Monsteroso

Monsteroso can refer to two different characters in the universe of Marvel Comics.

Monsteroso (Amazing Adventures)

Monsteroso
Cover to Amazing Adventures #5 (Oct 1961). Pencils by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, inks by Dick Ayers.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Amazing Adventures vol. 1 #5 (Oct 1961)
Created by	Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
In-story information
Species	unknown
Abilities	superhuman strength, endurance and durability

Monsteroso is a giant monster in Marvel Comics. It first appeared in Amazing Adventures #5 (Oct 1961), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.^[1]

Fictional character history

Monsteroso first appeared as an unnamed young passenger on an alien spacecraft passing near Earth. He accidentally launched himself in the vessel's lifeboat towards Earth, which crashed in Africa. Monsteroso was knocked unconscious in the impact.^[2]

The unconscious, almost comatose Monsteroso was discovered by a man named Phil, a circus owner from the United States. Thinking the creature dead, Phil had its body brought to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. It is Phil who first names the creature "Monsteroso".

After healing, Monsteroso revives in the museum. The young alien, confused by its surroundings began rampaging through the city. The police attempted to stop him with conventional force (i.e. bullets and tear gas), unsuccessfully. Meanwhile, Phil realizes that Monsteroso's nature was childlike, not evil, and he convinced an Army scientist to sedate, rather than kill, the creature. After scaling the United Nations building, it is successfully sedated, and falls into the East River.^[3]

Immediately afterwards, an enormous spacecraft lands, and two enormous aliens disembark, Monsteroso's parents. They retrieve their child and prepare to depart, saying: "It is fortunate that he is unharmed! Fortunate for you!"^[2]

The story of Monsteroso's origin was reprinted in Marvel Comics' Monsters on the Prowl #28 (June, 1974).

Monsteroso (Tales to Astonish)

Monsteroso
Panel from Tales to Astonish #18 (Apr 1961). Pencils and inks by Steve Ditko.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Tales To Astonish vol. 1 #18 (Apr 1961)
Created by	Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
In-story information
Species	Sturdian
Abilities	growth, superhuman strength

Monsteroso is another (apparently) giant monster in Marvel Comics. It first appeared in Tales to Astonish #18 (Apr 1961), and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.^[4]

Fictional character history

This Monsteroso was hatched in solitude from an egg on a planet apparently devoid of intelligent life otherwise. Soon after his birth, Monsteroso began to uncontrollably grow in size, larger and larger, with no apparent upper limit. Eventually, Monsteroso dwarfed even massive geological features like mountains. Being so large, Monsteroso hailed himself as conqueror and ruler of all he surveyed, until a flood came in which Monsteroso drowned. The "flood" was subsequently revealed to be a scientist washing out a glass slide, utterly unaware of the microscopic ecosystem that had lived within it.^[5]

In later mentions in the Marvel Universe, this Monsteroso was said to be an inhabitant of the Microverse.^[6]

The first appearance of this Monsteroso was reprinted in Fantasy Masterpieces #9 (June 1967).

See also

• Monstro, a Marvel Comics monster also known as Giganto.

Notes

1. ^ Amazing Adventures #5 at the Comic Book DB
2. ^ ^{a b} Amazing Adventures vol. 1 #5 (Oct 1961)
3. ^ Sanderson, Peter (2007). The Marvel Comics Guide to New York City. New York City: Pocket Books. pp. 64–73. ISBN 1-14653-141-6. 
4. ^ Tales to Astonish #18 at the Comic Book DB
5. ^ Tales to Astonish vol. 1 #18 (Apr 1961)
6. ^ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #7, s. v. "Microverse"

References

• Monsteroso (Amazing Adventures) at the Appendix to the Marvel Universe
• Monsteroso (Tales to Astonish) at the Appendix to the Marvel Universe