While reading an article about Charles R. Knight in G-Fan #82 in late
December 2007, I decided to create a kaiju (giant "suitimation" monster like
Godzilla) based on the Dryptosaur, or Laelaps (pronounced LEE-laps) as
it was initially named (after a mythical hunting dog). Since a lot of kaiju
names end in "-is" I decided on Laelapis as a name, and the "lapis" part
suggested an Egyptian scarab motif. So I sketched up the head to the right
and I was off. You can see how I essentially slapped a scarab onto a dinosaur head. The brown hide was more placeholder than anything else, but I did end up settling on a brownish hide color after all. |
Laelapis Head Design (Click for full size) |
Body design 1 (Click for full size) |
The next step was to create the "simplest" body I could, essentially just a
Dryptosaur body with some spikes and plates, to see what my baseline would
be. I could then try weirder designs and, if I felt they were too oddball,
just merge them with this boring body in a mix and match that would find a
happy medium. I also used it to try out a different hide color. I should
note that for these design sketches, I used regular pencils and then colored
pencils, with no inking phase. I did use some white paint marker to
highlight bits, though. I made no effort at this stage to make sure an actor could fit inside the suit, but it was at the back of my mind. I wanted a proper "suitimation" kaiju, not something that could only exist in CG or stop-motion. |
SHOWA AGE
Following the destruction of the Godzilla Tower (Godzilla vs. Gigan), one of
the Nebula M Space Hunters fled to the Aleutian Islands, evading capture.
There he stumbled across the Lifestone (Marvel Godzilla comic) and was
mutated into a terrifying hybrid of dinosaur and his original insectoid
species.
First Appearance: Unused inventory story for Marvel's Godzilla comic
HEISEI AGE
In the wake of the destruction of Biollante (Godzilla vs. Biollante), the
mysterious Three Circles Group acquired samples of the G-cells from
Dr. Shiragami's lab, and attempted to create their own kaiju for purposes as
yet unrevealed. The result was the giant scarab Kheper, an 8 meter long
monstrosity that was unleashed on Tokyo by the TCG.
First Appearance: Rejected script for "Godzilla vs. Laelapis" (would have
been made for 1991 release)
(In 2006 the character rights are sold to Kadokawa, the
studio that made Gamera the Brave.)
After the destruction of Zedus, the mysterious Three Circles Group sought to
unlock the secrets of the infamous red pearls of Iseshima, the source of the
new Gamera's strength. However, almost all known samples of the red pearls
had been used up in order to revive "Toto", and the TCG was only able to
obtain a single, flawed red pearl.
Now Japan's only hope seemed to rest in the claws of Gamera. But would
Laelapis simply feed on Gamera's energy as he had the power of the red pearl?
First Appearance: Gamera the Brave II (cancelled project, 2008 planned
release)
Name: Laelaps
Name: Kheper I
Name: Kheper II
Name: Laelapis I
Name: Laelapis II
Name: Laelapis III
Inspiration hit pretty quickly, and after a very small thumbnail sketch (not
scanned), I settled on a design with an extra pair of arms and a beetle
carapace to further "fuzor" the beast. Once I'd made that decision, though,
I needed to refine it and make sure that it would work as suitimation. After
all, I wasn't just making an arbitrary monster, I was making a daikaiju, and
I wanted to be able to observe the proper forms.
As you can see in the picture to the right, it's a fairly tight fit. This
would have to be a Millennium Age kaiju, and rather than a bulky removable
suit like Godzilla used originally, it would need to be built more like the
critters in Pan's Labyrinth, with lots of latex appliances glued
directly to the actor, plus a few "hard" reusable bits like the head, spare
arms and tail (all of which could be remotely operated animatronics). Extra
padding was put on the thighs to give more of a dinosaur-like hip
arrangement.
Actor in the suit.
(Click for full
size)
Final design sketch
(Click for full size)
Once I had the proportions worked out, I needed to finalize the details as
shown in the head-on drawing to the left. Still fiddling with the colors,
but knowing I wanted something in the golden-tan range for the hide. I took
the spike off the tail from version 1 and eliminated the spikes on the lower
shoulders from the man-in-suit pic (I realized he'd stab himself in the
armpit!). All I really changed/added for the final picture were the heel
claws and collarbone jewel, neither of which would be visible in this drawing
anyway.
I had some grand plans for the final drawing, but realized they were way out
of my skillset, so I settled on something a little more subdued, although
still pretty impressive by my standards, and that's the pic up top.
Being an inveterate fanficker (mainly with Transformers, but the
principle still applies), I decided to shoehorn Laelapis into the corners of
canonical Kaijudom rather than make up an all-new setting for him. The
conceit is that Laelapis is the Kaiju who never got to actually make it to
the screen, but kept being kicked around studios because creators liked the
idea, even if it seemed cursed. For those not familiar with Kaiju "Eiga"
("Ages" in Japanese-English mangulation), the Showa Age is the original
golden age of Kaiju, 1954 until about 1974 (original Godzilla through Terror
of Mechagodzilla). The Heisei Age is shorter, about a decade from 1984
through the mid-90s (Godzilla 1984/85 to Godzilla vs. Destroyah). The
Millennium Age is late 1990s through the present (I've also seen it called
Shinsei).
As Laelapis, his brilliant alien mind was largely subsumed in madness and
rage, but he remembered one thing...Godzilla was to blame for his pain. And
Godzilla must die!
Godzilla found his attacks had little effect on the scarab's thick shell, but
neither could Kheper do much to hurt Godzilla.
Then the G-cell DNA asserted itself much as it had done with Biollante,
further mutating Kheper into an abomination, a fusion of beetle and Godzilla
characteristics known as Laelapis!
Setting their scientists to the task of analysis, they were soon able to
synthesize a strange blue stone that seemed to have all of the important
qualities of the red pearls, other than its color. Experimenting with simple
life forms, the Three Circles Group found that infusing insects with small
quantities of the blue stone resulted in significant growth, including a dung
beetle the size of a man's head.
Meanwhile, another branch of the TCG was experimenting with cells cultured
from the remains of Zedus, grafting its unstable DNA into various reptiles in
hopes of creating a controllable kaiju. The Frill-necked lizard, or "Frilled
Dragon", was the most compatible match, and soon they had a specimen that
stood nearly as tall as a man!
Then came the fateful decision to try to subject the frilled lizard to the
synthetic blue stone. To say it was a success would be like saying that WWII
was a successful urban renewal program for Tokyo...true, but something of a
horrifying understatement.
Now five meters tall and strangely colored, the frilled lizard hungered for
more of the blue stone, and seemed to have an unerring instinct for locating
it. It was nicknamed Laelaps, after the old name for a Dryptosaur, the
dinosaur it now very closely resembled.
At the same time that Laelapis experienced its growth spurt, the star subject
of the entomology research lab glowed with an unearthly light and surged in
size as well, becoming the size of an automobile. It crashed through all
barriers and devoured the blue stone at its location as well, before
blundering out into the Japanese countryside. Because of its bright blue
coloration, it was called Kheper, after the lapis lazuli scarab amulet of
Egypt.
Both Laelaps and Kheper made for the third scientific outpost the Three
Circles Group had on Japan, the only other source on the planet of the blue
stone for which both hungered. It was also the location of the remaining
fragments of red pearl that the TCG owned.
Laelaps and Kheper were each approximately eight meters long when they met
and clashed over possession of the blue stone and red pearl. Laelaps was
faster and more savage, but Kheper's carapace was nearly impenetrable. The
two fought to a standstill, long enough for the JSDF to move into position
with their new experimental Solar Cannon.
The cannon was fired, and both combatants vanished in the blinding glare of
its beam. The fragments of red pearl were vaporized in the explosion as
well, as was the supply of blue stone.
When the JSDF soldiers could once again see, they realized in horror that
while Laelaps and Kheper were gone, it was because they had merged into the
horrifying LAELAPIS!
Vital Statistics
Age: Millennium
Size: 3-8 m (varies through story)
Weight: 200-15000 kg (varies)
Original Creature: Frill-necked lizard
Appearance: Dryptosaur with golden-tan hide and red eyes
Abilities: Agility, claws, fangs, can sense blue stone and red
pearls
Ages: Heisei
Size: 30 m
Weight: 10000 tons
Original Creature: Dung beetle
Appearance: Bright blue dung beetle
Abilities: Impenetrable shell, flight (slow), very strong, able to
roll debris up into balls.
Ages: Millennium
Size: 20 cm - 8 m (varies through story)
Weight: 10 kg - 200 tons (varies)
Original Creature: Dung beetle
Appearance: Bright blue dung beetle
Abilities: Impenetrable shell, flight (slow), very strong, able to
roll debris up into balls, can sense blue stone and red pearls.
Age: Showa
Size: 45 m tall
Weight: 11000 tons
Original Creature: Nebula Hunter M alien (Lifestone mutation)
Appearance: Roughly bipedal saurian with two oversized arms and two
small arms, armored carapace on back with wings, scarab-motif armor and
spines on face. Bright blue armor pieces, golden tan hide color. Fairly
lithe, because it only needed to be drawn, not made as suitimation.
Abilities: Agile, fast, claws, fangs, heavily armored, can fire a
solar cannon beam from his eyes. Able to fly slowly on fragile insect
wings.
Weaknesses: Must return to the Lifestone periodically or die.
Age: Heisei
Size: 50 m tall
Weight: 20000 tons
Original Creature: Mutated from Kheper I
Appearance: Bulkier version of Laelapis I (due to suit tech).
Abilities: Identical to Laelapis I, but slightly less agile. Also
amphibious due to G-cells.
Weaknesses: Dependent on sunlight to use solar cannon.
Age: Millennium
Size: 40 m tall, 80 m long
Weight: 8000 tons
Original Creature: Fusion of Laelaps and Kheper II.
Appearance: Same as Laelapis I, but better detailing.
Abilities: As Laelaps I, plus able to track down any traces of Gamera's
life essence, such as red pearls, blue stone, or Gamera himself.
Weaknesses: Hungers for Gamera's life energies, dependent on sunlight
to use solar cannon.
Laelapis, Laelaps (kaiju), Kheper (kaiju) and the Three Circles Group
created by Dave Van Domelen, 2008. Godzilla, Biollante, the Nebula M
Hunters, G-Cells and associated concepts belong to Toho Studios. Gamera,
Zedus and associated concepts belong to Kadokawa Studios. Purely a fan
creation, not for sale.