5. Mega Morphs
If you thought Tony Stark’s Iron Man armor was the be-all end-all for super-heroic super suits in the Marvel U, you’re sadly mistaken. In 2005 Marvel launched a comic miniseries / toy line featuring giant robot-style robotic transforming suits branded for Marvel’s top heroes and powered by the heroes own unique abilities — replete with kid-friendly names to go with them. Spider-Man had Arachno-fighter, Hulk had Rage-Tank, and so forth. Chris Sims did a great write-up on this Marvel oddity that breaks it all down for you.
4. Tetsujin 28-go / Gigantor
Best known for the anime series Gigantor, that giant robot – one of the first — got its start in 1956 as a manga series titled Tetsujin 28-Go — literally Iron Man #28 in English, years before Marvel created it’s own Iron Man. In this story, Tetsujin was a Japanese superweapon developed during World War II but never put into action. The son of the robot’s inventor, Shotaro Kaneda, takes the robot out of cold storage and into action fighting criminals and other robots.
3. Red Ronin
What if Godzilla crossed over with the Marvel U and Tony Stark was tasked to create a robot to stop him? Well, that actually happened in the late 70s when Marvel had the license to do Godzilla comics. In this story, Stark partnered with two Japanese engineers and set up in Detroit to make a robot capable of stopping Godzilla. Although Marvel eventually lost the Godzilla license, it kept Red Ronin and has rolled him out several times to fight the Avengers, the Thunderbolts, and others.
2. Composite Superman/Batman Robot
Although the name isn’t that catchy, this Toyman creation is certifiably bad-ass. Best known (by me at least) for it’s depiction in Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness’ epic “Public Enemies” story-arc of Superman/Batman, this is one of those zany DC ideas that really sticks with you.
1. Sentinels
They’re 3 stories tall, have full flight capabilities, and are mutantkind’s worst enemies: the Sentinels. Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee back in X-Men #14, the Sentinels have been one of the X-Men’s most domineering and persistent foes and are finally getting their big screen debut in next year’s X-Men: Days Of Future Past.
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I think the Red Ronin choice is particularly weak. Hell, no Atomic Robo? No Ultron even? Um… Transformers?
OK OK – Atomic Robo not really a Giant Robot, but still.
But he is a robot damn it! I call height discrimination here! Atomic Robo deserves at least an honorble mention for having the longest running series starring a robot!
Preach it, robo-lover!
Ultron isn’t really a giant robot. And Transformers were toys and cartoons before they were comics if I remember correctly.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Ultimo, who featured in one of my earliest Iron Man comics when I was a kid.
Also: Big Guy from Big Guy and Rusty!
Big Guy was awesome, although I’m not sure I’d call him a robot. (Cause he’s piloted by a human, don’t tell Rusty!).
Shouldn’t some of these be excluded because they’re piloted by humans (Mega Morphs, Red Ronin, Composite Superman/Batman Robot)? I’d call those Mechs, a robot is something that has no organic material in its form, and doesn’t have a human inside its body controlling it. Hard to think of those in comics that are huge though…Oh, the Transformers! Shoot, who else? Gonna have to think on this.
I don’t remember the MegaMorphs thing, but I do remember Transformers/Avengers. Looked cool but I only bought the first issue because I thought the story was dumb. No idea if it got better after that.
Bigger than big!
Taller than tall!
Quicker than quick!
Stronger than strong!
Ready to fight for right…against wrong!
Gigantor!
Gigantor!
Gigaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaantor!
Would like to find out what was at all “epic” about the Superman/Batman Public Enemies storyarc.
I’ve always had a softspot for Terminus and the Celestials. Do they count as robots? I know they are suppose to be organic life forms, but just look at them, they’re clearly robots.
Marvel did a toy-inspired “Shogun Warriors” comic back in Seventies. Good giant robot fun there.
Shogun Warriors were the bees knees back then.
Voltron before Voltron!!!
I see no Raydeen (Shogun Warriors) on this list. It is therefore ludicrous.
Great battle between Avengers and Red Ronin in Avengers 198 and 199 with great George Perez art. Bonus: Wonder Man in red jacket and sunglasses. Straight-up pimp.
I read that comic like 20 times, when I saw that cover.
80’s rocked.
Hard
The lack of Leopardon is distressing.