VANDOOM'S MONSTER
Real Name: None
Identity/Class: Artificial being
Occupation: Rampager
Group Membership: "The Collector's collection" (Droom, Fin Fan Foom, Gargantus, Goom, Grogg, Groot, Grottu, Rommbu, Taboo, Tragg)
Affiliations: Kid Kaiju (Kei Kawade);
temporarily
Abominable Snowman,
Blip,
Bruttu,
Crawling Creature,
Creature from Krogarr,
Creature from the Black Bog,
Fin Fan Foom,
Googam,
Goom,
Gorgilla,
Green Thing,
Insect Man, Klagg,
Kraa,
Metallo,
Mole Man,
Monsteroso,
Monsteroso,
Monstro,
Monstrom,
Moomba,
Nova (Sam Alexander),
Oog,
Orrgo,
Pildorr the Plunderer,
Quogg,
Rommbu,
Sporr,
Thing that Crawled by Night,
Tim Boo Ba,
Ulvar,
Zetora,
Zzutak
formerly the Collector (Elder), a group of Skrulls
Enemies: Beast (Henry McCoy), the Collector,
Giant-Man (Hank Pym), Hulk
(Bruce Banner), Justice League, Leviathon Tide (Leviathon Mother, others), Martians, Mr. Fantastic, Thing (Ben Grimm);
formerly Guardians of the Galaxy (Drax, Gamora, Groot, Rocket Raccoon, Star-Lord/Peter Quill), Thor (Jane Foster)
Known Relatives: Ludwig Vandoom (creator)
Aliases: Vandoom, Van Doom's Monster (see comments)
Base of Operations: Monster Island;
formerly the Negative Zone;
formerly the Collector's zoo, beneath Canada;
formerly Transylvania
First Appearance: Tales To Astonish I#17/1 (March, 1961)
Powers/Abilities: Vandoom's Monster was an immense wax statue which came to life; it was of superhuman size, and possessed superhuman strength and endurance. It was invulnerable to the type of conventional harm employed by most stereotypical enraged/frightened European villagers, such as torches and pitchforks, and it was seemingly immune to the effects of ultra-gamma rays employed by Martian invaders.
History: (Tales To Astonish I#17/1) - In order to bring in business at his run-down wax museum, Ludwig Vandoom constructed an immense, shaggy monster whose head rose through the roof of the museum. It upset local villagers, who tried to stop the monster from being completed, but Vandoom was within his rights to build it on his property. However, not long after its completion, a lightning storm raged in the Transylvanian town; the monster was struck by lightning, and came to life, tearing through the museum's frame. It soon lumbered about, frightening the villagers who beheld it.
The
villagers quickly mobilized a mob and chased the monster, although they
seemed unable to harm it.
However, simultaneously, Martians invaded Earth, striking first
in Transylvania at that very town. Realizing that only the
monster could save them from the Martians, Vandoom convinced his
creation to help save them, and the monster attacked
their forces. They unleashed a powerful ultra-gamma ray upon it,
but it was seemingly immune to its effects.
It tore through their armies, forcing them to flee Earth. The
monster had saved the planet, but had spent all its energy in doing
so. It fell down, as though it were dead.
Feeling a wave of sympathy for the creature, the villagers offered to
bury the
creature on their sacred mountain and help Ludwig Vandoom build a
second one
for his museum. In the end, Vandoom's Monster was rebuilt in his
wax
museum. The monster was the museum's star attraction, having
people from
around the world visit after hearing the legend of its selfless tale.
Still, Vandoom couldn't help but wonder what might
happen should it be struck by lightning again.
(Marvel Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses
Bloodstone and the Monster Hunters#1 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, either
the original "dead" monster or the second one built by Vandoom was
brought (back) to life.
(Marvel Monsters: Monsters on the Prowl#1 (fb) - BTS) -
Vandoom's Monster was captured by the Collector and placed in his zoo
beneath Canada.
(Marvel Monsters: Monsters on the Prowl#1) - After an
attack on the Collector by the Mole Man caused the freedom of the
creatures, Vandoom's
Monster was among many of the specimens to go on a rampage through New
York City. They were defeated by a group of heroes that included the
Hulk, the Beast, the Thing and Giant-Man. Mr. Fantastic had the
Thing open a portal to the Negative Zone, where the creatures were all
dumped.
(Marvel Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses
Bloodstone and the Monster Hunters#1 (fb) - BTS) - Vandoom's Monster
returned to Earth, and somehow made its way to Monster Island (aka
Monster Isle), where the Mole Man was more than happy to add it to his
army.
(Fantastic Four I#347) - A group of Skrulls landed on
Monster Island, only to be terrified by the sight of Vandoom's Monster
fighting with another, unnamed monster. The Skrulls attached neural
disruptors on Vandoom's Monster and all of the other creatures on the
island, then sent them out into the world to lure their target De'Lila
out of hiding.
(Fantastic Four I#348) - Under the control of the
Skrulls, Vandoom's Monster ravaged Moscow.
(Fantastic Four I#349) - Vandoom's Monster returned to Monster Island, and was called forth by the Mole Man to destroy the Skrulls, the Fantastic Four and several other people who were present..
(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#7) - Vandoom's Monster was present on Monster Island, while the Mole Man discussed having Adam Warlock make his home there.
(Silver Surfer/Warlock: Resurrection#1) - Vandoom's Monster (along with Tricephalous and one of the monsters from FF I#347-349) was present when the Silver Surfer visited Warlock.
(JLA/Avengers#1) - Vandoom's Monster was among the creatures of Monster Island who opposed the Justice League of America during their search for the Ultimate Nullifier.
(Franken-Castle#21) - Vandoom's Monster was on Monster Island when the Punisher came to the island to heal.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Monsters Unleashed II#2) - Presumably summoned by the Inhuman Kid Kaiju Vandoom's Monster appeared in the bay of San Diego, California. The Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor believed Vandoom's Monster was just another Leviathon and attacked him. Thor knocked out Vandoom's Monster with Mjolnir. A short time later a horde of monsters was summoned by Kid Kaiju to aid against the Leviathons.
(Monsters Unleashed II#3) - Vandoom's Monster joined the fight against the Leviathons. Earth's heroes watched the monsters summoned by Kid Kaiju defeat the Leviathons. After the battle Vandoom's Monster and the other monsters were teleported back from where they came.
(Monsters Unleashed II#4) - In New York City Vandoom's Monster fought alongside Nova against a Leviathon.
(Monsters Unleashed II#5) - Vandoom's Monster was easily defeated by the Leviathon Mother. After the Leviathon Mother was defeated by Kid Kaiju's own creations Vandoom's Monster was among the last monsters to teleport to its place of origin.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.
Some sources have the name of the creator as Van
Doom, but it is officially Vandoom now. The creature itself was called
simply "Vandoom" in Marvel Monsters: Monsters on the Prowl#1.
A monster who looks just like Vandoom's Monster
appears among the Mole Man's creatures seen in Fantastic Four
I#349 and Warlock and the Infinity Watch#7. I suppose
it's possible that the monster later returned to life and went to live
on Monster Island, but it might just be a look-alike mutate. (Note: This is now canon that the creature
seen on Monster Island is, in fact, the Vandoom Monster).
The monster seen after the first story is in fact one of the two Vandoom creatures, either the buried one or the second one brought to life (I prefer the theory that the original woke up, dug himself out of his grave and made his way to the Island - Prime). Also, he appeared in Sensational Spider-Man#-1 as a pawn of the demon Nightmare in Peter Parker's dream."
A few theories about the monster from Kyle Sims:
The country that was once known as Transylvania, home of Dracula and the backdrop for this story, is now known as Romania.
This story, which
originally appeared in Tales To Astonish I#17, was reprinted in the
trade paperback
Monster Masterworks.
Big thanks to MD Carter for allowing me to borrow images from his
website, The
Monsters of Jack Kirby.
A lifeless statue brought to life by lightning striking it? Maybe there's some connection to the Monsters of Bald Mountain.
--John Kaminski
Profile by Prime Eternal.
Profile edited and updated by Kyle Sims. Updated by Markus Raymond (Monsters Unleashed).
CLARIFICATIONS:
Van Doom, the Man Who Made a Monster, should not be
confused with
and has no known connection to:
He was the son of
Heinrich Vandoom, a famed wax sculptor.
His wax museum in Transylvania had fallen upon hard times, so that his
wife Helga was forced to take
in washing and sewing. He decided to create one massive creature
to get the public's attention.
He crafted his giant monster against the protests of local citizens,
and constructed it
so that its head rose through the roof of the museum. After a
lightning strike brought the monster to life, Ludwig was beaten by
angry villagers, who blamed him for having
built the monster. However, when Martians invaded Transylvania,
Ludwig realized that only the monster could save them, and convinced
his creation to attack the Martian forces.
The monster succeeded, but then collapsed, as lifeless as when it was
made.
With help from the repentant villagers, Vandoom constructed a new
monster in
his museum, where it became an immensely popular attraction, bringing
him
the business he had desired.
--Tales To Astonish I#17/1
images (without ads)
Monsters Unleashed II#2, p19, pan1 (main)
Tales to Astonish I#17, p8, pan1 (original appearance)
Monsters Unleashed II#4, p4, pan1 (vs Leviathon)
Tales to Astonish I#17, p2, pan5 (Ludwig Vandoom)
First Posted: 07/12/2003
Last updated: 11/23/2017
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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