InsaneJournal

I like the way Kirby draws the Cyclops as not quite human. I mean, look at those feet. The fringe of beard without a mustache is also a nice touch, it adds some individuality. A Cyclops surviving into modern times was used dozens of times in old comics. It was so convenient. The Cyclops was a legend most readers had at least heard of, if only from being exposed to THE ODYSSEY in school. The Cyclops was usually depicted at roughly King Kong size, say fifty feet tall.. big enough to be a frightening threat but not so huge as to be completely unstoppable. And since the brutes could talk and were of a murderous inclination (although the cannibalism was usually left out), they didn't need any motivation. Find a clever way for the hero to blind the monster (again), and there was your story all wrapped it. One version I saw with Jack Davis art ended with the Naval officer telling his mind it was remarkable that his own middle initial U stood for Ulysses.Usually, the Cyclops is drawn as a beefy, savage barbarian, nearly naked and barefoot. But except for the singular eye, the face is quite human. Of course, my favorite Cyclops (and the favorite of many) looked quite unforgettable.