While at Arisia this weekend I was at a panel that was discussing the giant robot genre (Swords and Sideburns: Super Robot Anime). I love this sort of panel because it is a good way to find out about shows that I'd never heard of, like Robot Girls Z.
They showed slides and clips and mentioned was Raydeen and DanGard Ace, I remembered them from the marvel comic, but I couldn't remember if DC ever tried a giant robot comic. Did they?
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I can't think of a DC series based around one. However, in the later issues of Sea Devils the title characters' headquarters was a "giant statue of Neptimus, first of the skin divers" that they could animate. There's an image of it here (page in French). I've not read those issues: someone else may be able to tell you more.
Any number of giant robots have made non-recurring appearances in DC tales. Let me know if you'd be interested in hearing about some of these. The following are the ones I can think of that have made recurring appearances:
-Kra was an intelligent alien robot introduced in a story in Challengers of the Unknown #8. He returned as a member of the Challenger-Haters in a story in #42. The Challenger-Haters, with Kra, appeared further times. Kra wasn't shown on the cover of #8 but he can be seen on the cover of #42.
-Multi-Woman was a giant robot woman introduced in a story in Challengers of the Unknown #34, where - spoiler warning - she was destroyed at the story's end. A new version was added to the roster of the Challenger-Haters when they returned in #45. The two models of this robot can be seen on the covers of these issues.
-I think the robot controlled by Dr. Yes in Metal Men #20 (scroll down) was supposed to be B.O.L.T.S. from Metal Men #15. However, the synopses of #20 I've found online don't say so. I've not read either issue: someone else here may know.
-Mr Atom was a robot opponent of the Fawcett's Captain Marvel's. He was bigger than a man, but not gigantic. He can be seen on the covers of Captain Marvel Adventures #78 and #81 (and also appeared in a story in #90 and in a flashback in a story in The Marvel Family #24). DC used him in Justice League of America #137 (the final part of the JLA/JSA/Earth S story), where he was depicted as gigantic, in Shazam! #33, where he was his original size, and in the "Shazam!" back-up series in World's Finest Comics, in a serial involving a new Monster Society of Evil that started in World's Finest Comics #264. Post-Crisis another, bigger version turned up in The Power of SHAZAM! #23, and can be seen on the cover (which is worth a look), and another, even bigger one in a few issues of Billy Batson & the Magic of Shazam! (there's a good shot of him on the cover of #20).
-And, of course, Amazo, who was introduced in The Brave and the Bold #30, the JLA's third appearance. Like Mr Atom he was originally depicted as big but not that big, but some artists emphasised his size.
The Construct was a mind that had emerged out of the world's collective broadcasts that often used (but wasn't confined to) a robot body. Actually, it mainly used its robot body for ranting purposes. It debuted in Justice League of America #142 and was destroyed at the story's end. In the next issue it returned as Construct II, which was identical to Construct I but didn't have all its memories, and was again destroyed. Construct III turned up in #146(1) and can be seen on the issue's cover. (The robot on the cover of #142 is one of its robot flunkies, which were human-sized in the stories.) Kurt Busiek used the character in his Red Tornado mini in 1985, but I've not read that. Apparently it's since made further appearances.
(1) Actually, first at the end of #145 in the Red Tornado's body.
That was part of the panel discussion, the difference between a robot like Gigantor and something like Mazinger Z and a Gundum. It's a grey area really.
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I can't think of a DC series based around one. However, in the later issues of Sea Devils the title characters' headquarters was a "giant statue of Neptimus, first of the skin divers" that they could animate. There's an image of it here (page in French). I've not read those issues: someone else may be able to tell you more.
Any number of giant robots have made non-recurring appearances in DC tales. Let me know if you'd be interested in hearing about some of these. The following are the ones I can think of that have made recurring appearances:
-Kra was an intelligent alien robot introduced in a story in Challengers of the Unknown #8. He returned as a member of the Challenger-Haters in a story in #42. The Challenger-Haters, with Kra, appeared further times. Kra wasn't shown on the cover of #8 but he can be seen on the cover of #42.
-Multi-Woman was a giant robot woman introduced in a story in Challengers of the Unknown #34, where - spoiler warning - she was destroyed at the story's end. A new version was added to the roster of the Challenger-Haters when they returned in #45. The two models of this robot can be seen on the covers of these issues.
-I think the robot controlled by Dr. Yes in Metal Men #20 (scroll down) was supposed to be B.O.L.T.S. from Metal Men #15. However, the synopses of #20 I've found online don't say so. I've not read either issue: someone else here may know.
-Mr Atom was a robot opponent of the Fawcett's Captain Marvel's. He was bigger than a man, but not gigantic. He can be seen on the covers of Captain Marvel Adventures #78 and #81 (and also appeared in a story in #90 and in a flashback in a story in The Marvel Family #24). DC used him in Justice League of America #137 (the final part of the JLA/JSA/Earth S story), where he was depicted as gigantic, in Shazam! #33, where he was his original size, and in the "Shazam!" back-up series in World's Finest Comics, in a serial involving a new Monster Society of Evil that started in World's Finest Comics #264. Post-Crisis another, bigger version turned up in The Power of SHAZAM! #23, and can be seen on the cover (which is worth a look), and another, even bigger one in a few issues of Billy Batson & the Magic of Shazam! (there's a good shot of him on the cover of #20).
-And, of course, Amazo, who was introduced in The Brave and the Bold #30, the JLA's third appearance. Like Mr Atom he was originally depicted as big but not that big, but some artists emphasised his size.
The Construct was a mind that had emerged out of the world's collective broadcasts that often used (but wasn't confined to) a robot body. Actually, it mainly used its robot body for ranting purposes. It debuted in Justice League of America #142 and was destroyed at the story's end. In the next issue it returned as Construct II, which was identical to Construct I but didn't have all its memories, and was again destroyed. Construct III turned up in #146(1) and can be seen on the issue's cover. (The robot on the cover of #142 is one of its robot flunkies, which were human-sized in the stories.) Kurt Busiek used the character in his Red Tornado mini in 1985, but I've not read that. Apparently it's since made further appearances.
(1) Actually, first at the end of #145 in the Red Tornado's body.
S.T.R.I.P.E.?
Stripe isn't a robot, Pat Dugan is in the suit of armor.
Most of the "giant robots" have a pilot inside.
That was part of the panel discussion, the difference between a robot like Gigantor and something like Mazinger Z and a Gundum. It's a grey area really.