IDW's GODZILLA General Discussion

[ebirahsmeg1]

I love how off the wall some of these IDW projects are.

“Off the wall” doesn’t necessarily = Good.

While Skate or Die author Louie Joyce seems to think a story based on his fond childhood memories of “skater punk“ culture in Australia is fun and exciting for him personally, combining it with Godzilla was not necessarily a wise idea, not to mention a good chunk of the general audience who read G comics may not find "Australian skater punk culture" relatable or engaging.

And while I’m an avid reader myself, I don’t necessarily think mixing Godzilla with Scott Fitzgerald/Bram Stoker/Arthur Conan Doyle/Jules Verne/Jack London/Agatha Christie/etc. literary works will automatically work simply because “it's such a bat shit crazy/off the wall premise yo!", regardless of how much Tom Scioli boasts about this being “the ultimate comic” (boy oh boy, does he seem full of himself in that Wrap interview Jesus). Don't even get me started on the way he draws Godzilla...good lord does it look like shit

Unlike Skate or Die , which is dragging out its flimsy, low stakes premise over 5 issues, at least this will be 3 issues and may well benefit from a shorter, brisk pace. As a result, if Scioli can control himself and focus on crafting a decent story instead of just going nuts for nuts' sake, then this may actually turn out to be a lot of fun hopefully (his fugly ass drawings of Godzilla not withstanding).

[JAGzilla]

I love how off the wall some of these IDW projects are.

“Off the wall” doesn’t necessarily = Good.

While Skate or Die author Louie Joyce seems to think a story based on his fond childhood memories of “skater punk“ culture in Australia is fun and exciting for him personally, combining it with Godzilla was not necessarily a wise idea, not to mention a good chunk of the general audience who read G comics may not find "Australian skater punk culture" relatable or engaging.

Or you could flip it around: people who don't find Godzilla and kaiju relatable or engaging but do like skate culture might be tempted to pick this up. That has to be Toho's goal with all these crossovers: to reel in people who don't buy Godzilla stuff but are happy to pay for Power Rangers or Justice League or Hello Kitty or McDonald's or The Great Gatsby or whatever. They're expanding their customer base and potentially winning some converts. Established Godzilla fans might roll their eyes and gripe, but of course will still buy any new product Toho puts in front of them.

[Jetty_Jags]

I love how off the wall some of these IDW projects are.

“Off the wall” doesn’t necessarily = Good.

While Skate or Die author Louie Joyce seems to think a story based on his fond childhood memories of “skater punk“ culture in Australia is fun and exciting for him personally, combining it with Godzilla was not necessarily a wise idea, not to mention a good chunk of the general audience who read G comics may not find "Australian skater punk culture" relatable or engaging.

Have you ever considered that the reason there are so many IDW godzilla comics with vastly different premises might simply be to target vastly different niche's and get them individually related in godzilla properties rather than continually appeal to the "general G comic audience"? Of course you're right, outlandish ideas don't mean good stories, but comics are the medium to do weird stuff in, and I think the kind of scatter ball method IDW is employing is quite interesting. Sure I won't pick up everything they have but there's plenty of variety that I find some of it interesting enough to check out. At least, I'm far more interested in a godzilla v varen story backdropped against punk skaters than para-millitary 80s action crew of their 2012 ongoing run, and I'm neither a punk nor a skater.

[Angilasman]

Is it just me or is that image of Jay Gatsby based off the old Doc Savage movie poster?

[LSD Jellyfish]

I love how off the wall some of these IDW projects are.

“Off the wall” doesn’t necessarily = Good.

While Skate or Die author Louie Joyce seems to think a story based on his fond childhood memories of “skater punk“ culture in Australia is fun and exciting for him personally, combining it with Godzilla was not necessarily a wise idea, not to mention a good chunk of the general audience who read G comics may not find "Australian skater punk culture" relatable or engaging.

Have you ever considered that the reason there are so many IDW godzilla comics with vastly different premises might simply be to target vastly different niche's and get them individually related in godzilla properties rather than continually appeal to the "general G comic audience"? Of course you're right, outlandish ideas don't mean good stories, but comics are the medium to do weird stuff in, and I think the kind of scatter ball method IDW is employing is quite interesting. Sure I won't pick up everything they have but there's plenty of variety that I find some of it interesting enough to check out. At least, I'm far more interested in a godzilla v varen story backdropped against punk skaters than para-millitary 80s action crew of their 2012 ongoing run, and I'm neither a punk nor a skater.

Yeah, I mean it’s pretty clear that’s what they’ve been doing. Since the “new era” of IDW comics they’ve been casting a wide net. Remember, Monsters and Protectors was the first thing during this new era. Toho themselves is doing this: see having movies like Godzilla Minus One, while also embracing the goofier aspects of the franchise with Chibi Godzilla and retro shorts.

I think the only “problem” is that while casting a wide net, they also seem to have mostly ignored doing stereotypical “monster battle comics” that a large part of the fandom probably wants. Think Rulers of Earth. Pure speculation on my end, but that’s probably what Rivals started as/was intended to be, but instead it morphed into just featuring monsters and artists/writers doing whatever they want (for better and worse).

To be honest, as I get older I’m more interested in things I’m not familiar with. I’ve never skated before, I have no interest. But the idea of a writer/artist taking something they’re passionate about and applying it to Godzilla is really intriguing to me. It won’t always work out, and I can think of examples where as primarily a Godzilla fan this can be off putting, but personally I feel like if it was non-stop battle comics it would get repetitive.

Added in 3 minutes 23 seconds:

Is it just me or is that image of Jay Gatsby based off the old Doc Savage movie poster?

Good catch:


Looking at Doc Savage posters, it seems like Scioli has been inspired by a lot of this. I’m intrigued with whatever old and obscure pulls he takes from, either literally or stylistically.

[Moth]

If the comic doesn't appeal to ME and ME ALONE it MUST suck!

If Godzilla is drawn in a distinct art style? YUCK! If Godzilla is traced? YUCK! Give me fuel! Give me fire! Give me the same 4 kaiju artists or I retire!

If we're at the point where people are bitching the 50s comic inspired comic looks like a 50s comic, we're royally fucked.


Thank god nobody from this fandom has any sort of power. We'd still be on Rulers of Earth and it's middling story rather than these experimental and fun takes on Godzilla.

[LSD Jellyfish]

If the comic doesn't appeal to ME and ME ALONE it MUST suck!

If Godzilla is drawn in a distinct art style? YUCK! If Godzilla is traced? YUCK! Give me fuel! Give me fire! Give me the same 4 kaiju artists or I retire!

If we're at the point where people are bitching the 50s comic inspired comic looks like a 50s comic, we're royally fucked.


Thank god nobody from this fandom has any sort of power. We'd still be on Rulers of Earth and it's middling story rather than these experimental and fun takes on Godzilla.

With the exception of the part about tracing, I concur with everything you’ve stated here.

As for tracing, I don’t think it’s an automatic bad, or ruins everything else a comic or work of art might do, but it can be immersion breaking. I’d also generally like to see an artists poor rendition of a character than something traced over. Sometimes it could be done as a homage, or because simply the artist is running out of time.

I love Rulers of Earth (and would love to see a continuation at some point), but really that comic just existed as a fan servicey battle comic. To be clear, that’s not a bad thing!

But I personally found Matt Frank’s SpaceGodzilla Rivals issue very interesting because he was allowed to get a tad experimental with his storytelling and not constrained to a 20+ issue comic series. His work in the 70th Anniversary series where he tries ink brushes and a different tone were cool as well.

[ebirahsmeg1]

Or you could flip it around: people who don't find Godzilla and kaiju relatable or engaging but do like skate culture might be tempted to pick this up.

The fact that the Skate or Die Thread is one of the deadest/least active comic threads of any recent G comic in memory speaks volumes. "What does the Coin Toss mean to you?"...apparently not much to readers. It's just too narrow of a niche (Australian skater punk culture) to drag out over 5 issues with Godzilla, nor is it going to bring in a significant amount of new fans to Godzilla.

I 100% agree about History's Greatest Monster (I was just as hard on that series back then as I am on some of IDW's recent stinkers), which along with Skate or Die both suck in their own unique ways (Very curious/odd comparison though).

They're expanding their customer base and potentially winning some converts.

Yeah, that huge Great Gatsby niche in the comic collecting community will draw in big numbers for a Godzilla mini

As long as the story is engaging, I'm all in. But let's not kid ourselves here about this being a potential "huge" draw/lure for non-G films.

Established Godzilla fans might roll their eyes and gripe, but of course will still buy any new product Toho puts in front of them.

While the usual "Everything Godzilla is good!" crowd definitely will, many others probably won't.

Is it just me or is that image of Jay Gatsby based off the old Doc Savage movie poster?

Yes, it's obvious he's trying to do the "retro 60s-70s" throwback/nostalgia art style that's been quite popular lately (it's been a bit overdone the last few years in comic industry in general imho.). I'm fine/indifferent with this art style choice...it's just his artwork of Godzilla himself which I find ugly and off-putting. Sue me

Have you ever considered that the reason there are so many IDW godzilla comics with vastly different premises might simply be to target vastly different niche's and get them individually related in godzilla properties rather than continually appeal to the "general G comic audience"? Of course you're right, outlandish ideas don't mean good stories, but comics are the medium to do weird stuff in, and I think the kind of scatter ball method IDW is employing is quite interesting. Sure I won't pick up everything they have but there's plenty of variety that I find some of it interesting enough to check out. At least, I'm far more interested in a godzilla v varen story backdropped against punk skaters than para-millitary 80s action crew of their 2012 ongoing run, and I'm neither a punk nor a skater.

"Outlandish" ideas are fine when they're well-executed....when not done well, however, they can bring quite a bit of inconsistency to these books as a whole. For every "wild" concept such as HTBD/GvsMMPR1, there seem to be 3-4 very mediocre/underwhelming minis as well. I just think IDW needs to think and plan some of these "wild" concepts out a bit more overall in terms of producing a quality product before just letting some of these writers "go nuts"...

If Godzilla is drawn in a distinct art style? YUCK!

The predictable go-to "You just don't like anything outside the box and aren't open to different ideas! Waaaah!" argument that many automatically turn to whenever any G comic/film/toy/etc. isn't 100% embraced is all fine and dandy....but the Bottomline is simple: If it looks like shit, smells like shit, then it's most likely shit....the chosen art style is irrelevant (Same goes for writing), and I'll continue to call some of these comics out on it, regardless of the usual backlash.

If Godzilla is traced? YUCK!

Yup, I despise traced artwork and artists who trace/plagiarize and art that is not original work....absolutely no apologies there kid.

Give me fuel! Give me fire! Give me the same 4 kaiju artists or I retire



If we're at the point where people are bitching the 50s comic inspired comic looks like a 50s comic, we're royally fucked.


Thank god nobody from this fandom has any sort of power. We'd still be on Rulers of Earth and it's middling story rather than these experimental and fun takes on Godzilla.

A bit unhinged today, aren't we?

If depends honestly....if Monsters & Protectors-All Hail the King/Skate or Die/GvsMMPRII/War For Humanity/Rivals VS Round 3 are the most common by-products/results of the "let's throw every whacky idea against the wall" approach, then you're damn right I'll take ROE any day over the above.

Also, since *every* single mini lately has been a "off the wall the idea", we actually haven't had a straight-up, good ol' fashioned kaiju series lately (aside froma handful of Rivals VS Rounds 1 & 2 before that series when off the rails), which would ironically be refreshing at this point.

Of course I could point out how I quite enjoyed "outside of the box" concepts like G&G, HTBD & SOG, GinHell, RAT, and the first GvsMMPR, or despite not caring for Sicoli's artwork, that I think the concept of Monsterpiece Theatre could potentially be quite fun, but naah...

[LSD Jellyfish]

The fact that the Skate or Die Thread is one of the deadest/least active comic threads of any recent G comic in memory speaks volumes. "What does the Coin Toss mean to you?"...apparently not much to readers. It's just too narrow of a niche (Australian skater punk culture) to drag out over 5 issues with Godzilla, nor is it going to bring in a significant amount of new fans to Godzilla.

A) I’d just like to point out that we used to use this thread to discuss everything, until someone decided to flood this sub forum with a bunch of threads for individual series.

B) Issue 2 was pretty good, there’s a lot of cool visuals with juxtaposing the monsters heading towards each other and skater tricks. Theres a great moment where a character is skating down railing and wind, that looks like Varan, is behind them. There’s a lot to praise visually, and I don’t know where the story is going. Skate or Die is actually shaping up to be the GMK styled Godzilla Vs Varan, with skaters in the foreground. However, until I see where the story goes I can’t say much.

C) The amount of times you’ve complained about the other Rivals issues being “the same thing of people in an American city” makes this all laughable. Finally, a series with a unique monster match up, and a unique set of characters who seem to want something more than just beat the monsters, and you complain.

D) Different but good artists bring in different groups of people. I don’t have an interest in Australian Skate Culture, but learning and interacting with other things that I might not be privy to is interesting in its own right.

Yeah, that huge Great Gatsby niche in the comic collecting community will draw in big numbers for a Godzilla mini

You laugh, but I’ve seen a lot of people in non-Godzilla circles talk about this. Some are shocked and find the concept bizarre, but it’s great advertising. It’s important for the series to be good beyond its set up (otherwise people won’t read it), but the way you assume that everyone just wants what you want, never ceases to amuse me.

As long as the story is engaging, I'm all in. But let's not kid ourselves here about this being a potential "huge" draw/lure for non-G films.

Why not? You and I both like Here There Be Dragons, and that was a series that combined fun characters+an interesting story and premised with monster mayhem. The same can be said for HCW, and a lot of the better IDW stuff.

[Moth]

If Godzilla is drawn in a distinct art style? YUCK!

The predictable go-to "You just don't like anything outside the box and aren't open to different ideas! Waaaah!" argument that many automatically turn to whenever any G comic/film/toy/etc. isn't 100% embraced is all fine and dandy....but the Bottomline is simple: If it looks like shit, smells like shit, then it's most likely shit....the chosen art style is irrelevant (Same goes for writing), and I'll continue to call some of these comics out on it, regardless of the usual backlash.

If Godzilla is traced? YUCK!

Yup, I despise traced artwork and artists who trace/plagiarize and art that is not original work....absolutely no apologies there kid.

Give me fuel! Give me fire! Give me the same 4 kaiju artists or I retire



If we're at the point where people are bitching the 50s comic inspired comic looks like a 50s comic, we're royally fucked.


Thank god nobody from this fandom has any sort of power. We'd still be on Rulers of Earth and it's middling story rather than these experimental and fun takes on Godzilla.

A bit unhinged today, aren't we?

If depends honestly....if Monsters & Protectors-All Hail the King/Skate or Die/GvsMMPRII/War For Humanity/Rivals VS Round 3 are the most common by-products/results of the "let's throw every whacky idea against the wall" approach, then you're damn right I'll take ROE any day over the above.

Also, since *every* single mini lately has been a "off the wall the idea", we actually haven't had a straight-up, good ol' fashioned kaiju series lately (aside froma handful of Rivals VS Rounds 1 & 2 before that series when off the rails), which would ironically be refreshing at this point.

Of course I could point out how I quite enjoyed "outside of the box" concepts like G&G, HTBD & SOG, GinHell, RAT, and the first GvsMMPR, or despite not caring for Sicoli's artwork, that I think the concept of Monsterpiece Theatre could potentially be quite fun, but naah...

You've done nothing but attempt to overtake this entire comics forum with spam threads and dump on everything and anyone that thinks slightly outside of the box.

War for Humanity? Good. Creative. Awesome creative art style.

Skate or Die? A crazy match up. Godzilla and skaters? And somehow it's shaping up to be a nice little short romp. Cute!

"Oh but the threads I made aren't popping off for these comics! They MUST suck"

Wow, the mostly inactive subforum has inactive threads and the threads for IDW got unnecessarily splintered apart and the whole sectionis mostly inactive? Wonder how we got here!




You genuinely don't know what you want with Godzilla comics, because almost all you do is complain whenever something that isn't "beat the monster" is used as a story.

And cool, you like comics like G&G and RAT, and your love for G&G is very interesting since that's a human focused story through and through that falls into some of the "pitfalls" you've said for things like Rivals and WFH.

Can you explain where G&G succeeded so much that others fell short of? I have a soft spot for G&G also and I feel it's very underrated in terms of Godzilla comics, so I wanna see where your coming from here versus a yelling match.

How would you make a Godzilla comic if you were in control?

Added in 2 minutes 52 seconds:
And yes, tracing sucks. I am not going to defend tracing in the slightest here because it's one step removed from AI slop. But you've, on several occasions, dragged these comics you named for art style alone.

[daveblackeye15]

Godzilla and skaters sounds like fun idea wise. Actually not the first time, that Lucy dream sequence in Rulers of The Earth did it first. An inspiration?

[LSD Jellyfish]

Godzilla and skaters sounds like fun idea wise. Actually not the first time, that Lucy dream sequence in Rulers of The Earth did it first. An inspiration?

I was going to do a long post about this and issue 2, but I have a theory about Skate or Die.

Japan is sort of going through a big Skateboarding revolution. It's been gaining popularity as a sport here since the 2020 (2021) Olympics thanks to Japanese female skateboarders doing really well.

Just recently, in the Paris Olympics, two teens took home medals:
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/30/spor ... index.html

Obviously Skate or Die is in Australia and primarily focuses on a skate counter culture, but I can't help but speculate that this is a conscious decision to re-release in Japan later down the line. Skate or Die will appeal to older fans who wanted to see Godzilla vs. Varan with a GMK tone+the aforementioned young skate culture that is developing here.

[daveblackeye15]

Oh that's really neat with skateboarding in Japan. Maybe that's the case.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Oh that's really neat with skateboarding in Japan. Maybe that's the case.

Just crazy speculation on my end, but it’s true. This is from the same CNN article I linked to:

But the Olympics inclusion has ignited youth exposure and resources. The number of skateparks in the country since 2021 has nearly doubled to 475, according to the Japan Skatepark Association. After yet another impressive medal haul, there could be room for even more growth.

“In the past, Japan was about 10 to 15 years behind the US in terms of (skateboarding) skill,” trailblazing Japanese skateboarder Junnosuke Yonesaka told CNN. Yonesaka has been the face of the country’s skating scene since the 1990s.

…

“But the number of skateparks has been rapidly increasing since the 2000s. There are now more parks with sections similar to those in official competitions, with high (ramps) and long handrails, creating an environment where skaters can regularly practice difficult skills from a young age.

Also, semi-related, but due to weak yen, a lot of young Japanese people are moving and working in Australia now:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news ... ries/3408/

I know several Japanese friends who have recently moved to Australia as part of it. Likewise some of my former students recently moved there as well.

I don’t deny Joyce’s knowledge or commitment to the bit, nor do I know exactly how these concepts get approved, but if someone carefully realized Skateboarding+Australia are becoming popular in Japan, and included a long-wanted fan GMK-style crossover into that, then it’s a genius decision on IDW’s end. Maybe I’m giving them too much credit.

[ebirahsmeg1]

You've done nothing but attempt to overtake this entire comics forum with spam threads and dump on everything and anyone that thinks slightly outside of the box.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, blah blah blah…basically just a beat for beat, cut & paste of your first unhinged post. Moving on kid...


New cover for Library Collection Vol. 4:

Godzilla returns, and the world will never be the same! Next up in the Library Collection series is Rulers of Earth!

The Godzilla Library Collection is a comprehensive line of books that will collect every Godzilla comic series by IDW! Volume 4 collects the first 12 issues of the Rulers of Earth series by Chris Mowry, Matt Frank, and Jeff Zornow.

Giant monsters are appearing across the globe and leaving complete devastation in their wake. But who—or what—might be behind their attacks? It's up to Commander Steven Woods and his Counter-Kaiju Reaction forces to hold the monsters at bay while young Lucy Casprell and her scientific research group, the Kaiju Watchers, attempt to find the truth behind the invasions.

[ebirahsmeg1]

IDW Online Exclusive for the upcoming Minilla Graphic Novel:

[M92]

IDW Online Exclusive for the upcoming Minilla Graphic Novel:

Minilla looks nightmarish

[daveblackeye15]

Then it's an accurate Minya.

[Emperor Scarlet]

I don't think I've ever been hyped for something as much as I am for Monsterpiece Theater. Yes, Godzilla looks off-model on the cover, but that just adds to the Golden Age/early Silver Age comic book aesthetic that appeals to me so much. Godzilla is going to fight Dracula, there's no way this won't be amazing.

[ebirahsmeg1]

Another interview with Tom Scioli regarding Godzilla Monsterpiece Theatre, this time from the News section of the Godzilla Store website:

https://godzilla.com/blogs/news/tom-sci ... interview

Through the power of comic books, Godzilla has encountered everyone from The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to historical pirates, but this October paves way for an unprecedented confrontation with high school required reading in Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre #1 from IDW Publishing.

Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre #1 Cover A
Written, illustrated, and colored by Tom Scioli (Fantastic Four: Grand Design, Transformers vs G.I. Joe), the three-issue miniseries will pit Godzilla against none other than The Great Gatsby as F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary icon partners with the 20th century's greatest historical heroes to stop the King of the Monsters. We got in touch with Scioli to hear more about his inspirations for the book, his plans for filling each issue's 48-page format, and, of course, his Godzilla toy collection. Read on for the full interview below.

Godzilla.com: Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre kicks off in the 1920s, basically 100 years ago. What drew you to this time period?

Tom Scioli: It’s a story about the 1920’s told in the 2020’s. I’ve never seen a Godzilla story set in this era. I like the idea of Godzilla in a New York City where early automobiles share the road with horse-drawn ice wagons. It places Godzilla in the era of silent film, an era that is before comic books, before King Kong, but not so far in the distant past as to completely change the dynamics of a Godzilla story into something unrecognizable.

Godzilla.com: You’ve posted a number of unused Godzilla comic pitches online over the past year or so. What do you think pushed Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre through to publication?

Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre #1 Cover RI
Tom Scioli: This series was the end result of an ongoing conversation with a series of editors over a number of years. I knew I had a Godzilla story in me and it was a matter of finding the right one. You’ve got to strike the right balance for it to feel like a real Godzilla story and this one has that balance.

Godzilla.com: Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre will consist of three issues with 40 story pages. What made this the best format for your story?

Tom Scioli: Go big with Godzilla. I’ve done a lot of comics in the 20-page format. It’s a great format. It’s fun. It’s lean and mean, but Godzilla needs as big a stage as you can find. I think there’s a sweet spot when you go beyond 20 pages. Jack Kirby’s best comics were those 24-26 page New Gods issues. The classic Eastman and Laird Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were around 38 pages. The Dark Knight was around 45 pages. There’s room to let a story unfold. Godzilla will have time to rampage and Gatsby will have room to live his fabulous life.

Godzilla.com: A number of recent comic series, including IDW’s Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons, reimagine and Godzilla in different points of history. What do you think makes Godzilla so transcendent?

Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre #1 Cover B
Tom Scioli: I’ve thought about this a lot. Why are we so fascinated with Godzilla, generation after generation? First off, it’s a great name. “Gojira” is an interesting word, but there’s a magical pop art alchemy going on in the series of syllables that form “Godzilla.”

You could dissect the character and take the elements apart, which I do to a certain extent in this comics series. There’s all those things Godzilla can symbolize. Godzilla is big and scary. Godzilla cannot be destroyed. Godzilla has a great sardonic facial expression. He looks angry and annoyed, but also looks like he’s having the time of his life. We like Godzilla. We fear Godzilla. There’s that alternating allegiance we have as viewers/readers which is very captivating. If I had to boil it down to one thing, it’s this: Godzilla is speaking to the reptile brain, the oldest layer of the brain, that’s buried way deep down. Everything else is built on top of that. Godzilla speaks to an ancient elemental part of our psyche. Our dark side. For that reason it’s always going to have an allure.

Godzilla.com: We ask everyone these: What’s your favorite Godzilla movie or other piece of media, and how big is your Godzilla toy collection?

Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre #1 Cover RI Rugg
Tom Scioli: I was just talking to somebody about how if Godzilla is in a movie, you know it’s going to be good. My favorite film? I love the original Gojira. That was a real revelation. Up until that point, I thought of Godzilla as cheesy fun. Then they started showing the original uncut Gojira on tv instead of the Raymond Burr King of the Monsters version, which has its own charms, but Gojira is the real deal. It’s a masterpiece. It’s probably the best film in cinematic terms but I don’t know if it’s my personal favorite. I love Terror of Mechagodzilla, especially in the opening credits where we get a dynamic recut of the previous Mechagodzilla movie (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla). For a while Shin Godzilla was my favorite, and Godzilla Minus One has been a contender for the top spot, but the first Godzilla movie I ever loved is Godzilla vs. Megalon and it’s one I keep going back to, so I have to say that’s my favorite. Jet Jaguar Forever!

I have a pretty respectable Godzilla toy collection. I always wanted the Shogun Warriors Godzilla. One of the older kids in the neighborhood had one, but I never got one. Maybe someday, but the longer I wait, the more expensive and harder to find they get. I bought the Super7 mini replica of the Shogun Godzilla and later upgraded to the larger Super7 one with the launching fist. I like the Super7 format, basically the old Kenner 1970’s Star Wars format, and I have many of those. Moguera, King Ghidorah, Jet Jaguar. The Anguirus toy is great, but you have to be careful handling it because of the spikes.

I have a few of those super-articulated Bandai Godzillas, but I don’t like them nearly as much as the clunky old-school stuff. I have the Godzilla target firing game from the '90s. I also like the recent Godzilla board game. I have one of those ubiquitous rubber Godzilla’s from the '70s. Godzilla is a well-represented corner of my collection. My Evel Knievel stunt cycle has jumped over several of my Godzillas. I have a longbox of classic Godzilla comics from Marvel, Dark Horse, etc. along with the newer books from IDW. I look forward to adding my own series to that collection.