Tags
Alan Moore, Art Nichols, Charles Vess, comic books, comics, Dark Horse, Godzilla, Halloween, kaiju, Keith Giffen, Mark A. Nelson, Paul Chadwick, Randy Stradley, Rick Geary, Ron Randall, Steve Bissette, Tony Salmons, Yoshiwara
Today I continuing my series of 31 comic books that you can read for the Halloween season. Again, not all of these tales will center around the holiday, (few have actually) but all of them will be appropriately themed for the day.
Abandon all hope, ye who hope to avoid spoilers.
For this entry I will be discussing the Godzilla, King of the Monsters Special.
From Dark Horse in 1987 comes this one-shot about the kaiju legend. This is a more straightforward take on the monster as opposed to our previous one. https://detective651.wordpress.com/2018/10/10/31-halloween-comics-10-godzilla-vs-barkley/ Halfway through the month and this is the first comic book featured that is in black and white. I assumed that there would be several, but we’ll see.
Written by Randy Stradley and Steve Bissette, and drawn by Bissette, Ron Randall with inks by Art Nichols and Tony Salmons.
Yoshiwara, a japanese man recalls Godzilla’s initial rampage and introduction to the world. Later on a construction site a giant stone is discovered and large worm emerges from it and attacks a worker. Yoshiwara is again reminded of Godzilla’s first appearance and believes that conditions are such that he will reappear.
Being a Godzilla comic, he is of course proven right when the Big G rises from the ocean. Apparently upset that the world is not how he once remembered it, Godzilla lashes out. Yoshiwara deduces that the stone slab is calling to Godzilla and flies it out over the ocean in a helicopter.
He leads Godzilla back to the sea, but not before he is attacked by another flying monster. Yoshiwara releases the stone into the ocean and Godzilla follows it. Back home, Yoshiwara is relieved that the danger has passed, but prepares for Godzilla’s return.
After the main story there is a selection of pin-ups by artists Keith Giffen, Paul Chadwick, Rick Geary (of the Classics Illustrated: The Invisible Man from a couple of days ago), Charles Vess, Mark A. Nelson, and Alan Moore (!). Steve Bissette also writes a two page text chronicling 30 years of Godzilla.
Check back tomorrow (gigantic irradiated reptile fingers crossed) for another comic book tale for Halloween!