LEPIRAX

Real Name: Lepirax

Identity/Class: Terrestrial animal mutate

Occupation: Warrior

Group Membership: Children of the Lifestone (Batragon, Centipor, Ghilaron)

Affiliations: Dr. Demonicus (creator); Demon Troops

Enemies: Godzilla, SHIELD (Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan, Gabe Jones, others)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None (see comments)

Base of Operations: Dr. Demonicus' underground volcano lair in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska (specifically the Lifestone)

First Appearance: (seen, unidentified) Godzilla#4 (November, 1977);
   (named) Godzilla#5 (December, 1977)

Powers: Lepirax had the form of an immense moth, roughly 25 feet in length, and with a wingspan of over 75 feet. It possessed superhuman strength, commensurate with its size (@ Class 25). Lepirax was resistant to high power weapon fire at close range. It was vulnerable to radioactive fire, and could not compare with the immense strength of Godzilla.

Height: 20' (by estimation)
Weight: Unrevealed, but presumably several tons
Eyes: Blue
Hair: None

History: (Godzilla#5 (fb) - BTS) - Following the successful creation of Batragon, Dr. Demonicus used the Lifestone to create three other monster servants: Centipoor, Ghilaron, and Lepirax. Lepirax was created by mutating a moth.

(Godzilla#4) - Like its fellow mutates Lepirax rested in a cavern housing the Lifestone, staying near its energies in order to sustain itself. When Batragon was sent out to attack an oil tanker it clashed with the Kaiju Godzilla, who pursued Batragon back to Demonicus' island base. While Lepirax and the other monsters remained in the cavern, Batragon again fought Godzilla, and this time was slain.

(Godzilla#5) - After Godzilla slew Batragon, and SHIELD assaulted his base, Dr. Demonicus released his three other creations from the energy cage containing them with the volcano lair. Lepirax reached Godzilla first, but when the other mutates arrived Lepirax switched its focus to attack the SHIELD Dragonfly ship containing "Dum-Dum" Dugan. Dugan was unable to dislodge Lepirax, who proceeded to pick apart the ship, and smash it against the volcano wall, threatening to destroy him. However, it flew too close to Godzilla, who snatched Lepirax from the air and shook the Dragonfly out of its grip. Godzilla then scorched Lepirax with a blast of radioactive flame and crushed it with a stomp of his foot when it dropped to the ground.

Comments: Created by Doug Moench and Tom Sutton.

    I don't know if the Lifestone used by Demonicus has any connection to the Lifestone described in Thunderbolts#46.

    Unlike most of the new Kaiju the Marvel Godzilla series introduced, Lepirax has an obvious analogue in the Godzilla movies in Mothra, the giant moth Kaiju that debuted in her own film. Her additional claim to fame is that while not the only Toho Kaiju to appear first in a non-Godzilla solo movie, Mothra is the only one to be popular enough to continue to have stand-alone movies away from Godzilla. Lepirax by contrast was slain almost as quickly as it was introduced.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Lepirax has no known connections to:

• MOTHRA - Toho Studio's giant moth Kaiju--Mothra movie; (Marvel) Godzilla vs Hulk
• or any other "Lepi" or moth characters