012 – Gernica [Astro Boy] (Manga)

Ongoing Serial: a series of episodes, published over a span of weeks/months/years where the story plot is connected from chapter to chapter and must be read in chronological order for it to be understood properly.
Chapter Serial: a series of episodes, published over a span of weeks/months/years where the story plot is self-contained to a single chapter. There may be an overarching plot, but the stories can generally be read in any order and be understood
Book: an all-in-one self contained story published as a one-off.
Supplement: an an all-in-one self contained story published as a stand-alone supplement to a regular weekly/monthly periodical.
Short Story: an all-in-one, self contained story that was published in a regular weekly/monthly periodical
Anthology: a collection of all-in-one, self contained stories that were published in a regular weekly/monthly periodical but are generally grouped together.

English Title:	Gernica
Japanese Title:	ゲルニカ [Gerunika]
Original run:	1955/01
Published in:	Shonen [少年]
Type:	Special

Astro Boy (1952-68), Chapter 012 ‘Gernica’ (アトム大使), was originally published in January 1955 in the special expanded New Year’s edition of Shonen.

What it’s about?

Japan is being threatened by an army of giant mutant snails known as the Gernica. They were being developed and bred by a scientist in the snowy mountains as a potential source of food for the Japanese country since resources are so limited. But they escaped and killed the scientist draining all the water out of his body.

The Gernica have wiped out several cities and are approaching Tokyo. The army try to destroy them guns, poison gas and other weapons but there are too many monster snails. Astro however finds the perfect solution. He flies back and forth over the Gernica with a large bag of salt which he slowly sprinkles from the sky. The Gernica are all slowly dissolved to sludge and Japan has been saved by Astro once again.