Kumonga

Real Name: Kumonga

Identity/Class: Mutant spider

Occupation: None - it's just a giant monster

Affiliations: Though it helped other monsters battle Kingugidora, it's doubtful any really count as allies.

Enemies: Kamakaras (a.k.a. Gimantis), Kingugidora (a.k.a. King Ghidora), Gojira (a.k.a. Godzilla), Minira (a.k.a. Minya)

Known Relatives: None (unless the various appearances of Kumonga have been different members of the same species)

Aliases: Spiga, Spiega, Aspiga (all names used in foreign releases of the movie)

Base of Operations: originally Solgell Island, later Monster Island

First Appearance: Kaijûtô no kessen: Gojira no musuko (English translation - Monster Island's Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son, a.k.a. Son of Godzilla, Toho Productions, 1967)

Powers/Abilities: Kumonga stands around 45 metres tall, granting it immense strength. It is extremely durable and difficult to injure with conventional weapons. It can burrow beneath the ground, and apparently hibernate until prey approaches. It can fire powerful webbing out from between its mandibles, which can engulf even foes near its own size in a matter of seconds; fire is about the only thing which can easily destroy this. Kumonga can also project a sharp and likely poisonous spike out its mouth, which it tends to use on prey / foes once they have been immobilised.

Kumonga is not fond of fire, and if overturned, it has difficulty righting itself.

History: (Kaijû sôshingeki) Kumonga was apparently a native of the Pacific Island of Solgell, sharing the remote place with giant preying mantises called Kamakaras, each as tall as a man. It's uncertain how large Kumonga was to begin with; what is known is that when a group of scientists decided to conduct weather control experiments on the island they unleashed a radioactive storm which saw the Kamakaras grow to over fifty metres tall, so presumably Kumonga grew in similar proportions. Some of the Kamakaras uncovered a large egg, which hatched to release the offspring of the radioactive reptile known as Gojira. Presumably sensing the threat to Minira (as the baby reptile became known). Gojira arrived to defend it from the Kamakaras.

During this battle a rock was knocked loose, and when it fell, it awoke Kumonga from its subterranean slumber. Hungry after its slumber, it first attempted to devour some of the scientists, but soon encountered a larger meal in the form of Minira. Kumonga ambushed the giant infant, cocooned him, and was about to finish him off when a Kamacuras entered the scene. Kumonga swiftly webbed it up too, and killed it with its stinger, before returning its attention to Minira. Luckily for the younger creature, this delay had allowed enough time for Gojira to arrive. Kumonga managed to stab its new opponent in the eye, but eventually the two reptiles combined their destructive atomic flame breathes, apparently frying the huge arachnid. Shortly after this, the scientists used their equipment to create a snow storm, covering the island in ice with the hope of freezing all the monsters into hibernation or death.

(Kaijû sôshingeki; a.k.a. Destroy All Monsters) Kumonga (or another of its species) was transported to Monster Island, to be corralled together away from humanity. However an alien race known as the Kilaaks used their advanced technology to take control of the gathered monsters, in a plot to conquer the Earth. The Kilaaks' control over Kumonga was later broken, and the spider was sent by humanity to battle Kingugidora, another monster controlled by the aliens. Kumonga was victorious in this battle, and after the rest of the invasion was defeated, the spider was returned to captivity.

(Gojira-Minira-Gabara: Oru kaijû daishingeki; a.k.a. Godzilla's Revenge) No synopsis available

(Gojira: Fainaru uôzu, a.k.a. Godzilla: Final Wars) No synopsis available

Comments: Kumonga racked up three films in three years (1967, 68, and 69 - though this last appearance was only stock footage from the other two movies). Then it vanished until the most recent Gojira movie, celebrating the big lizard's fiftieth anniversary. It's unclear if Kumonga is meant to be the same monster from movie to movie, or a string of similar creatures.

Thanks to Olivia Quirk for information and images of this character.

CLARIFICATIONS: None.

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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