Now the longest running Godzilla series from IDW, issue #14 picks up where Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #13 left off with a fierce battle between Anguirus and the new (aka Showa) Mechagodzilla. While the previous issue was forgettable, this one fires on all cylinders, giving a nice mix of human elements, mystery and plenty of action.

For the story, the comic opens with Anguirus and Mechagodzilla locked in combat. The spiked kaiju is holding up, but is obviously overpowered. After nearly breaking his jaw, Mechagodzilla tosses his opponent and levels his projectiles against him: seemingly killing Anguirus. The personnel on Monster Island, sensing the seismic activity, track down Anguirus, only to discover the badly beaten body...

The comic strikes a nice balance where its not a short read, but moves quickly. The issue teases a few aspects, as things aren't all what they seem, while ending on a huge cliff hanger that makes you thirst for more. Most of my complaints with issue #13 were more than addressed here, making for one of the stronger issues in the run. The battle between Anguirus and Mechagodzilla is excellent. Matt Frank really captures the energy and makes this one of the more exciting battles from IDW so far. While Frank is known for his kaiju, he does a solid job with the humans in this issue as well, in particular Lucy Casprell who has matured a lot since the series started.

As for the covers, there are two to choose from. The stronger of the two is the alternate by Jeff Zornow, who depicts Mechagodzilla blasting away at Anguirus. The use of colors here, while taking some artistic liberties, help to sell it. The main cover by Matt Frank is solid, showing Anguirus getting blasted from a source off panel. However, it lacks oomph and feels more like a panel from the comic than a cover.

Overall, this issue was a pleasant read and restored my faith in the current arc after the previous issue left me feeling tepid about it. Strongly suggested. As a side remark, interesting to see so many elements from Kingdom of Monsters return in this issue, including three characters that I won't spoil here although two of them were seen in the preview.