Favorite Covers - IT! The Living Colossus!

"Greater than Godzilla!" "Mightier than King Kong!" That's pretty strong stuff. And while it wasn't really true, it was still pretty stout stuff for comics of the era. I have real affection for this Tony Isabella and Dick Ayers Marvel monster classic. The concept is pretty clever. A special effects expert finds himself being able to animate IT, the Living Colossus. 

The monster showed up in two early 1950's Atlas monster comics, and during the monster boom of the early 70's was revived again in this series. 

IT found itself fighting other vintage Atlas monsters like the Giant Gargoyles from space, and the ultimate Marvel monster Fin Fang Foom.

The artwork was typical sturdy Ayers. The way the blended old story elements, actual pages and panels from the old comics, struck me as clever then. I'm sure some would attack the technique as cheesy and cheapjack. I liked it then, and I still do. The stories were plots merely meant to offer some excuse to have big monsters fight, but that was adequate and actually true to the genre.

I have a fondness for these. The Gil Kane covers for two issues are superb, two of his best at at a time when he was cranking them out. He clearly was inspired by the visual opportunities this giant monster gave to him.  The other two covers are pretty good too, though I've often wished the final battle with Fin Fang Foom had a bit more oomph. But one can't have everything. 

The 70's saga of the Living Colossus came to an end in the pages of The Incredible Hulk where Bruce Banner's bad boy alter ego ended up crushing the stone giant. I think though, he's returned since. 

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