Fin Fang Foom

Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. 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.

Publication history

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,

The character first appeared in the standalone 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. 3, #15-18 (April-July 1999).