The famed comic book company, Marvel, obtained the lincence to produce their own series based on Godzilla. The run lasted for two years, from 1977 to 1979, before Toho pulled the "plug" on the deal. Godzilla fought many a foe in his bronze-age comic book excursion, and they are listed below in the order of that they were seen in the comics. Only giant monsters seen in the "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" series are listed.
Batragon
Height: really tall
Wingspan: really wide
Weight: really heavy
Regular abilities: tooth and claw, flight
Special Abilities: none
Weakness: relies on the "Life Stone" as an energy source
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issue #4 (Marvel Comic, 1977)
History: Using a strange meteorite dubbed the "Life Stone", criminal mastermind Dr. Demonicus merged the genetics of a bat and a komodo dragon to form a massive controllable creature to unleash on the world and do his evil bidding. Batragon, as the creature would be called, was sent to attack an oil tanker ship so that Demonicus’s henchmen could steal the petroleum. This action happened to attract Godzilla, who fought with Batragon and wounded it, causing the creature to fly back to the base and recharge it’s energy on the "Life Stone". Godzilla followed Batragon to the island, and when Godzilla arrived Batragon broke through the energy grid containing it to engage in battle. After fighting for a while, Godzilla snapped the creature’s neck and the fight was over.
Fighting Power: ***
A large tenacious beast that has the tools and utility to be a rather vicious combatant. With sharp claws, strong jaws, and the ability to fly, Batragon has the makings of a powerful monster. However, it’s not very intelligent, even to the point of injuring itself in blind fury, and compared to Godzilla it isn’t much of a threat.
Ghilaron
Length: really long
Weight: really heavy
Regular abilities: tooth and claw, tail-smacking, a good climber
Special Abilities: none
Weakness: relies on the "Life Stone" as an energy source
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issue #5 (Marvel Comic, 1977)
History: One of the four monsters created by Dr. Demonicus’s "Life Stone" to take over the world. Bitten to death by Godzilla.
Fighting Power: **
This eight-legged lizard thing may have the drive to fight, but it isn’t very good at it.
Lepirax
Length: really long
Wingspan: really wide
Weight: really heavy
Regular abilities: crunching things with it’s many legs, flight at high speeds
Special Abilities: none
Weakness: relies on the "Life Stone" as an energy source
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issue #5 (Marvel Comic, 1977)
History: When Godzilla followed Batragon to Dr. Demonicus’s secret base, the militant agency called S.H.E.I.D. also went in that direction following Godzilla. Once it became clear that S.H.E.I.D. was a threat to the plans, Demonicus unleashed his monster creations that were made from the meteorite "Life Stone". Lepirex, the giant moth, went after the helicopter piloted by the leader of the S.H.E.I.D., Dum Dum Duggan. Godzilla ended up saving his life by attacking Lepirex. The battle ended when the moth creature succumbed to an assault of Godzilla’s flames.
Fighting Power: ***
Not to be confused with Mothra. Still, Lepirex has proven to be quite the capable fighter, with skills in flight and bugging the heck out of things at close range. No match for Godzilla, but not entirely a wimp either.
Centipor
Length: really long
Weight: really heavy
Regular abilities: wrapping around things
Special Abilities: none
Weakness: relies on the "Life Stone" as an energy source
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issue #5 (Marvel Comic, 1977)
History: Yet another "Life Stone" creation of Dr. Demonicus. Godzilla blew it’s head up.
Fighting Power: **
Godzilla fodder.
Red Ronin
A.K.A.: "Mr. Project"
Height: just a little shorter than Godzilla
Weight: a bunch o’ tons
Armament: main control area with accommodation for ‘prime operator’, solar blade [in shield on right arm] – stores sun’s energy – tremendous heat level allows it to cut through anything, magnetic defense field generators – supplies power for shields located at vital areas around the body, power blaster arm unit [transforming left hand], ‘gattling’ laser device built into shield, [rocket launcher also in shield], [shield can be thrown and will return automatically], atomic propulsion unit in legs [allows nearly-unlimited flight capacity], [can send out magnetic cables to tie up objects and fly off with the object in tow]
Weakness: requires a humanoid pilot, psionic helmet used for control only works for one person and has a habit of falling off in combat
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issues #6-8 and #9-14 (Marvel Comic, 1977-1978)
"Avengers" issues #197-199 (Marvel Comic)
History: A joint American/Japanese project to create a weapon capable of stopping Godzilla. It was designed by Dr Takaguchi and Jimmy Woo, and built in Detroit by Stark International. Takaguchi's 12-year old grandson, Rob, snuck into the mech to take control of it so that he could save Godzilla from S.H.E.I.D., who were on a quest to stop the monster. Although his first attempt failed, the cybernetic control device was permanently linked to the boy and could only be controlled by him. Rob stuck in again and flew off with the mech, whom he named the Red Ronin, and "saved" Godzilla by battling with him and carrying him away from some nearby nuclear missiles, dropping off in San Diago. Upon realizing the situation, Godzilla walked off. Latter, a giant yeti-like creature (dubbed Yetrigar by Rob) stalked Godzilla to the Grand Canyon and attacked him. Rob once again commandeered the Red Ronin and interrupted the battle, intent on stopping the fight. The only way to do it though was to kill Yetrigar, and he apparently did so by burying the creature in tons of rock. Afterwards, Rob and the Red Ronin helped in the fight against the Mega-Monsters when the Megans attempted to invade Earth, but was severely damaged when the monster known as Rhiahn "decapitated" the mech. Once the Red Ronin was repaired (and the mental connection was erased), an insane scientist called Dr Cowan took control of the mech and attempted to start World War III with it (to end the Cold War, in a way). He was stopped by the Avengers and S.H.E.L.D. when they destroyed the Red Ronin.
Fighting Power: ****
It seems that every good giant monster story needs a giant human-controlled mech to fight the monsters on their own terms, and this is one of the first instances of that. Designed like a samurai warrior and armed with tons of weaponry and gadgets, the Red Ronin can be very good at the task if piloted well. It can fly, it can shoot, it can slash with an energy sword, it can do just about anything to get the job done. The catch is that it’s armor is not very good, a few thermal blasts can overheat the thing, and the safety of the pilot is always in question.
Yetrigar
Height: he grow up big
Weight: subject to estimations
Regular Abilities: punching things, great strength, lifting up large objects (such as rocks) and throwing them
Special Abilities: none
Weakness: none known
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issues #10-11 (Marvel Comic, 1978)
"West Coast Avengers" issue #32 (Marvel Comic)
History: Atomic tests in Arizona fractured a fault line leading to the northern portion of Canada, releasing a frozen humanoid creature and mutating it with radiation. The creature was reawakened and grew to enormous size, and proceeded to wander southwards. Upon catching the trail of Godzilla, the creature stalked Godzilla and eventually attacked him near the Grand Canyon. During the battle, Red Ronin joined the fray to stop the fight, and did so by burying the creature now known as Yetrigar in a landslide. Years latter an explosion released Yetrigar, and the West Coast Avengers stopped him. Afterwards, Yetrigar was shrunk to his original size.
Fighting Power: ***
Generic big harry beast that goes bezerk.
Beta-Beast
Height: really tall
Weight: really heavy
Regular Abilities: tentacle-like appendages that can fire poisoned darts, big sharp mandibles, hard exoskeleton, can survive in the vacuum of space
Special Abilities: can expel a stream of flames from opening on top of head
Weakness: none known
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issue #12 (Marvel Comic, 1978)
History: For generations the alien races of the Betans and the Megans have been at war. Having expelled all natural resources in their long-term struggle, eventually the warring factions turned to giant monsters as their main weapon. Culled from primal worlds, these creatures were genetically enhanced and received direct orders from their "owners". The war continued, and eventually attrition caused both factions to be heavily weakened and war-weary. In a last-ditch effort, the Megans sent their most powerful "Mega-Monsters" to Earth in an effort to acquire it’s resources and strategic position. Knowing of the plan, a group of Betans made a base on the Moon and pitted Earth’s greatest "champion", Godzilla, against their last remaining monster of the Betans, the "Beta-Beast". Godzilla defeated the monster by overpowering it with his own flames, and having "proved himself", he was sent back to Earth to battle the three "Mega-Monsters" along side Red Ronin. The future of the galaxy was to be decided by the events on Earth.
Fighting Power: ****
The strongest creature under the Betans’ control, and one that nearly (but didn’t quite) beat Godzilla. With bio-enhanced abilities and weaponry, such as launching darts laced with poison (effects the breathing and sight of the victim) or shooting fire out of it’s head, the Beta-Beast can be quite a powerful weapon of war. Still no match for the skill and raw determination of Godzilla though, as the test proved.
Triax
Height: really tall
Weight: really heavy
Regular Abilities: strong beak-like mouth, hard armored plating, retractable eyestalks, can survive in the vacuum of space
Special Abilities: jet propulsion from feet (can fly around or blast opponents)
Weakness: none known
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issues #12-14 (Marvel Comic, 1978)
History: One of the Mega-Monsters sent to take over Earth. Was the first sent down to attack Red Ronin (the apparent "champion" of Earth). After a long battle with Red-Ronin, Godzilla, S.H.E.I.L.D., and the military in Salt Lake City, Utah, Triax was defeated by a fire blast to the mouth from Godzilla in a failed frontal assault.
Fighting Power: ****
With agility, armor, and strength, Triax is a powerful weapon in the Megan arsenal. Not very smart, though, and has a habit of disobeying orders.
Rhiahn
Height: really tall
Weight: really heavy
Regular Abilities: really big "clam-like" mouth, can fly using rotary "bio-blades" (where the legs would be, can also be used as a weapon)
Special Abilities: none
Weakness: bio-blades can harm himself as well
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issues #12-14 (Marvel Comic, 1978)
History: Another Mega-Monster that took part in the final battle of the Megans and Betans at and above Salt Lake City. Noted for having "decapitated" Red Ronin. Also decapitated himself (thanks to Godzilla).
Fighting Power: ****
He can fly, he can bite, and he can act like a deadly ceiling-fan, all of which makes him one of the more formable monsters the Megans control. Despite his agility and weed-whacking ability, a smart foe such as Godzilla can bring him down fairly easily.
Krollar
Height: really tall
Weight: really heavy
Regular Abilities: a good burrower, a good jumper, a good biter, retractable horn on head (used to imbed self into ground), can suck in things using mouth and spit them out at high speeds (such as dirt-clods or portions of buildings), can survive in the vacuum of space
Special Abilities: none
Weakness: none known
Appearances: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issues #12-14 (Marvel Comic, 1978)
History: The third in the trio of Mega-Monsters sent to conquer Earth by the Megans. Although instrumental in the attack, this creature was the first of the Megans be defeated when Godzilla pummeled and flamed it to death.
Fighting Power: ****
One of the more versatile monsters in the Megan roster, this creature is good either on land or under it. Mostly it’s a monster designed to annoy the enemy by popping out of the ground occasional or shooting wads of rubble before running away. Not much power, but it makes up for it with tactical skill.
Devil Dinosaur
Height: really tall
Weight: really heavy
Regular Abilities: a good burrowed, a good jumper, a good biter, retractable horn on head (used to imbed self into ground), can suck in things using mouth and spit them out at high speeds (such as dirt-clods or portions of buildings), can survive in the vacuum of space
Special Abilities: none
Weakness: none known
Appearances: "Devil Dinosaur" issues #1-9 (entire run, Marvel Comic, 1978)
"Godzilla: King of the Monsters" issues #21-22 (Marvel Comic, 1978)
various other cameo appearances (Marvel Comics, 1978-ongoing)
"The Devil Dinosaur Spring Fling" (Marvel Comic, 1997)
"Marvel Monsters Group: Devil Dinosaur" (Marvel Comic, 2005)
History: In a world where people and dinosaurs co-exist, a group known as the Killer-Folk slew a family of tyrannosaurus-like dinosaurs using fire. However, one of those dinosaurs survived and was mutated by the flames, becoming Devil Dinosaur. An ape-man known as Moon Boy befriended the dinosaur, but was ostracized from his family by doing so. Since then, the two have been loners in the dangerous world, with only each other as companions. They faced many challenges including an invasion of "Lizard Warriors", a race of people intent on conquering Devil Dinosaur’s home, the valley of flame. Helping out in the massive battle was a mysterious time-traveling atomic beast known as Godzilla (who conveniently was shrunk to the same size as the rest of the dinosaurs of the time). When the battle was one, Godzilla was forced back to his own time due to a technicality. Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy continued their life, and eventually became time travelers themselves (coming to the "regular Marvel Universe" in the "present day"). They currently reside in the "Savage Land", a place of prehistoric life in a warm spot on the continent of Antarctica.
Fighting Power: ****
Stronger and smarter then the typical tyrannosaurus-like dinosaur of the time, the Devil Dinosaur can hold his own against just about any opponent he faces. He is a good fighter, capable of great skill in the art of dinosaurian combat, and can face many dinosaurs of his own species at the same time and still win the day. A great saurian to have on your side.
Other Monsters
And now it’s time to view other random monsters! These monsters have no names and no information on what they are and what they do except for a picture and a few clues. Although a number of these monsters may have technically existed at some time or another in some universe or another, for the most part they are actually just "filler" found to give a visual hold on random quotes.
