Saturday, January 28, 2023

THE HORROR HARVEST: M3GAN (2022)

 M3GAN (2022)


While I haven't enjoyed everything James Wan has directed, I have by and large appreciated his films. His talents as a horror director particularly have really shown through over the years and it's these talents that I have come to appreciate. I didn't review it here (I should've), but I really enjoyed his last film: MALIGNANT, feeling it was a wonderful love letter to the 80s horror film boom. For the most part I've enjoyed the Conjuring universe, the Insidious films, and Dead Silence. For some reason, while I appreciate the films, I'm not terribly enthusiastic about the SAW series.

I was under the impression James Wan was directing M3GAN too and was really excited to see the movie. As you can imagine, I was disappointed to discover that he was not directing the film (especially since sinister dolls are among his specialty). Gerard Johnstone is the director of M3GAN, someone whom I'm not familiar with, with the story being from James Wan and Akela Cooper (who also worked on the story of Malignant with James Wan).

I didn't make it to the theater right away, so I heard the hype and positive response to Megan prior to seeing the film. My previous horror outings to the theaters had been largely disappointing; Halloween Ends and Skinamarink both being particularly negative experiences. So, maybe Megan had a larger task in regards to myself than it should've.

Megan was fun, pure and simple.


INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The setup and premise of the movie is solid and works well and it touches on a very real world issue: parenting and recovering from trauma. It isn't easy being a parent. It's really hard actually. And there are a lot people who aren't cut out to be parents. This film touches on both topics, but primarily on those who aren't good parents. It's these underlying messages that really resonated with me. Megan is basically an iPad and is a commentary on leaving children to be raised by devices rather than parenting ourselves.

But this is an underlying theme that, if you aren't a parent, could easily pass you by. Megan is creepy and unnerving. It's through her eyes that we perceive what's really happening in the film. We learn about the characters and situations alongside her. It's pretty ingenious and makes Megan all the more terrifying as we see how she comes to these violent conclusions. There are moments of dark humor and terror that keep the movie exciting and devilishly fun. And the pace kept the film moving, never really stalling.

By and large, I felt the movie lacked teeth though. I really wish the filmmakers would've went for it in terms of gore and graphic violence. Sounds sadistic, I know, but without potent elements such as remarkably grotesque scenes, I didn't feel there was much to make Megan standout from just another serviceable horror film. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but I didn't feel the movie gave back enough to become really noteworthy. 

Knowing that originally the film was intended to be rated R, and per studio demand, it was cut down to PG-13, I can only imagine what might've been. I hope an R-rated director's cut sees release and I'd maybe be interested in seeing what that looks like. But as is, Megan is a good, if generic, time at the movies. I liked it well enough, but I don't see myself revisiting it. For those just starting to dip their toes in the horror waters, Megan may be a solid "gateway-horror" film.

Overall Ranking: 5 out of 10

Pandering to the kids has definitely worked in this film's favor as its box office is fantastic. And Megan has a lot of potential, but will it see that potential realized? Time will tell as a sequel has already been greenlit. As it stands now, I'll stick with my Chucky, Annabelle, Dead Silence, and Puppet Master movies. Still, nowadays you could do a lot worse. I actually enjoyed this movie as opposed to Halloween Ends and Skinamarink. In that respect, MEGAN is a masterpiece by comparison.

What did you think? The movie theater was packed when I went and it seemed like most everyone was enjoying themselves. This movie did elicit vocal responses from the audience, in a positive way.

Let us know in the comments!

For more of Blood Work's thoughts on horror, check out these other posts below

THE HORROR MOVIE MASTER LIST

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THE HORROR HARVEST: SKINAMARINK (2022)

 SKINAMARINK (2022)


"Skinamarink ka dinky dink! Skinamarinky-do! I love you!" 

The latest critical horror darling has come out and we here at Blood Work made our exodus to the theaters to see it. Whispers were that this new horror film was one of the scariest films ever made, the new standard of horror cinema. At least this was what a lot of the critics were saying. Just a friendly reminder, take critics' reviews with a massive grain of salt (afterall, these people said that John Carpenter's THE THING was abysmally terrible back in 1982). Critics back then and certainly today seem wildly out of touch with what's good and what's not (says someone giving a critique).

What scares people and what doesn't is all subjective. Just like comedy, everyone is affected differently. What you find scary someone else may not. I remember another critical horror darling from back in the day: THE VVITCH (2015). Critics loved it! Us here at Blood Work? Not so much. Needless to say, we here at Blood Work don't often see eye to eye with the critics. It's happened so often within the last decade that our feelings haven't aligned with critics that we don't go to Rotten Tomatoes anymore nor place any weight in professional critic reviews anymore.

Now that that's out of our system... Anyway, we headed out to the Alamo Drafthouse, found our seats, and were treated to a host of vintage cartoons including a 1935 short called BALLOON LAND, which was amazing (featuring a homicidal maniac called Pincushion Man)! All of the vintage cartoons were fantastic. We ordered fried food and ice cream shakes and were genuinely feeling good awaiting the start of the movie.

Then Skinamarink began...

THE SYNOPSIS

Two children are awakened in the middle of the night by a noise. They walk downstairs and turn on some cartoons and start playing with toys. The strange noises keep sounding around the house. Windows, doors, and toilets mysteriously disappear. Then their parents disappear. In the dead of night a disembodied voice starts talking to them and telling them to do horrible things.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The movie begins like a vintage film from the 1960s or early 70s with a classic credits roll. The entire film had an artificial film-grain filter over it which added to the authenticity of the vintage presentation. The lighting was faded and dark, as if the film elements had been washed out over time and the audio crackled and popped such as you'd hear in the dead space on a vinyl record. All of it added to the experience, simulating a viewing of a lost film from decades passed. The photography was often at extremes, either from a low angle at the floor level or a high angle with mostly the ceiling in view.

All of this added to the "off-key" feeling of the film and really set the tone for a potentially terrifying experience. The atmosphere created as a result was palpable and rife with eerie potential. After about ten minutes into the film though, all of the atmosphere and tension wore off. Very little dialog was spoken throughout the entire film. Little context was given to the situation nor was there story captions or news articles lying around to explain the premise. The audience was literally left in the dark as to what the plot was or even what was happening.

After about twenty minutes all of the ambiance wore off and frustration began to set in. I checked my watched and sighed, 'How much more is left?' I found myself thinking. By forty minutes I found myself on the verge of screaming at the screen in sheer frustration, 'DO SOMETHING!' As you can imagine, little has occurred at all an hour into the movie. There were teases galore of potential moments for scares and shocks, but none ever manifested, just teased. Almost another hour later...  a little has happened, but not enough to make the movie worth it. The end payoff was not worth the wait.

After frustration, I felt angry, and then apathy by the end. This movie really disappointed me. 

To be fair, as a piece of art, the concept comes through. If this were a short film of ten to fifteen minutes and maintained all of the significant moments, then Skinamarink would be far more palatable. But as a nearly two hour film, it simply does not give the audience enough to warrant such a long runtime. If you approach this film as a piece of auteur cinema, an artistic concept come to life, then there's a lot to appreciate. Now, if this movie was made for ten dollars then I commend the director for such an incredible achievement on a low budget.

But as a narrative device, this film failed me cataclysmically. It barely gives us enough plot to even qualify as a story. 

THE VERDICT

As a piece of raw artistic expression, the director's concepts come through beautifully. But that's it. Skinamarink is all style and no substance that greatly outstays its welcome. I loved the atmosphere and veneer though. The film manages to create many possible moments of greatness, but never really delivers. Budgetary constraints may be the cause of this, but still, it doesn't take a budget to write a good story and Skinamarink barely has a story at all. With what Skinamarink does have, there's loads of potential for a terrifying film to be made. As it is, there's only setups and no worthwhile payoffs (if any payoff at all).

Overall Ranking: 3 out of 10


I would not recommend this movie to anyone. A ten minute highlight reel, maybe, but nothing more.

I know this is harsh, but it really was a trial of sheer will and endurance to suffer through. But, the experience itself was worth it. Being with good friends at the Alamo Drafthouse, enjoying the preshow vintage cartoons and food was wonderful. The conversations we had both before and after, along with the film discussion really saved the experience. But the film itself was the biggest negative of the entire thing. So, if you don't have an enjoyable surrounding experience, this movie may leave you feeling even worse than it did us here at Blood Work.

You've been warned

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Wednesday, January 18, 2023

TOP TEN SUB-MARINER LEVIATHANS

TOP TEN SUB-MARINER LEVIATHANS


"By the Horn of Proteus!"

For those of you that are new to these parts, we here at Blood Work have a life long love of comic books and the super heroes that populate them. We also have a life long love of giant monsters. Typically we've preferred keeping the two loves mutually exclusive, but on a rare occasion we like it when they come together: Ultraman is a great example of the two genres coming together (in fact, we're watching Ultraman R/B while writing this). And the saga of the Sub-Mariner is another fun melding of the two.

When the Sub-Mariner made his debut in the Silver Age with Fantastic Four #4 in May 1962, another character also made a debut in that same issue: GIGANTO ~ a Godzilla-sized whale-like undersea monster. Giant monsters were no strangers to Marvel Comics back in those days as many books featured them, mostly non-super-hero comics. From 1961 onward though, giant monsters in comics would eventually fade as super-heroes came back into prominence. 

But there has always remained a place for Marvel's giants monsters despite mostly falling into obscurity. One of those places is the watery depths (you know, exactly where you'd find Godzilla hibernating most of the time). And whenever Namor, the Sub-Mariner wants to make a bold statement to the surface-world he usually arrives with one of his resident leviathans. There is even an ancient Atlantean relic that calls forth these titans of the deep: THE HORN OF PROTEUS - a mystical conch shell with the power to command these great beasts, which is usually how Namor controls them.

Most of the time super heroes and giant monsters don't mix very well, but one place where we feel that they do mesh is among the tales of the Sub-Mariner. What's more, it feels natural to have these giant monsters as a part of that world (as opposed to having them in, say, a Captain America or Daredevil story). I'd be adverse to giant monsters in a Black Widow or Nick Fury story (most Marvel heroes actually), but they seem to compliment and truly enrich the world and story of Namor.

Over the years there have been many of these leviathans making splashes in the pages of the Sub-Mariner. Some of them have reappeared here and there and even fewer have been given the dignity of a name. Most of these creatures however have been relegated to brief one-time appearances, unbefitting their epic stature.

Sometimes a little goes a long way, though. If they appeared in every issue they'd soon begin to feel boring or mundane. Used sparingly rather than overexposed can be a positive, keeping their appearances feeling special and the rare event of their surfacing having impact. Yeah, I'd still like to see them appear a bit more often, but I'd rather see them done well and, if that means they're used sparingly, I'll take it.


To this, we feel these monsters deserve their due respect and their just appreciation.

Further enriching and deepening the world of the Sub-Mariner and the Marvel universe, join us here at Blood Work as we celebrate the leviathans of the deep, the giant monsters lurking in the underwater realms, the biblical behemoths of legend!

Note: This list excludes Marvel's land-dwelling giant monsters (like those on Monster Island ((yes, Marvel has their own Monster Island))), subterranean giant monsters (like those subservient to the villain the Mole Man), and the space-born or extra-dimensional giant monsters. 

There really are more kaiju-sized beasts in the Marvel universe than you probably realize and this list is only going into those related to the Sub-Mariner and the oceans. Afterall, we wanted to do this list to begin with to further explore the world of the Sub-Mariner, so Marvel's other giant monsters will have to wait for another list.

Without further adieu, bring the aquatic colossuses!




HONORABLE MENTION





DOCTOR DORCAS & KRANG'S ROBOT GUARD

First Appearance: Sub-Mariner Vol.1 #33 (January 1971)

This guy gets an honorable mention because he isn't actually a giant monster, but a robot! I remembering reading this issue for the first time and being excited when this monster emerged. And I remember being disappointed when it was revealed to be only a robot. I really like the design though, kind of a monstrous amphibian esthetic, which would make for a cool giant undersea monster. For that reason I wanted to at least include it here (it doesn't even have the dignity of a name, the poor guy).

Here's hoping that someday someone will reveal the "real" version of this guy, an actual living breathing flesh and blood leviathan for the Sub-Mariner to encounter (the one that "inspired" Doctor Dorcas to build the robot of).




THE BONUSES






#17
GIANT CRUSTACEANS & CEPHALOPODS


First Appearance: Sub-Mariner #38 (June 1971)

To begin our list we thought these guys deserved spotlighting. Nameless and rather generic, these are more or less just giant versions of regular sea creatures. Don't misunderstand us, such creatures are definitely cool and worthy of note, but they lack individuality and specific identity beyond their giant sized proportions.


Even so, knowing that the early underwater tribes of the Marvel universe had to battle these colossal beasts makes for an interesting and thrilling story. These creatures provide a cool environment and backdrop to the world of the Sub-Mariner and the oceans. This is where it all begins, with ballooning the regular creatures to epic proportions. 







#16
SEA CARNIVORE

First Appearance: Sub-Mariner Vol. 1 #6 (October 1968)

After kidnapping the Lady Dorma, Tiger Shark and Dorma passed by an undersea cavern where dwelled a sleeping denizen of the deep. Before they crossed its path, a large Great White Shark swam before it. The monster clutched the shark and summarily devoured it with ease. Then it turned its sights on the swimming duo and grabbed the Lady Dorma. Determined not to lose his leverage against Namor and Atlantis, Tiger Shark rammed the monster causing it to release the Lady Dorma. While stunned, Tiger Shark grabbed Dorma and the two of them quickly swam away before the creature recovered.

Although only a brief appearance, this monster has a unique and interesting design, courtesy of the great artist John Buscema. It's another distinctive sea creature populating the undersea world of the Sub-Mariner.







#15
THE DEMON OF INFERNO ISLE

First Appearance: Tales To Astonish #91 (May 1967)

After deceitfully usurping the Atlantean throne, Prince Byrrah exiled Namor to the dreaded Inferno Isle. Once Namor arrived on the island, a fiery giant rose out of the island's lone volcano. Instinctively the fire demon attacked Namor, nearly killing him outright. Unable to touch the demon without injury, Namor covered his fists in molten mud and battered the beast out of the lava and into the water. The cool temperatures of the water hardened the demon's outer lava, encasing it in a hard rock shell.


Created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett (Namor's creator), this guy is a one-off, but memorable monster. At first glance this demonic looking monster reminds me of the fire demon from the classic horror film; NIGHT OF THE DEMON (CURSE OF THE DEMON) from 1957, one of my favorite movie monsters! Bill Everett's art is amazing and I'd love to see this guy come back. Maybe he was an exiled member of the fire giants of Muspelheim?







#14
SEA MONSTER OF SKULL ISLAND


First Appearance: Tales To Astonish #96 (October 1967)

While in pursuit of the villainous Plunderer, Namor ventured into the realm of the Savage Land, heading towards the Plunderer's secret base on Skull Island. While swimming through the Savage Land waters Namor was attacked by a gargantuan sea serpent. Unable to overpower the creature, Namor outmaneuvered the monster, leading it to crash against the seabed. Stunned, the beast swam away and Namor continued on his quest to defeat the Plunderer.

This is a sea monster that shows up brief in one comic book, but left a memorable impression. Rendered by the incredible talents of Namor's own creator, Bill Everett, this nameless leviathan has a cool design and was left alive by the end of the fight. I like the design and, having been bested by Namor, it would be cool to see it return as an ally to the Avenging Son. 







#13
GARGANTOS

First Appearance: Sub-Mariner Vol.1 #13 (February 1969)

An ancient beast of Lemuria, when Namor was trapped in the Lemurian arena battling for his life, the Lemurian emperor, Naga, while in possession of the Serpent Crown, summoned forth the titanic Gargantos to kill the prince of the blood (Namor). After besting all of Lemuria's greatest warriors in combat, Namor had to face the great beast Gargantos. Through sheer willpower and cunning, Namor blinded the beast and led it against Emperor Naga himself. Unleashing the power of the Serpent Crown, Naga killed Gargantos with one mystic energy blast from the crown.

Of interesting note here, Gargantos is the name of the one-eyed tentacle monster in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness. Obviously the creature was misnamed, but many speculate this was due to Marvel not being able to use the name Shuma-Gorath due to rights issues. So, the name Gargantos was arbitrarily used instead. This speculation makes some sense, whether it is true or not, who can say.

Anyway, this is the real Gargantos from Marvel's comic book history. And this issue is the finale to the first Serpent Crown story arc and is one of my favorite Sub-Mariner stories. To be honest though, while Gargantos is cool, I do wish its design was a little more imaginative.







#12
THE DEADLY LETHE BEAST


First Appearance: Sub-Mariner Vol. 1 #9 (January 1969)

Venturing into the Abyss of Doom, a fabled trench with the reputation of claiming the lives of whomever enters, Namor encountered the Lethe Beast. Living within the abyss, the Lethe Beast attacked Namor and Warlord Seth (a trusted warrior of the Atlantean guard). The Lethe Beast has barbed mace-like clubs at the ends of its tentacles and an ink it secretes like a squid which causes temporary amnesia and confusion. While battling the beast, it squirted its ink and Namor, overcome with confusion and memory loss, swam away. The Lethe Beast then returned to its dwelling in the abyss.

This guy was actually given a name and a unique design. He's only appeared in this one issue, that I'm aware of, but that doesn't mean he couldn't come back someday. I placed him higher on the list than Gargantos based solely on his more unique design.







#11
THE KRAKEN (GIANT OCTOPUS)
Image from Sub-Mariner Vol.1 #27

First Appearance: Tales To Astonish #93 (July 1967)

This guy is of particular not in that there is a neat little "behind the scenes" anecdote regarding him. A long used shortcut technique artists have employed in comics is called SWIPING. As the name implies, this technique is where an artist utilizes another preexisting image from somewhere else, redresses/modifies it in some way, and uses it as opposed to rendering wholly new artwork. For Tales To Astonish #93, artist Dan Adkins swiped an image of Hal Foster's for a single panel in which Namor passes by a nameless giant octopus. It wasn't called for in the comic script, Dan Adkins just threw it in to fill the panel with something interesting. 

Roy Thomas, one of the Marvel's most influential writers took notice. Years later, Roy used that same octopus to cap off the events of Sub-Mariner #27 from July 1970. In the story Namor is battling a pirate named Commander Kraken who controls a life-size giant squid robot mistaken for the mythical Kraken. Namor defeats the robot Kraken by leading it towards this very real "Kraken." All of this makes this particular giant octopus or Kraken of particular notoriety and worthy of a spot all its own on this list. This guy gets a higher spot on the list due to having not one, but two confirmed appearances to his credit.

Here is the "swiped" artwork from Tales To Astonish #93





MINOR YET IMPORTANT

These relatively minor monsters, by themselves, truthfully don't amount to much, at least as far as the story is concerned. However, collectively they are a key component of world building, populating the Sub-Mariner's world with wonderous and terrifying beasts. These monsters add to the environment, playing either a direct or indirect role in lives of every Atlantean and Lemurian, recontextualizing how we view life in the oceans. The unique designs of these creatures lend the undersea realm an identity all its own. In the end these leviathans help make the world and story of the Sub-Mariner unlike any other.






THE TOP TEN





#10

KRAGO

First Appearance: Sub-Mariner Vol. 1 #44 (December 1971)

In a plot to entrap Namor, Llyra and Tiger Shark awaken an ancient sleeping beast from the bottom of the ocean: KRAGO. Wreaking havoc in Boston Bay, Namor instantly recognizes Krago (leading one to infer that the beast was known to the prince of the blood and perhaps the two have a history together) and attempts to halt the beast's rampage. Hoping to use Krago to weaken the Sub-Mariner, Llyra and Tiger Shark wait in ship nearby to capture the Avenging Son. Their plans go awry when their tractor beam ensnares the Human Torch instead. Then, in its wild thrashing about, Krago crashes into Llyra and Tiger Shark's ship, dragging them and itself back down into the dark watery depths.

Krago is a cool looking titan of the depths. I really like his design and its purely aquatic esthetic. The way Namor instantly recognizes the monster and calls out its name suggests many things, foremost that the beast was known to Namor. Of the countless creatures of the deep, to be known by name by the King of Atlantis, Krago must be something special. As far as I know this issue is its sole appearance, but the way the monster was written leaves so much more to be explored, both in flashback and in the future.




#9

THE BEHEMOTH 


First Appearance: Tales To Astonish #77 (March 1966)

The Behemoth was an ancient Atlantean construct, genetically created in their labs to be the "Last Resort" weapon. A monstrous defender of Atlantis. Hank Pym, conducting underwater experiments, accidentally created earthquakes around Atlantis, awakening the Behemoth from his centuries long slumber. Warlord Krang, allied with the Puppet Master, manipulated a clay figurine of the Behemoth (sculpted by the Puppet Master) into attacking Atlantis. Namor battled the monster, but was severely outmatched. Commanding a group of eels to electrify the monster, the powerful electric shock sent feedback to Krang's clay figurine, rendering the figurine inert. Free from Krang's evil control, the Behemoth was led to an undersea area of quicksand where it sank into the Earth.

The Behemoth is one of those classic Stan Lee & Gene Colan creations. He was only used in one story arc and I'd love to see him resurrected someday (as an ally of Namor's). I love the design and implications that this genetically created monstrosity is so powerful that Atlantis held it as their greatest and last line of defense. There are a lot of possibilities lying on the table for this guy.





#8
THE BEHEMOTH FROM BELOW

First Appearance: Super-Villain Team-Up #13 (August 1977)

In a bid to usurp the throne of Atlantis, Warlord Krang took the Horn of Proteus and used it to awaken the Behemoth From Below (not to be confused with the Behemoth above 'wink'). A craggy looking beast, the Behemoth From Below began laying waste to everything in its path including friend and foe alike. Using his tremendous strength and speed, Namor swam as fast as he could to create a watery vortex. The powerful whirling waters sucked the Behemoth From Below away from Atlantis and into depths unknown. Not long afterwards, an explosion off the coast of Russia caused by the villainous Presence awakened the Behemoth From Below yet again. After battling Sub-Mariner, Hulk, and the Defenders, the Behemoth From Below was seemingly destroyed by an energy blast from the Presence.

Appearing more like a pile of rocks than a denizen of the sea, the Behemoth From Below is an interesting creature to say the least. Created by Keith Giffen and Bill Mantlo, the Behemoth From Below has three appearances to its credit, including two issues of the Defenders (#54 & #55). Seemingly killed by the Presence, the Behemoth From Below has not been seen since, which doesn't necessarily mean it's gone for good. There are other monsters I'd like to see return first, but it would be cool to see the Behemoth From Below return again. 






#7
THE SEAWEED MAN

First Appearance: Tales To Astonish #71 (September 1965)

The Seaweed Man is an ancient guardian creature dwelling deep within the ocean depths. After Warlord Krang usurped the throne of Atlantis, Namor set out on an epic quest to find the fabled Trident of Neptune and prove his right by blood as the true heir of Atlantis. While nearing the sacred cave of Neptune, the Seaweed Man appeared before Namor. Revealing himself to be one of the guardians of Neptune's shrine, the Seaweed Man declared that only in defeat would Namor learn the next clue on his way to find the Trident. Unable to defeat the Seaweed Man through raw strength, Namor swam in circles at tremendous speeds to create a powerful whirlpool. The intense currents scattered the seaweed about the ocean floor and Namor was able to continue along his quest.

Years later, malevolent aliens known as Dire Wraiths were drawn to the powerful magics within the sacred Shrine of Neptune. When Namor arrived to battle them, the Dire Wraiths used their magics to enhance the power of the Seaweed Man, who had since reconstituted and lay dormant within Neptune's Shrine. Twisted and corrupted by the evil magics, the Seaweed Man became a mindless beast of destruction. Absorbing all of the Dire Wraiths magics, the Seaweed Man grew to colossal proportions and lumbered towards Atlantis and attacked. Namor, leading the entire Atlantean army, fought against the Seaweed Man yet again and, with the help of Rom - the SpaceKnight, was able to defeat the Seaweed Man once more.


A primeval mystic being, perhaps imbued with Neptune's own power, the Seaweed Man is one of the guardians of Neptune's shrine, and that alone is too cool. His initial appearance is in one of Namor's best stories: THE QUEST FOR THE TRIDENT, written by Stan "the Man" Lee. He only ever reappears in one more story and it too is one of my favorite Namor stories, found surprisingly within the pages of ROM - SPACEKNIGHT. Rom #34 and #35 see the Seaweed Man return in a big way and, if I'm being honest, present him even better than before. Both stories featuring the Seaweed Man are great and essential reads for Sub-Mariner lore. That alone makes him worthy of being on this list, even if he doesn't have many appearances to his credit.






#6

TORG - THE ABOMINABLE SNOW-KING

First Appearance: Sub-Mariner Vol. 1 #55 (November 1972)

An ancient beast from times long since passed, Torg - the Abominable Snow-King, staked claim over the icy waters off the coast of Antarctica (near the ruins of the first kingdom of Atlantis). Gargantuan in size and strength along with intelligence and cunning, Torg attacked ice-breaker ships, stealing their supplies and kidnapping the crewmen. Namor, while scouring the ruins of old Atlantis, happened upon Torg and engaged the Snow-King in battle, eventually trapping him in crude oil sludge and sealing him in ice. 

Nearly thirty years later (in real time, not comic time) Torg was freed from his icy prison by Attuma and mind-controlled into attacking Prince Edward Island. The Avengers battled Torg and were no match for his unbridled power. Only when Torg's mind control was broken were they able to defeat him. After the mind control was lifted, Torg was subsequently confused by the situation he suddenly found himself in. He just stopped fighting and the Avengers were able to knock him into the water, ending the conflict. 


Created by Namor's own creator, Bill Everett, I was instantly smitten with this character. Torg feels like an homage to King Kong and the Bumble (from Rudolph), but even more so of Gaira - the green gargantua (from War of the Gargantuas). Previously I thought that he'd only ever been used in one issue (wonderfully illustrated by the great Bill Everett), but I recently discovered that he was revived once more in Avengers #43 from August 2001, illustrated by the incredible Alan Davis no less! With two appearances to his credit he now jumps the line to a higher position. Personally though, he's near the top of my list. Torg needs more love. He also has an official appearance in the video game LEGO MARVEL SUPER HEROES 2.







#5
MONSTER SEA TURTLE

First Appearance: Sub-Mariner Vol.1 #21 (January 1970)

Trapped in New York City, Namor was once on the run from a city wide dragnet to capture him. In an effort to save her beloved, Lady Dorma mobilized the Atlantean military to rescue him. Warlord Seth led the charge with the Horn of Proteus in hand. The Atlanteans arrived in New York harbor and Dorma delivered an ultimatum to the city. A battleship in the harbor fired on the Atlantean ship, seemingly killing Dorma in the resultant blast. Warlord Seth called forth monsters from the deep to avenge Dorma. The Avenging Son then arrived on the scene, destroying the battleship, and rescuing Dorma from the wreckage. Namor met with the authorities to lobby for peace and a cease fire just as the monsters attack the city. Namor personally battled the monsters, trying to save New York from further harm and stop the Atlanteans from making an irrevocable mistake. Seth, seeing Dorma alive and watching his prince risk his life to correct Seth's mistake, called the beasts back with the Horn of Proteus, and led the monsters back down into the deep at the cost of his own life. 

Nameless, but having appeared multiple times in comic books, these monster sea turtles are among the coolest looking and most striking leviathans of the deep. There are a family of them, two younger beasts and a far larger parent, three in total attacking in their debut issue. I love their design and their arrival on the scene in Sub-Mariner #21 is powerful and awe-inspiring. Sub-Mariner #21 is a great issue and they're a big part of it. They also are very reminiscent of one of the most famous kaiju of cinema: GAMERA. Namor calls upon these monsters himself in Fantastic Four #149 and then one is seen again in Invaders Now! #1.



This image is from their debut issue in Sub-Mariner #21.







#4
SEA DRAGON



First Appearance: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #1 (September 1984)

One of the many beasts of the villainous Dragonrider, the Sea Dragon is one of the more interesting looking and striking creatures in the Saga of the Sub-Mariner. Utilizing an artifact similar to the fabled Horn of Proteus, Dragonrider summons and controls numerous leviathans of the deep to wreak havoc upon her enemies. The Sea Dragon was the beast Dragonrider used to level Atlantis and confront Namor. Possessing deadly teeth and claws along with hypnotic luminescent orbs and tentacle-like antennae, Namor fought the monster to no avail. The Avenging Son lured the dragon to the mouth of a volcano and caught the monster in a volcanic blast that defeated it. Years later Dragonrider would return astride the beast once again to attack New York (or a similar monster).

The moment I first saw this monster I was blown away. The design is wild, imaginative, and so cool looking. Easily one of the best looking monsters in all of the Marvel universe, it later returned in a few issues of the Thunderbolts and looked just as amazing illustrated by Tom Grummett. I'd love to see this monster continue to appear in future comic books.







#3
SET 

First Appearance: Marvel Feature #6 (September 1976)

During the dawn of Earth's existence (the First Age if you like your Tolkienisms) primal gods roamed and fought over dominion of the world. The great seven-headed serpent god, Set, was among the most powerful and malicious. Set eventually fled inside another dimension as did the other elder gods of Earth to avoid being wiped out by the Demogorge, the great devourer of gods. Constantly seeking to return to Earth, Set's power and influence has manifested many times upon our dimension. In the Hyborian age Set created the race of Serpent Men who battle against Conan, King Kull, and Red Sonja. Concentrating all of Set's power on a single object, the Serpent Men created the Serpent Crown. The Serpent Crown remained the greatest source of Set's power on Earth and was potentially a means to allow him to enter our dimension. When the oceans drank Atlantis and Lemuria the Serpent Crown was lost for ages.

Millennia later a group of homo-mermanus discovered the Serpent Crown and founded Lemuria. These people evolved into the present day Lemurians. The Serpent Crown slowly influenced their genetics, giving them green skin, scales, and reptilian features. When the Serpent Crown was used against Namor, the Atlanteans and Lemurians clashed. The Lemurian king, Naga, used the Serpent Crown to open a gateway for Set to emerge. As Set passed through the gateway a contingent of Earth's greatest super heroes were able to stop Set's arrival and close the portal.

Set is the uber-powerful evil entity of the Namor mythology (the Marvel Conan mythology too). One of my favorite sagas of Namor's is that of the Serpent Crown. Set represents the dire stakes at risk when the Serpent Crown is involved. Of all of Namor's battles, his struggles against Lemuria and the Serpent Crown have saved the Earth and perhaps our reality from utter destruction, unbeknownst to the other heroes or the world. The stakes are always pretty epic in comic book storytelling, but Set launches the threat into the stratosphere.

Admittedly, Set isn't a character that shows up a lot. Set is more of an ominous evil presence in the background. Of course, my affinity for monsters plays a little part in my liking of this character too. The epic crossover story ATLANTIS ATTACKS (from 1989) chronicles Set's greatest story and the closest Set came to the conquest of our dimension. The story is collected in an omnibus and is an awesome story to read.






#2
LEVIATHAN (MARRINA)

First Appearance: (As Leviathan) Avengers Vol.1 #291 (May 1988)

A member of the alien race, the Plodex, Marrina arrived in Earth's oceans as an egg and adapted to the aquatic environments. Growing into a mermaid like being, Marrina became a hero and member of the Canadian super team Alpha Flight. While a member of Alpha Flight she met and fell in love with Namor, the Sub-Mariner. The two of them eventually married and Marrina became pregnant with their offspring. The pregnancy reacted monstrously to her alien physiology transforming her into a giant sea beast reminiscent of the mythical leviathan. Wreaking havoc across the seas, Namor and the Avengers battle the monstrous Leviathan. Namor took the Ebony Blade from the Black Knight, a weapon capable of slaying the mightiest of enemies, and struck down Marrina, trapping her soul within the Ebony Void, a fate worse than death. Namor regretted the act and later was able to free Marrina's soul and give his wife final peace.

Leviathan is perhaps the one giant monster in the saga of the Sub-Mariner nearest to Namor's heart. Namor and Marrina's romance is an epic tragedy and a sorrowful tale. It was one matter having his first wife, Dorma, murdered before him, but to be forced to kill his own beloved wife with his own hands feels even more horrific. Marrina as the Leviathan would return again, genetically recreated by Norman Osborn's scientists and sent to punish Namor. This Marrina/Leviathan clone was set against Atlantis and mercilessly slaughtered innocent Atlanteans. Namor, with the X-Men watching, single handedly defeated this mockery of his deceased love and returned its severed head to Norman Osborn.


Marrina and Namor's story is a tragic and powerful chapter in Namor's mythology. The design of the Leviathan is grand and terrifying in scope, not to mention extremely personal to Namor. I love the design and the story surrounding this character. If only there was a way for Marrina to be separated from the Leviathan and for both to coexist independently, so Marrina could be free and the Leviathan could continue to be a monstrous menace for Namor to battle. That would be awesome. Also noteworthy here are Namor and Marrina's children. They too grew into monstrous beings plaguing the ocean, many forced to be killed by Namor too while others were killed by Baron Strucker of HYDRA. 







#1
GIGANTO

First Appearance: Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #4 (May 1962)

Giganto (one of two different Marvel monsters to bear the same name) is the largest living beast on planet Earth and the greatest monster at Sub-Mariner's beck and call. When Namor's memories were returned, the Sub-Mariner's anger at the surface world was reignited. In his first act of vengeance he summoned Giganto with the fabled Horn of Proteus and attacked New York City. Giganto would've leveled the city had it not been for the intervention of the Fantastic Four and the self-sacrifice of Ben Grimm a.k.a. the Thing. The Thing purposefully allowed himself to be swallowed by the beast and personally carried a nuclear bomb into Giganto's belly. The resultant explosion stalled the monster's onslaught and it returned to the watery depths.

Giganto is the Godzilla of the Marvel universe (despite Godzilla himself having once been a part of the Marvel universe). Giganto is also the most prolific of Namor's giant monsters, having appeared in more comics than any of the others on this list. The name "Gojira" (Godzilla's Japanese name) is an amalgamation of two Japanese words "Gorilla" and "Whale" and the design of Giganto perfectly embodies these words as well. Giganto is incredibly cool and always portends dire threats whenever he appears. Recently he appeared in the dystopic future of the Marvel universe and battled the evil future version of the Hulk; the Maestro.

There is no greater beast in the Marvel universe and no stronger ally of the Sub-Mariner's than Giganto. I imagine he'll continue to appear in Marvel comics long into the future and hopefully he'll continue to be a faithful friend to the scion of Atlantis.



And there you have it! 

These are my favorite sea monsters, behemoths, and leviathans from the world of the Sub-Mariner! 

I'd love to see all of these guys return and featured in new stories (provided the stories are good and the characters are treated well, of course). These monsters enrich Marvel's aquatic world, making that section of the Marvel universe all the more unique and special. I've always been a fan of giant monsters and these guys deserve more love and appreciation.

What about you? Which are your favorite sub-sea beasts from the pages of the Sub-Mariner? I know there are others too that haven't been listed here.

For that matter, who're your favorite Marvel monsters?

Let us know in the comments below!

And for more Sub-Mariner and Marvel posts, check out these other posts below!

NAMOR VOLUME 2 #1-12 RETROSPECTIVE

TOP TEN NAMOR, THE SUB-MARINER VILLAINS









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