MechaGolem
Member
It just seems ridiculous to me. This whole idea that practical effects are outmoded because it's 2013. It's 2013, that means our practical effects have just gotten that much better. Look at the practical effect work being done by companies like ADI Inc. here or Creature Technologies out of Australia or Monsters Inc. in Japan, they do amazing work with suits, puppets and animatronics. In no way is there work outmoded.
I wish the folks at Legendary behind this new Godzilla movie would have strapped on a pair a used this opportunity to show how awesome practical effects work can still be. But nope....
Yeah, I've read all of them. If you want my recommendations here you go...
GODZILLA: KINGDOM OF MONSTERS by Eric Powell - Stay away, very far away. The worst Godzilla comic IDW has done so far. Powell's story is set primarily in America with an American cast. It is needlessly mean spirited and full of his right-wing political banter about how America is destroying itself via fast food and Lady Gaga. No I'm not kidding. He basically turns Godzilla into his personal 150-meter tall soapbox.
GODZILLA: GANGSTERS & GOLIATH by John Layman - A Japanese detective who tried to oust a yakuza crime lord is left for dead on Monster Island by the boss's men. After surviving the island the detective manages to find a way to rope Mothra and Godzilla into helping him get payback - but at what cost? Okay book. Silly at times. Steals some major plot points from the original '61 Mothra and '64 Mothra vs. Godzilla. I felt the inclusion of MechaGodzilla towards the end was really pointless.
GODZILLA: LEGENDS by Various - An anthology series focusing on the various Tohoverse kaiju who often get overshadowed by Godzilla. First story is by fan favorite Matt Frank and tells of a fight between Anguirus and Destroyah in Australia. Second is the story of a scientist who steals one of Rodan's eggs. Third is about a boy with a psychic connection to Titanosaurus. Fourth is a three way fight between MechaGodzilla, Hedorah and Godzilla; told from the POV of MechaGodzilla's crew. The last story is a bit of a cheat. It retreads a plot from the old Dark Horse Godzilla comics about a guy who climbs Godzilla like a mountain. The other kaiju in the story is Kumonga and he fights Godzilla while the dude is climbing him. Generally all good stories however. Recommended.
GODZILLA: HALF-CENTURY WAR by James Stokoe - Arguably the best series IDW has done. Told from the POV of a Japanese soldier who was there when Godzilla first made landfall in '54 and who then dedicated his life to tracking the beast down for the rest of his life. Features cameos by other kaiju including Angurius, Hedorah, Megalon, SpaceGodzilla, MechaGodzilla, King Ghidorah and Gigan. The story and art are both by Stokoe, whose style is like a cross between Jamie Hewlett of the Gorillaz and Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame. Highly recommended.
GODZILLA by Duane Swierczynski - Current on-going series and so far the longest in the IDW line. Should be wrapping up soon. The main character is a British bloke named Boxer who is basically a stand-in for Jason Statham. Boxer works as a body guard for a Japanese family but looses the daughter to Godzilla during one of his attacks. After that Boxer becomes a mercenary dedicated to hunting down kaiju. All goes well and Boxer and co. become filthy rich until four space monsters - SpaceGodzilla, Gigan, Hedorah, Monster X - attack earth and Boxer realizes he's responsible for putting earth's greatest defenders behind bars. So far a pretty solid series, the story tends to meander at times but the cast is very likable and diverse. In addition to Boxer you have his Korean ex-girlfriend Clair, Urv; the crew's gay demolitions expert, Harrison; Boxer's mute son, and most recently Hikari; a teenage female Japanese kaijuologist whose also there to serve as a proxy for the girl Boxer failed to protect at the beginning of the story. Recommended.
I wish the folks at Legendary behind this new Godzilla movie would have strapped on a pair a used this opportunity to show how awesome practical effects work can still be. But nope....
Yeah, I've read all of them. If you want my recommendations here you go...
GODZILLA: KINGDOM OF MONSTERS by Eric Powell - Stay away, very far away. The worst Godzilla comic IDW has done so far. Powell's story is set primarily in America with an American cast. It is needlessly mean spirited and full of his right-wing political banter about how America is destroying itself via fast food and Lady Gaga. No I'm not kidding. He basically turns Godzilla into his personal 150-meter tall soapbox.
GODZILLA: GANGSTERS & GOLIATH by John Layman - A Japanese detective who tried to oust a yakuza crime lord is left for dead on Monster Island by the boss's men. After surviving the island the detective manages to find a way to rope Mothra and Godzilla into helping him get payback - but at what cost? Okay book. Silly at times. Steals some major plot points from the original '61 Mothra and '64 Mothra vs. Godzilla. I felt the inclusion of MechaGodzilla towards the end was really pointless.
GODZILLA: LEGENDS by Various - An anthology series focusing on the various Tohoverse kaiju who often get overshadowed by Godzilla. First story is by fan favorite Matt Frank and tells of a fight between Anguirus and Destroyah in Australia. Second is the story of a scientist who steals one of Rodan's eggs. Third is about a boy with a psychic connection to Titanosaurus. Fourth is a three way fight between MechaGodzilla, Hedorah and Godzilla; told from the POV of MechaGodzilla's crew. The last story is a bit of a cheat. It retreads a plot from the old Dark Horse Godzilla comics about a guy who climbs Godzilla like a mountain. The other kaiju in the story is Kumonga and he fights Godzilla while the dude is climbing him. Generally all good stories however. Recommended.
GODZILLA: HALF-CENTURY WAR by James Stokoe - Arguably the best series IDW has done. Told from the POV of a Japanese soldier who was there when Godzilla first made landfall in '54 and who then dedicated his life to tracking the beast down for the rest of his life. Features cameos by other kaiju including Angurius, Hedorah, Megalon, SpaceGodzilla, MechaGodzilla, King Ghidorah and Gigan. The story and art are both by Stokoe, whose style is like a cross between Jamie Hewlett of the Gorillaz and Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame. Highly recommended.
GODZILLA by Duane Swierczynski - Current on-going series and so far the longest in the IDW line. Should be wrapping up soon. The main character is a British bloke named Boxer who is basically a stand-in for Jason Statham. Boxer works as a body guard for a Japanese family but looses the daughter to Godzilla during one of his attacks. After that Boxer becomes a mercenary dedicated to hunting down kaiju. All goes well and Boxer and co. become filthy rich until four space monsters - SpaceGodzilla, Gigan, Hedorah, Monster X - attack earth and Boxer realizes he's responsible for putting earth's greatest defenders behind bars. So far a pretty solid series, the story tends to meander at times but the cast is very likable and diverse. In addition to Boxer you have his Korean ex-girlfriend Clair, Urv; the crew's gay demolitions expert, Harrison; Boxer's mute son, and most recently Hikari; a teenage female Japanese kaijuologist whose also there to serve as a proxy for the girl Boxer failed to protect at the beginning of the story. Recommended.
