Giganto

History: When the amnesiac Namor the Sub-Mariner was revived by the Fantastic Four's Human Torch, he swam to the ocean depths and awoke the slumbering sea monster Giganto with the sounds of a trumpet-horn to engage mankind in war. Giganto attacked the New York City coast, causing great destruction. As Giganto rested, The Thing carried a bomb into the sleeping behemoth's open mouth and down into its gullet. The bomb detonated, killing the monstrous Giganto.

Giganto was once seen in a cameo flashback battling monster-hunter Ulysses Bloodstone hundreds of years ago.

Height: 100 ft. (head to tail)
Demonstrated Powers: Giganto was a huge whale-like creature whose great strength allowed it to crush buildings. Like a whale, Giganto could shoot a “water spout”. Giganto was impervious to artillery fire. Giganto showed no signs of intelligence and was commanded by the sounds of the Sub-Mariner's trumpet-horn.

Comment: Giganto should not be confused with the Mole Man's Monster who is sometimes referred to as “Giganto”.

For another entry on Giganto, click HERE.

I've often wondered if blowing on the Horn of Proteus establishes some kind of telepathic link between the blower and the Gigantoid who hears it?* * “Gigantoid” is my own personal designation for this species, as a whole, modified from what might presumably have been a proper name for the breed progenitor. Similar to the Australian sheep dog known as the kelpie.*

Didn't Giganto pop up in issue 1 and 2 of the rebooted Heroes Reborn FANTASTIC FOUR series as well as an issue of NAMOR THE SUBMARINER back in the 90's and the current MARVEL AGE FANTASTIC FOUR series?

Ben Grimm of the FF once referred to another member of this species as “Monstro.” A misprint? Perhaps. But, Ben was more likely making a sarcastic allusion to the rogue people-eating sperm whale in the Disney version of “Pinocchio.”

When the Sub-Mariner summoned GIGANTO from the depths of his undersea kingdom to wreak havoc on mankind in the 4th issue of the Fantastic Four, I was a 5th grade student. Prince Namor's rampaging creature was a nightmare for the human race, but a sheer delight to any young fan of the early silver-age Marvel super-hero comic books. I wasn't very happy when the Thing planted the bomb inside the slumbering beast, but unfortunately, it was the destiny of GIGANTO to die at the hands of the Fantastic Four. FF#4 is one of the great early issues of that classic Marvel series, and the first appearance of the silver-age Sub-Mariner. I didn't think that the follow-up issue to FF#4 would be as good, but the guys in the Marvel bull-pen unleashed another sinister villain on the world, Doctor Doom! GIGANTO was a cool monster, and as a kid, I mourned his untimely death. I still own a copy of FF#4, and it's still one of my favorite comic books, and definitely one of the key issues of the Silver-Age. If you ever get a chance to own a copy, don't hesitate to buy it, as it's worth the price!

Dear Editor,
If I remember correctly Dr. Doom made his second appearence in Fantastic Four # 6 along side of Sub-Mariner. The two worked well together in Sub-Mariner's own mag and in Super
Villain Team Up.

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