Godzilla - Volume 01 Issue 01

My Rating

“The Coming!”

Twenty miles off the coast of Alaska, an enormous iceberg disintegrates, freeing a destructive force never seen in this part of the North Pacific. The cause of the ice melt will never be truly determined. Was it global warming? Perhaps. Or, maybe, the leviathan trapped inside grew tired of its frozen prison and wished to roam free once again? It mattered little.

Within hours, the titan who rampaged through the Japanese mainland in 1956 had set foot on American soil. Now it will be up to the United States, and it’s S.H.I.E.L.D. program to stop the unstoppable force of nature known only as Godzilla. As a high-tech helicarrier races to intercept the monster, Col. Nick Fury shuttles a scientific expert to a devastated oil field for further inspection.

Will the elite forces of S.H.I.E.L.D. be able to stop Godzilla before he reaches a population center? Can Godzilla withstand the power of Tony Stark’s wonder weapons? Who is Dr. Yuriko Takiguchi, and what makes him think he can stop the monster for good? Collect the series to find out!

Reviewer Notes

This is it! This is the one movie property Stan Lee worked for years to secure, but it would take future Marvel Comics editor-in-chief, Archie Goodwin, to finalize a deal with Toho Company Ltd. Godzilla arrived soon after in his very own solo series which ran from 1977 to 1979. Unfortunately, after 24 issues, editor Jim Shooter was either unable to secure a license renewal, or let the publishing rights return to Toho. In either case, we have this classic series to look back upon.

As an introductory issue, this one wasn’t too bad – given writer Doug Moench had to shoehorn the Godzilla mythos into the main Marvel Universe. I admit, I rolled my eyes a few times at S.H.I.E.L.D. and their crazy acronyms. I mean, come on, do they have a code name for their company underwear as well? I dig their equipment and tech, but Nick Fury should have consulted a marketing firm.

I give issue one of Marvel’s Godzilla four out five stars. There is enough entertainment to keep the kids occupied, but I have my reservations about S.H.I.E.L.D.being involved. I never really cared for their comic books. In my opinion, they should have sent in The Fantastic Four instead.