Fin Fang Foom, Marvel's own resident dragon is going to have a monstrous role in Shang Chi And The Legend of The Ten Rings. In this post, I'll cover some of the books you may want to be on the lookout for. First, here is a brief telling of the original Fin Fang Foom story from his first appearance.
Fin Fang Foom - The Introduction
A young Chinese man is harshly rebuked by his father for not joining the army like his brother to fight the invading Communists. The boy, who studies the legends of ancient manuscripts, seeks to prove to his father there are other ways to fight tyranny. Following the guidance of an ancient manuscript, he sets off on a quest to find the legendary dragon Fin Fang Foom.
The manuscript's directions lead him to a location beneath the Great Wall of China. Along the way, he acquires two different herbs to use on the dragon. One that wakes the monster and one that puts him back into eternal slumber. When Foom is awakened the young man provokes the dragon to chase him through the invading Communist camp. Foom destroys the camp in the process and then chases the young man who leads him back into his cave. The boy then uses the sleep herb on Fin Fang Foom and immediately puts him back to sleep.
*Some interesting trivia: Stan Lee was inspired to come up with the name Fin Fang Foom by a film he saw as a young preteen that took place in China called Chu Chin Chow.
Fin Fang Foom Key Issues
Strange Tales #89
This is the first appearance of Fin Fang Foom. This is an expensive book but in lower grades it is well below Tales To Astonish 13, the first appearance of Groot. Interestingly, in 6.0 and above the books are pretty equal in price. However, in 5.0 and below, Strange Tales 89 is much more affordable.
Fantasy Masterpieces #2
1966 reprint of Fin Fang Foom's first appearance.
Astonishing Tales #23
& #24
These are Fin Fang Foom's second and third appearances. Parts of Astonishing Tales 23 reuse panels from the original appearance.
Where Monsters Dwell #21
The first appearance reprinted again at a later date (1973) but with a reproduction of Strange Tales 89's cover. Also, Fin Fang Foom is colored green on the interior rather than the original tan/brown.
We already have a precedent for a Where Monsters Dwell reprint being in demand. I am referring to Groot's first appearance reprinted from Tales To Astonish 13 in Where Monsters Dwell #6. Will Fin Fang Foom's first appearance reprint in issue 21 get similar interest as the reprint of the first Groot? I would say it seems like a safe bet that it will do much better than it has.
Conclusion
With the exception of Strange Tales 89, all of these books are very affordable. It is hard to say which would be the most desirable among these, however. Do you go with the earliest reprint in the 60's, or the 70's reprint with the more prominent cover in the same title as Groot's reprint? Or, do you skip the reprints and go with the second and third appearances?
What do you guys think your choice would be? Let me know in the comments below.
