information | |
Species | Makluan/Axonn-Karr |
Team affiliations | Dragon Lords of Kakaranathara Fin Fang Four Beyond Reason Spiritual Fellowship |
Notable aliases | "He Whose Limbs Shatter Mountains and Whose Back Scrapes the Sun" |
Abilities | Superhuman strength Supersonic flight via wings Extreme durability Regenerative healing factor Acid mist breath Telepathy Prolonged lifespan Gifted intellect Possesses advanced alien technology |
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 has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series; toys; trading cards; and video games. IGN's List of Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Fin Fang Foom #99.
The character first appeared in Strange Tales #89 (cover-dated Oct. 1961), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Making his debut in Strange Tales #89 (Oct. 1961) during the Silver Age of Comic Books, Fin Fang Foom appeared during what fans and historians call Marvel Comics "pre-superhero" period, which would not become integrated into Marvel's mainstream fictional continuity until the 1970s.
Writer-editor Stan Lee'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. As Lee described in 2005,
When I was a kid, I loved going to the movies. When I say a kid, I mean 10, 11, 12 years old. And there was one movie I'd seen. I remember nothing about it except the name. It took place in China, I believe, and the name of the movie was Chu Chin Chow. Now I have no idea what it meant — I don't know if it was somebody's name or a country or a city, but I never forgot that name. Those three words just stuck in my memory: Chu Chin Chow. So when I was looking for the name of a monster, I remember Chu Chin Chow ... and that particular meter, that beat, somehow led to Fin Fang Foom. (Transcript of 2005 interview)