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! ^_^