Godzilla: Gangsters and Goliaths #1 Reaction Thread

[kiryugoji04]

[jellydonut25]

[kiryugoji04]

[ebirahsmeg1]

[MekaGojira3k]

[kiryugoji04]

[ebirahsmeg1]

[jellydonut25]

[gila-monster]

[kiryugoji04]

[ebirahsmeg1]

Here is a link with some pics/stills from the comic:

http://www.comicscavern.com/news/2011/6 ... ths-1.html


*Spoilers*

Looks like King Ghidorah and Battra are in this

[ebirahsmeg1]

[jellydonut25]

[kiryugoji04]

[Anzildrah]

Let me quickly say Godzilla: Gangsters & Goliaths issue #1 is significantly better than Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters. With that established, here's why:

There's a story. It sets up the plot and has a clear narrative thread. The writers give us a reason to care about what is going on, why, and establishes the setting.

Detective Sato is marooned on Monster Island, and needs to clear his name from being framed for murder and save his sons from the crime lord, Takahashi. A compelling story to say the least.

There are charaters. It introduces all the main players right from the start. Makoto Sato is a heroic character we can relate to, Takahashi is the villain. Even the monsters are introduced. It establishes Godzilla is tough and destructive, and Mothra is protective and peaceful.

There's pacing. The story takes time to establish who these people are, and allow scenes to play out, so that the reader understands what is going on. Each part of the story leads cohesively from one scene to the next, and in a slick manner. It literally introduces what each scene is before moving on through effective use of flashbacks.

There's artwork which serves the story. There's efficient use of each page, and no panel is wasted. The action is drawn in a manner which allows the eye to follow what is happening.

Sato escaping from the boat is the best example. It's obvious from the artwork how he injures the goon's nose, and shoves his way out of the boat and into the water.

Notice what all of those bold-faced words have in common? They're all MISSING from Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters.

What is clear from this first issue is the writer/artist actually care about telling a good story. The story is played straight, and it works.

There are no silly distractions. No juvenile stereotype humor, no painfully obvious political jabs, no idiotic pop culture satire, no children getting murdered just for writer's selfish satisfaction.

Godzilla: Gangsters & Goliaths is off to a promising start, and does everything a first issue should do. It leaves on a cliffhanger that makes
the reader anticipate what will happen next.

The highest praise I can give a Godzilla comic is that I can easily imagine this story adapted to an actual Godzilla film.

Looking forward to the next issue.

[gila-monster]

Picked up the comic today. Unfortunately neither of the stores around me had the excellent cover B so I picked up my second favourite, A.
While I like Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters, this issue is infinitely better than any of the GKOM issues combined. The art is so much better, and there's actual action going on. It reminds me of a Showa film, such as Dagora, where there's plenty of action. I can't wait for the next one.

[Nippon]

Ugh, I can't stand the version of my SDCC cover that's making the rounds. This is the corrected, less-crappy version.



Thanks though, everyone!

[ebirahsmeg1]

[jellydonut25]

[gila-monster]

[MekaGojira3k]

[Pkmatrix]

I've been sitting on this comic for a few days, so I suppose it's 'bout time I share my thoughts. ^_^

(Obviously, SPOILERS AHEAD.)

I picked up only one copy of G&G #1, the Geoff Darrow cover (which, IMO, was by far the best one). I was willing to pick up the Ponticelli cover too, but I don't think my local shop ordered it (I might visit another store near my parents' house to see if they have it).

Gangsters & Goliaths opens with our hero, Makoto Sato, waking up on an unidentified beach while a few gun-toting goons watch from a ship offshore. They shoot at him, but Sato escapes into the jungle. One of the lesser lackeys declares him "as good as dead", but their leader warns that their boss, Takahashi, wants to be sure Sato is killed. The villains form a posse, go ashore, and give chase through the jungle - and, in a two-page spread, it's revealed that this is Monster Island (with Ghidorah, Rodan, Battra, and Kumonga making quick cameos)!

We flash back to three hours earlier, revealing that Sato is a Detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and that the goons are working for the Yakuza. The plan seems to have originally been to simply shoot him, but Sato escapes and swims for the island, thus bringing us back to the present. Sato, running through the jungle, stumbles across Godzilla (which I can buy considering how thick the foliage seems to be) and decides to create a distraction, tricking the goons into shooting at Goji's foot. It doesn't hurt him at all, but does annoy him enough to spit fire and vaporize them.

Suddenly, Mothra appears! The two have a short scuffle before seemingly coming to some sort of understanding. Mothra leads Godzilla away, meanwhile two monks of some sort come across an unconscious Sato and wonder who he is and why the goons wanted to kill him.

A second flashback, now to fourteen hours earlier. Takahashi (who is a rather cool-looking, scar-faced gangster) kills Sato's partner. It seems they'd been poking into Yakuza business, and this was the result of refusing a pay-off. Takahashi tells Sato that he's going to frame him for the murder and that if he tries to resist he'll have Sato's sons killed too, before sending him off to be executed.

Back in the present, Sato wakes up in a temple of some sort being tended by the monks. One of them declares it to be the House of the Elias (and, impressing me, rattles off the names "Cosmos" and "Shobijin", showing the writer has clearly done his homework) and explains that they are the Elias' servants. Sato thanks the girls for saving him, but gets hung up on the idea that they control Mothra - a concept the monk explains is an oversimplification of the relationship. He urges Sato to rest and leaves to get him water.

...Which turns out to be a dumb idea, 'cause no more than a moment later Sato snatches up the Elias, runs out the back door, and takes off in a waiting motor boat. Our comic ends with Sato telling the girls that they must come with him to Tokyo to clear his name, avenge his partner, save his sons, and destroy Takahashi!

I'm going to give this one a 4 out of 5.

Great first issue! I love the story here, as others have mentioned it feels almost like an early-to-mid Showa film. Takahashi is a really devilish villain and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him, but I'm kind of on the fence with Sato... granted, he didn't have a chance to do much in this issue, but so far I'm kinda neutral on him. Here's hoping he turns into a more interesting hero in the next issue. About my only complaint with the story is that it felt too light... it was the same feeling I had with KOM #1, with events moving too quickly. G&G #1 was FAR more focused than KOM #1, though, which helped a lot.

The art, on the other hand, I'm not so fond of. While the monsters look GREAT, most of the characters look...let's just say I'm not fond of the artistic style here. I prefer the art style used in Kingdom of Monsters, really, though I could probably get used to this since Godzilla and Mothra look so GOOD.

A good opening, and welcome addition to the franchise. I'm looking forward to picking up #2! ^_^

[canofhumdingers]

Just got back in town from a short vacation & picked this up. I'll spare you a long review since I pretty much agree with the general praise given so far. It feels very Showa-y, which is great. And the monsters also look fantastic (except maybe King Ghidorah, he was a little wonky, but only in 1 panel as a cameo, so..... not a big deal.) As someone else said, I could easily see this as a movie, & a good one at that! To me it has a bit of a Ghidrah: The Three Headed Monster vibe, which is about as high of praise as I could give anything to do with Godzilla....

Also, is it just me, or did anyone else think that Godzilla's face bore a striking resemblance to the 1964 face (specifically the reworked G:TTHM face) in that one panel at the bottom of the page where Godzilla and Mothra are face to face? Whether that was intentional or not, I loved it.

If I had one complaint about the issue, it would be that I was having such a good time with it that I was actually caught off guard & a little disappointed when the (abrupt) ending came.

[planetxleader]

Read it, haven't bought it yet (my local comic shop only had the abysmal "A" cover—I'm gonna wait scour and get the "B").

Awesome issue! All the above praise pretty much says it all—great story, great art, an actual protagonist and overall pretty entertaining. Loved the nod to the Shobijin's many monickers as well. A very enjoyable issue for a fan or a non-fan.

(Anybody else giggle at the panel where Godzilla is lying on his back with Mothra over him? He looks so goofy there. )

[lhb412]