Godzilla #1 & #2 (Review)

The "wrap-around" cover for Godzilla #1

As "Godzilla Week" KREEEEAUNG's (Godzilla's roar spelled phonetically) to a close, we take a look at issues #1 & #2 of the new monthly on-going series; Godzilla, from IDW Publishing. Written by veteran writer Duane Swierczynski, with artist Simon Gane and colorist Ronda Pattison.....


Issue #1. Monsters are running wild! Kumonga crashes a wedding in Mexico, killing everyone inside...everyone except Urv Jassim, that is. Having lost his husband-to-be in the destructive chaos, Urv vows revenge. Rodan disrupts an auto race in Brazil, and Battra destroys a military garrison in South Korea...other monsters are elsewhere, acheiving high levels of destruction and chaos themselves. Meanwhile, Godzilla is on his way to Washington D.C. to let our Congress know what he really thinks of them.....

Enter: Boxer.  Ex-British Special Forces. Currently bodyguard for a billionaire's daughter, in Washington D.C.  Having already lost his daughter to the monsters, he is determined not to lose Miss Gwen Murakami.  Unfortunately, Godzilla's indifference to which buildings he crashes into and destroys means Boxer has to use all his former training and gut instincts to save Gwen and himself.

Boxer and Gwen escape the collapsing building they were in, and are trying to escape Washington D.C. when they run into local "yahoos" with guns and mullets, who have plans of facing Godzilla.  Boxer tries to dissuade them from their folly, but it's too late!  Godzilla "SKREEEEE-ONNNNNK!'s" into view, the rednecks let loose a barrage of bullets.....one of them striking and killing Gwen.  Boxer carries Gwen's body to the congressional building to give to her mother......but Godzilla has had all he can take of the Government's foolish policy-making and posturing!!  One giant radioactive breath-blast later, and the government is in ruins (literally).  Boxer survives.....and decides it's time to take the fight to the monsters!

Note: Godzilla does NOT appear underwater
in this issue....lol.

Issue #2.  Godzilla; apparently unhappy with the fact that all of Pittsburgh's sports franchises wear Black & Yellow, decides to wreak havoc on the city.  One tatted fool who tries to take a picture with his phone is shown what happens when you try and "paparazzi" the King of Monsters!!   Kumonga crosses the border from Mexico, and  well-wishers meet Anguirus in Scotland.

Meanwhile, Boxer has assembled a team of disgruntled monster-haters and offers the British Permanent Secretary a 7-billion pound deal to rid Edinburgh of it's monster problem.   They pick a fight with Anguirus and quickly realize that may have been a mistake.  But Boxer has a plan, one involving the Giant Monster Repelling System..."The Headache Beam" gun.

Things don't go as planned; of course, as Anguirus "cronks" their ride and the issue ends with them running for their lives with a broken "Headache Beam" gun.

As much fun as I had writing this review, the fun is easily doubled when reading Godzilla!!  This is an entertaining, mash'n & smash'n title with some interesting story developments.  Cheesy in some parts? Sure.  But what else would you expect from a title that stars a giant  radioactive dinosaur-like creature who doesn't speak? This has become one of my favorite titles to pick up each month, and the contrast of this title to the more "serious" ones I read is refreshing.  CITIZEN'S GRADE: IMPRESSIVE.