Monster of Space:

This very fun monster menaces the Spectre and gangster Knife Groggins during a trip to the astral plane intended to frighten Groggins into talking. One visit to the depths of the beast’s very fun oubliette tummy and the job is done. I really appreciate how weirdly proportioned this fellow is – it’s a good way to convey its unearthly nature. (More Fun Comics 065, 1941)

On an unplanned trip to the occult realms in More Fun Comics 073, the Spectre encounters this similar beast, though it doesn’t fare quite as well as its compatriot and rather than simply missing out on a meal it is exploded to death.

The Golden Knight, though very keen to get to the Crusades with all of his pals, is as unable to pass up a sidequest as any true gamer. He encounters one such in Fantastic Comics 003, when the wizard Kara asks him to fetch the mystical Golden Chalice that cures all diseases for him, and upon agreeing to do so is mystically blasted through space to an alien planet of unknown location.

Alien Hydra:

The road to the Golden Chalice is of course beset with danger, the first of which is also the greatest, in both senses of the word. This weird alien hydra-beast would have absolutely trounced Sir Richard if the wizard Kara hadn’t supplied him with a handy ring and some pro tips on just which head to cut off for maximum effect, but even in defeat it still shines. I don’t think that I have ever seen a version of the hydra that goes so hard on the snakelike aspects of the creature while also giving it limbs, and the spindly nature of the resulting monster is truly wonderful to behold.

Octopus and Bird:

While there is not too much that is remarkable about this lake-dwelling octopus and delicious bird that Sir Richard encounters, slays and in the latter case eats while making his way to the castle of the Golden Chalice, we must remember that they are alien beasts from a weird magic planet and thus worthy of note. Also worthy of note: the octopus doesn’t look half bad for the time.

Poison Bats:

These poison bats, by contrast, are fun alien creatures! Do they have tiny unicorn-style horns on top of their heads or is that a cute little tuft of hair? Alas, they are too dumb to not fly into a volcanic caldera and incinerate themselves.

Gotha the Giant:

I’ve been waffling on where giants fit on the monster vs super-villain vs species, but I think I have it now: a group of giants is a species, while individual giants must be judged based on their role in the story. Gotha here, for example, is exactly the same kind of obstacle as the hydra was, right down to the way he is defeated. The Golden Knight returns home, Golden Chalice in hand. (Fantastic Comics 003, 1940)

Ice Monsters:

When Jupiter’s great foe Racko takes up residence in Antarctica for a spell, he weaponizes these keen local dragonoids to guard his base entrances. Alas like so much local wildlife in comic books the ice monster population is decimated when Jupiter explodes everything in sight. (Prize Comics 004, 1940)

Iguanak:

Really really appreciate that the creators of this particular Kaänga comic needed something for him to kill for dinner the went with “great big cave-dwelling iguana” rather than the more usual jungle fare. (Jungle Comics 004, 1940)

Kalo:

Sub Saunders finds himself in the territory of Kalo (the Man-Consuming Fire Monster!) thanks to the machinations of the traitorous Captain Nomo, who needs the undersea hero out of the way so that he can pursue his wicked schemes.

Though Nomo has sabotaged Saunders’ namesake submarine, he didn’t bank on the effect that an explosion gun might have on even the toughest of undersea reptiles. Sub escapes, Nomo is foiled and Kalo is hagfish chow, I guess. (Fantastic Comics 019, 1941)

Kamadoo, the Prince of Dragons:

“Round Table Adventures” was a recurring feature in early Centaur and Centaur-adjacent comic books (because the Wild West aspect of early comics publishing meant that books occasionally changed publisher mid-run, that’s why) that was very interesting – looked good, almost pulled off the narrative verse thing – but didn’t have enough episodes to really go anywhere. This encounter with Kamadoo, the Prince of Dragons, is probably the most interesting of the lot.

One aspect of these comics that could have used more exploration is the character of Alanakay, the “youngest knight”, who here appears to be somewhere in the range of six to eight years old. Comic book tellings of the Arthurian sagas loved the figure of the humble young knight who works their way up from the kitchen and becomes a great champion, but this might be the first one I have seen who was a literal child. What a humiliating end for the Prince of Dragons. (Star Comics v1 010, 1938)