Classic Monsters

[Collin152]

You know the kind; Vampires, Werewolves, Frankenstein's Monster, Ghosts, Witches, Wendigo, The Baba Yaga, etc.
I had an idea involving these various humanoid/humanesque/human monsters, but I realise that there are many more than I can conceive of myself.
So, please bring to attention all your various favorite humanoid monsters, and discuss what you enjoy about their depicitons in fiction, as well as what you do not like about them.

[chiasaur11]

Oh, oh!

The Gilman!

He may be a tad less frequently appearing than most of these guys (Draculas, Wolfmans, Zuvembies), but he looks freaking awesome.

[Linkavitch]

I like Jormundgand. The concept of a really huge snake always intrigued me.

Other Favs:
Chimaera.
Dragons, particularly red or black.
Other greek/and or norse monsters interest me in general.

Oh, whoops, didn't read the "humanoid" part.

Fav humanoid monster:
Vampire. The Bram Stoker version, not the wussy 'Twilight' version.

[strawberryman]

On the topic of vampires, it may just be because I like bloody stuff but I really hate them being romanticized. Just not my thing.

As far as things you have not mentioned, Lamiae (not the WotC rendition, the actual one) are among my favorites. But that might just be a product of my experience in FFXI. They're hot, in a way that only a half-snake-half-woman abomination (of science, in FFXI's case) can be.

[Starscream]

I like the Wolf-Man. The proper Lon Chaney Wolf-Man, none of those CG White Wolf style sissies you get nowadays that make the furries squee.

And the Gill-Man. Loved him in his 50s movies, he looked awesome. And then I saw him in Monster Squad with an updated look, and he still looked awesome. One of the few monsters I've ever seen survive a special effects update without losing what made them cool.

Mummies are cool. Once again, ignore the modern versions. The Brendan Fraser movies didn't suck, but a mummy should be some creepy moaning guy in bandages, not Arnold Vosloo.

And yeah, vampires are cool when they are not written by Stephanie Meyer.

[Berserk Monk]

Mummy and swamp thing

[GoC]

Alps. Tony.
Secubus. Evil tempation
Zombies. Decent hero fodder.

[streakster]

It's been said, but vampires. My word - simultaneously my most and least favorites.

I hate hate hate hate it when vampires are portrayed as romantic or angsty. Romance ruins the terror for me - a romantic vampire just isn't scary at all. Not to mention that I have yet to see one single vampire romance scene that doesn't make me want to set something on fire. (Some scenes its the vamp, some the protagonist, some the book.) I mean, either the vamp is downgraded to human with pointy teeth who likes his steak rare to make the romance believeable, or your protagonist falls in love with an utter inhuman evil monster. Seduction, with the inevitable bloody end? Fine! That's terrifying - you know what's coming, and the victim doesn't, and they're walking towards you no you idiot RUN!. Romance, though? BIG NOOOOOOO!

And angsty vamps? Stake 'em all. Seriously, if you're complaining that everyone hates you, it's because you eat people. If you're whining that you're a monster who has to eat people, chug some holy water and get it over with. Or decide that, no, you're not gonna kill anybody and you're going to find a cure for vampirism, and beat up anyone who tries to stop you. Or you are going to take out every other vampire and then yourself, Othar-style. Do something, anything, other than just sit around and whine over how much life sucks now that you're immortal and have superpowers. Doing things makes for interesting reading. Angst does not.

When a vamp is done well, though, I really enjoy it. Alucard from Hellsing is a perfect example of the kind of vamp I like.


I also hate the halvsies - half lion, half eagle, etc? Gryphons, centaurs and such just always bug me. It seems so unimaginative. The worst of them, in my opinion, are the lycanthropes - it always seems that instead of an original take on them, its just an easy way to get lots of different monsters by flipping on Animal Planet. Wolf-man, lizard-man, and on and on.

[Athaniar]

The Vampire - when done right. Vampires are lords of darkness, undead creatures of evil and terror, manipulating mortals into becoming their mindless thralls. That's what a vampire is. A cold, calculating, sadistic, murdering, evil mastermind.

The Mummy - when they are intelligent undead priests with ancient, powerful magic at their disposal, as in the Mummy films.

:xykon:The Lich - OK, so I like undead spellcasters. And the Lich is kind of a modern classic.

The Skeleton - there's just something both creepy and awesome about the human skeleton. Especially when it's trying to kill you.

[Rappy]

Yuki-Onna: I'm probably the only one who will have this one on my list, but I find the Yuki-Onna fascinating. I guess that's because I see a lot of myself in the Yuki-Onna...potential of both great caring and great harshness. She's the physical personification of winter's features.

Mummy: The fact that I have an actual unnerving feeling around mummies may contribute to why they are so effective in fiction to me. I remember standing in the Houston Museum, looking at the mummies they had on (I believe) temporary display. Something about it made me feel uneasy...like it was going to somehow come and get me from behind its case. It's that sense of dread and, for lack of a better term, "aliveness" that makes mummies interesting to me. I don't like the Egypt trope as much, though. It might be interesting to see some Peruvian or bog mummies in a story.

Sasquatch: I guess you could consider this a classic humanoid monster. Sasquatch have been in a lot of poor b-movies, but I still have hope that there could be a really interesting piece of fiction with them created. There's more than enough folklore to work with. No more Sci-Fi Originals or Harry and the Henderson types though, please...please.

Vampire: I don't mind neutral vampires, but only if they have a darn good reason to not be biting necks and aren't wallowing in their own self-pity. My favorite physical design would be the Nosferatu type, with the rattish face and central sharpened teeth like an actual vampire bat.

[mlkjhgfds]

Spriggans ! (tree spirits)

[golentan]

Hmm... I think my favorite would be some of the High Fae. They are so alien, uncaring and passionate at the same time. And very dangerous (I would never want to meet, interact with, or see one in any way shape or form). When fairy tales make fairies seem friendly and happy and caring it sets my teeth on edge. Where are the ones who kidnap babies, and replace them with a horror that will strangle it's adopted parents and feast on their flesh? The spirit that "thanks" the farmhand for saving it by helping with tasks such that the farmhand is run out of town and starves?

[Rutskarn]

Nosferatu.

That is all.

[Arachu]

Out of the original list; Windigo. Infinitely. There's just something about a desperate human becoming an inhuman monster - especially when he's doing it to survive. On that note, classical werewolves. The ones that change less and less as they grow.

Oh, and Cyclopes (the plural). They're just so savage.

Also, the Frankenstein Monster as depicted in the book. He's remorseful, at first, but he's just so vengeful... Of course, he's also a conglomerate zombie that listened his way to articulate speaking (that does help...).

EDIT: Evil Clowns. Old enough to be here, and twice as freaky as a zombie (and that's hard to do...).

[Collin152]

Say, would anyone ever group Hollywood Aliens in with these other monsters?

[Arachu]

They kinda look human-like; Go for it!

... And Changelings. Gah...

[chiasaur11]

Say, would anyone ever group Hollywood Aliens in with these other monsters?

If so, X-com's Chryssalid gets a mention at least.

Imagine the Alien from alien, only faster, tougher, and as opposed to slowly laying eggs that eventually hatch into facehuggers, which birth chestbursters, which kill you, a 'Lid will turn you into a zed in seconds, with an egg that will, on the destruction of the corpse, forms another full grown nightmare.

And it has a big grin on its face the whole time.

[Callos_DeTerran]

I'll state my appreciation of mummies as well and raise the forum 'Fish-people of Dagon'. From the kuo-toa in D&D to the Innsmouth citizens in CoC, there's something about an aquatic race of alien beings who sacrifice to some malign extradimensional being that really makes my evil side swoon. There's just...so much potential!

[Collin152]

If so, X-com's Chryssalid gets a mention at least.

Imagine the Alien from alien, only faster, tougher, and as opposed to slowly laying eggs that eventually hatch into facehuggers, which birth chestbursters, which kill you, a 'Lid will turn you into a zed in seconds, with an egg that will, on the destruction of the corpse, forms another full grown nightmare.

And it has a big grin on its face the whole time.

Well, wait, I don't mean Xenomorphs, I mean, like, little green men with psychic powers.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I'm going to have to think on this one... so many to choose from.


Hmm... I think my favorite would be some of the High Fae. They are so alien, uncaring and passionate at the same time. And very dangerous (I would never want to meet, interact with, or see one in any way shape or form). When fairy tales make fairies seem friendly and happy and caring it sets my teeth on edge. Where are the ones who kidnap babies, and replace them with a horror that will strangle it's adopted parents and feast on their flesh? The spirit that "thanks" the farmhand for saving it by helping with tasks such that the farmhand is run out of town and starves?
Would you be interested as to make a go an entry in the Giant in the Playground Monster Competition (mentioned in my signature)? That's EXACTLY the kind of fey we need more of and what this particular contest is centered around.

Personally I'm reeeeally sick of the fluffing up of the fair folk, almost as much as I am of romanticizing vampires.

[chiasaur11]

Well, wait, I don't mean Xenomorphs, I mean, like, little green men with psychic powers.

Well, I just figured if aliens count, then all major alien species are worth a mention.

Not that X-com is short of the LGMs with psychic powers.

X-com:

Five bucks very well spent. Lots and lots of nasty monsters to kill your entire squad.