Another fantastic Godzilla painting by Bob Eggleton leads off the latest
issue of Rue Morgue magazine. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Godzilla © 1954, 2002 Toho Co., Ltd.

Source: Joseph O’Brien, Bob Eggleton
Official site: Rue Morgue

Godzilla fans should head to their local newsstand later this week, as the King of the Monsters is the main attraction in the latest issue of the Canadian horror magazine Rue Morgue.

Launched in October 1997, Rue Morgue has become one of the top genre publications in the world. Its success has led to monthly Rue Morgue horror film screenings, an annual expo, an internet radio station, a music label, and a new video movie division. Godzilla is the cover feature of issue #60 of the magazine, with articles covering several topics:

-a look at Classic Media’s upcoming GOJIRA DVD
-a Godzilla primer
-a visit to the set of a Godzilla film at Toho Studios
-inside the Godzilla suit

Contributors include longtime Rue Morgue staffer Joe O’Brien, (a writer whose credits include the television mini-series ROBOCOP: PRIME DIRECTIVES and the new Planet of the Apes comic books from Mr Comics), Norman England (Fangoria reporter, director of the new Japanese sci-fi film THE iDol),author and poet Chad Hensley, and multiple Hugo Award-winning artist Bob Eggleton.

In addition to the Godzilla coverage, Rue Morgue #60 features a wide selection of top-notch articles devoted to horror entertainment and history. A listing of the issue’s contents can be found in the official announcement from publisher Marrs Media, Inc.

Rue Morgue arrives on newsstands and bookstores across the United States and Canada this Friday, September 1. Cover price is $7.95.

Cover for Classic Media’s new release of MOTHRA VS.
GODZILLA. Photo courtesy of Classic Media. © 1964 Toho
Co., Ltd.

Classic Media releases the final covers for both GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN and MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA. Check out the full wrap-around covers on SciFi Japan!
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The almost final packaging design for Classic Media’s DVDs of GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN (the Mothra icon will be replaced by Anguirus) and MOTHRA VS GODZILLA.
Photos courtesy of Classic Media. © 1955, 1964 Toho Co., Ltd.

Source: Classic Media
Official site: Godzilla on DVD

With the 2-disc GOJIRA/GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS set barely two weeks away, Classic Media has revealed DVD specs and packaging art for their next two releases, GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN and MOTHRA VS GODZILLA. Both DVDs will be available separately on November 7, and have a SRP of $19.98 each.

GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN and MOTHRA VS GODZILLA will feature both the original Japanese version (with English subtitles), the US release version, audio commentaries, and other extra features.
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The final packaging design for Classic Media’s GOJIRA DVD.
©1954 Toho Co., Ltd. Photo ©2006 Classic Media.

Classic Media launches “RETURN TO THE KING OF THE MONSTERS HOMETOWN SWEEPSTAKES” today to celebrate the release of GOJIRA on DVD
Source: Classic Media
Official site: Godzilla on DVD

One Grand Prize Winner Will Receive an 8-Day, 7-Night Trip For 2 to Tokyo, Japan

Godzilla wants to show you his hometown! To celebrate the US release of GOJIRA, the original 1954, uncut Japanese Godzilla movie, Classic Media kicks off the “Return to the King of the Monsters Hometown” Sweepstakes.

Starting today, Godzilla fans can log onto Godzilla on DVD to enter to win one of more than 250 monstrous prizes.
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Four different versions of Godzilla. From Left to Right: Marusan Standard, Bullmark Standard, and two Bullmark Green versions. Photo by John DeSentis.

A Retrospective of Marusan and Bullmark Vinyl Godzilla Toys
Author: John “Dutch” DeSentis
A Very Special Thanks to Greg Cordaro, Mike Russo, Brandon and Andy Shields, and Erik Boschert

A SciFi JAPAN RETROSPECTIVE

Ken Yano (Hiroyuki Kawase) plays with Bullmark Godzilla toys at the
beginning of GODZILLA VS THE SMOG MONSTER. © 1971 Toho Co., Ltd.

For the average Godzilla collector, most of what they treasure as their collection probably consists of Bandai toys. After all, they are the most popular of all the Godzilla toys ever produced. But what does the name “Marusan” or “Bullmark” mean to you? Chances are you have heard these names but may not know much about them. Simply put, these two companies are responsible for the birth and pioneering of vinyl Godzilla toys. Everything that came after them; Bandai, Yamakatsu, Marmit, and M-1, all owe a debt to the trail blazed by Marusan and Bullmark. While they may simply be pieces of vinyl, there is much to learn about the rich history of vintage Godzilla toys. So sit back and prepare to discover what many collectors consider to be the most important yet by far most overlooked Godzilla toys of them all.
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The historic Dryden Theatre plays GODZILLA VS DESTOROYAH and GMK this Friday. Photo courtesy of John Yeara. ©Toho Co., Ltd.

Source: John Yeara
Official Site: George Eastman House

FRIDAY, AUGUST 11 DOUBLE FEATURE: Two films for one regular admission price!
7:00 PM – GODZILLA VS DESTOROYAH (Gojira tai Desutoroia, 1995) 9:00 PM – GODZILLA, MOTHRA, AND KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK (Gojira, Mosura, Kingughidora: Daikaiju Soshingeki, 2001)

The double feature will be introduced by Rochester’s local Godzilla authority John Yeara. John has also written about Godzilla for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper and the article can be found on the paper’s website.
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Author: Sean Kotz

The Controller and his crew. ©1965 Toho Co., ltd.

MONSTER ZERO (Kaiju Daisenso) comes right in the dead center of the 1960s (like me) and it is one of those films that has been needled by critics for its limitations and zanier elements–like Godzilla’s cartoonish victory dance on Planet X. As the TV Guide review put it in back in 2004:

“This sixth entry in the Godzilla series is one of the last to make a pretense that it will be viewed by anyone over the age of 12. Evil aliens attempt to take over the Earth in a plot that does little but kill time prior to the climactic battle among Godzilla, the three-headed dragon Ghidrah, and the flying lizard Rodan.”

Despite the derisive tone, the comment about the age of the audience is accidentally rather astute. In fact, Godzilla films in the mid-sixties were in a transition from more serious attempts at science fiction drama to outright children’s fantasies. On one hand, adult and teen audiences were still shivering in the cold war shadow of the atomic age that Godzilla embodies in general. On the other hand, a backlash response to the cold war is emerging in 1965 and reflects the positive, “kids can save the world,” attitude just around the corner.
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