Godzilla has had one hell of a run. His famed Japanese franchise has produced 38 movies over 70 years with a merchandise and media bonanza that continues to reap profits. The King Of The Monsters has also invaded the comics realm—there was a 12-year run from Dark Horse between 1987 and 1999, followed by IDW’s consistent series and one-shots that have been released since 2011. It makes sense that Marvel Comics would want to get a piece of the action with their recent one-shot crossovers and new Godzilla Destroys The Marvel Universe five-issue event.
This isn’t the first time Marvel has tried to capitalize on Godzilla’s popularity: The comics titan released the first American Godzilla comics series between 1977 and 1979. The kaiju king was tied into the Marvel Universe with the immediate appearance of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the debut issue, with some superhero teams (notably, the Champions, Fantastic Four, and Avengers) woven into the narrative after that. Additionally, the original series gave us the first appearances of Dr. Demonicus, Red Ronin, and Devil Dinosaur.
The first issue of the new, five-part Godzilla Destroys The Marvel Universe series pits the gargantuan, nuclear-breathed lizard against many of Marvel’s mightiest. It’s clearly taking cues from his superhero battles at the end of the original ’70s run. But whereas those kaiju clashes had a more dramatic tone, this latest incarnation—humorously scripted by Gerry Duggan (Deadpool, Marauders) and dynamically drawn by Javier Garrón (X-Men, Avengers)—combines the sense of awe and wonder at Godzilla smashing up NYC while injecting tongue-in-cheek superhero banter.
Right away, it’s the Mole Man’s fault. His minions mine a rare type of vibranium for use in a weapon whose powerful blasts unwittingly awaken a slumbering Celestial and Godzilla. The two titans tussle at the southern tip of Manhattan, and Godzilla comes out on top. After that, the Fantastic Four and the Avengers team up to try to stop the stomp—emphasis on “try.” This is Godzilla we’re talking about.
The mighty, blustery Thor thinks it’ll be a piece of cake until he gets tail-swatted into outer space. When The Thing sees a giant lizard foot looming over the FF, he surmises, “Looks like it’s getting clobbered time.” Even the usually steely Captain America is befuddled when an attempt to fatally wound Godzilla fails. “Today’s really gonna stink,” he sighs, before hightailing it with Quicksilver.
If you’re looking for a deeper human interest story like the one presented in the recent hit movie Godzilla Minus One, it isn’t there. With so many characters crammed into this issue—including a total of 18 superheroes by the last panel— there isn’t room to elaborate on much more than the imminent threat to mankind. So far, this saga is all about the chaos and carnage and occasional wisecracks, and it delivers on that front.
If you’re a casual comics fan who likes kaiju, it might feel discombobulating to be tossed into the fray right away. Knowing Marvel shorthand makes it easier to dive into this series and its six one-shot predecessors, which emerged in the half-year-long buildup to this spectacle. Clearly, Duggan and Garrón know their audience, its demands, and the comics history of their material, so they quite literally cut to the chase at the start. Duggan also summons similar quippy humor from the earlier Spider-Man crossover to keep things moving—there’s even a goofy J. Jonah Jameson cameo that recalls a funnier one from way back in Godzilla #23—then turns the tables by delivering a tragic moment during the last three pages.
The six separate one-shots released earlier this year acted as a prelude to this new series, although they were not interconnected, and you don’t need to have read them to appreciate this. But they serve up some interesting ideas and take place during different periods along the Marvel timeline. In the ’60s-era Godzilla Vs. The Fantastic Four, King Ghidorah becomes the new herald to Galactus, and the Big G needs an infusion of the Silver Surfer’s Power Cosmic to take on the three-headed beast. In the late ’70s-era Godzilla Vs. Hulk, the angry green giant’s gamma-infused blood helps Godzilla battle a genetically engineered Hedorah. In the ’80s-era Godzilla Vs. Spider-Man, Spidey’s newly acquired symbiote suit infects Godzilla, who has to wage an inner battle with the alien parasite. Many revered Toho characters like Mothra, Jet Jaguar, and two Mechagodzillas also make appearances.
These one-shots are relevant to Godzilla Destroys The Marvel Universe because the preview panel for the second issue presents an image of Godzilla’s growling visage being consumed by Venom, and Spider-Man fans know that could reap disastrous consequences for the world if the symbiote succeeds this time. Thus, elements from these other stories, even the ’70s run, may tie into the next four issues of this one. Perhaps Dr. Demonicus will return with another monster menagerie or Galactus will show up to wreak more havoc, tossing a cosmic monkey wrench into the mix. (Or perhaps a giant cosmic monkey?) In the ’70s series, a young man named Rob Takaguchi was convinced of Godzilla’s goodness and even managed to get him to stop rampaging in New York and peacefully disappear into the ocean. A narrative twist and different end game for our kaiju king might lie in the wings here. No matter how many times this colossal kaiju returns to decimate different urban landscapes, fans return for more. You can’t keep an ornery kaiju down, and we really seem to like that.
Godzilla Destroys The Marvel Universe #1 is available now.
