Fwoosher Rob W. is back again with another batch of amazing Silver-Age Marvel Monster customs!
First up is a fellow everyone is familiar with by now. Thanks to a certain blockbuster summer movie, even your aunt who hasn’t left the house in ten years knows who Groot is. When a talking tree becomes a media superstar, you know you live in interesting times. In contrast to the modern moviefied version, Rob goes for a more classically “conquest-happy” interpretation of ol’ the Monster from Planet X, imbuing him with that pure Kirby goodness. This is one time that the Bark definitely is worse than the bite. ‘Nuff said!
Designed to be the first “thinking robot,” Robot X was feared by the humans he was built to serve. Driven to survive, Robot X abandons humanity and assembles his own robot army. To the reader’s surprise, it turns out that X’s goal is not to enslave mankind, but protect it from the alien menace hidden in their midst. Once this alien invasion force is routed, Robot X takes its own life, knowing that humanity is still too suspicious to live with a truly sentient machine. I only wish my iPhone had that kind of dignity.
A telepathic alien with a homicidal streak, Torr follows a radio signal back to planet Earth. There he switches his mind with a scientist and plots to enslave the man’s world. Unfortunately for Torr, his habit of explaining his elaborate plans to anyone within earshot backfires and the scientist’s assistant shoots him before he can enact planetary enslavement. Serves ya right, ya big blonde ape. Now go put some pants on, you’re scaring the children.
Underground atomic testing drives the creature known as Tragg to the surface world. Deep within an abandoned subway tunnel, unknowing construction workers stumble upon its lair and rouse the sleeping beast. Lashing out, Tragg attacks the workers before fleeing back into the darkness. Tabloid reporter David Armstead investigates, luring Tragg out only to collapse a subway tunnel into the poor creature. The poor thing survived, but still, some days it just doesn’t pay to be a mutant subterranean.
Ben Grimm may want to call his lawyer, as the original Thing is back in the house. Created by a botanist’s experimental serum, the Green Thing has dreams of an all-plant Eden. Unfortunately, there’s no place for human beings in his brave new world. The Green Thing turns on its creator, but the scientist mutates a second plant before he can be stopped. The two mutant vegetables go at it and much chlorophyll is spilled before the Earth is safe again. Mankind learns to live in peace and enjoy a nice salad with its dinner.
To my surprise, Save Me from the Weed! is not a parole-mandated public service message from Snoop Dogg, but instead a six-page story from the monsterrific team of Lee and Kirby. Radiation from an atomic experiment leaks into a suburban garden with the expected result: the creation of an intelligent weed with dreams of world conquest. What’s that, Reed Richards? You have an idea how to stop it? No need — George the developmentally challenged gardener is on the case. His mind too feeble to be affected by the alien’s telepathy, George yanks the sucker, saving us all from the weed. At least until the weekend, anyway.
A mysterious stranger provides renown fantasy artist Frank Johnson with a set of “three-dimensional paints.” To Johnson’s surprise, anything he creates with the paints comes to life. Compelled by a unseen force, the artist travels to the Sierra Madre Mountains, where he discovers an ancient temple. Johnson is driven to paint his most fantastic work to date there, a creature known as Zzutak. Zzutak is an ancient Aztec creation, the vanguard of a race of monsters that are poised to conquer the continent. Thinking fast, Johnson paints a new creation, mentally infusing it with a hatred of Zzutak. The two monsters clash, eventually collapsing the temple and forestalling any Aztec takeover of the Earth. Zzutak is ready for his close-up now, Mister Director.
For a walkthrough on how Rob made these amazing figures, check out his post in the Fwoosh customs thread here. See Rob’s first batch of Silver Age Monsters here.
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