Godzilla #1 Has Lots of Action But Needs More Kaiju

Godzilla has been fighting with the likes of the Avengers and Justice League over at Marvel and DC Comics, but now it is time for the King of the Monsters to face his own dedicated superhero team in his comic series. The Godzilla franchise has always dabbled in superpowered humans, evident with Miki in the films, but more prominently in the comics. Yet writer Tim Seeley chose to go wild with the superpowers, introducing a new lead protagonist in IDW’s Godzilla #1 who can absorb Godzilla’s “Kai-Sei” energy. For once, there’s a human who physically matches Godzilla toe-to-toe.

Godzilla #1, at times, feels more like a superhero comic than a Godzilla one. That was likely Seeley’s intention, and it is something the Godzilla comics have experimented with. However, the new G-Force featured in the issue is not instantly engaging enough to carry a full series. In fairness, it’s only one issue (plus the Free Comic Book Day prologue), leaving plenty of room to grow, but most members feel oddly flat and a little annoying. Godzilla #1 also weirdly features very little Godzilla, which can be off-putting. Nonetheless, the comic features plenty of potential with tantalizing worldbuilding and an interesting cliffhanger that could potentially lead to a fascinating new antagonist.

Kaiju Fight Against Annoying People in Godzilla #1

The main protagonist, orphaned teenager Jacen, serves as our eyes on the ground for the comic, a proxy for the exposition. As for teen protagonists go, Jacen only makes a passable first impression. Despite his tragic background as an orphan, he is oddly arrogant in a way that doesn’t make him endearing. Nevertheless, he comes off far better than some of his co-workers. Riviera, the G-Force commander, and Incense, a pyrotechnics streamer, are the more exasperating characters in the book. Riviera’s very pro-American dialogue, constantly referencing the country’s current state and comparing everything to it, gets grating very quickly. Having a streamer be part of your team is never a good idea, unless they’re a sincere streamer, which isn’t the case with Incense.

The pyrotechnic streamer is an overconfident online personality who quickly develops a rivalry with Jacen. Whereas Jacen has some nobility, Incense doesn’t even have that. Jet Jaguar is also part of the G-Force team. It’s always fun to see the cyborg appear in comics, including in Godzilla vs. Avengers. But the robot only speaks through lyrics from his song, making him more of a gag character. Fortunately, the women in the group fare better, with Dr. Rumi Chiba serving as the team’s moral center. Nuki, the heavy munitions expert, doesn’t get much to do other than a potential flirtation with Jacen, yet she’s cool enough for how little we see her. Even though the men do have irritable personalities, Seeley has plenty of room to develop the characters and have them grow. There are windows of greatness with every team member, and hopefully, Seeley can turn these characters into new fan-favorites. Jacen sneaking off with Chiba on a boat because he was afraid to lose someone is one of the most sincere and enduring character moments in this debut issue, giving the character some depth.

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Godzilla #1 contains several kaiju action scenes, with the issue opening with a flashback of Jacen confronting Godzilla, and later, when the team fights against Angurius. Nikola Cizmesija’s pencils are loose and inconsistent, but are filled with plenty of energy. Cizmesiga’s artwork gives a lot impact to Jacen’s and the kaiju’s attacks, heightening the action. Francesco Segala’s colors are bright and eye-popping, yet strangely flat in many moments. Segala gives Godzilla’s atomic breath a bright green that makes it more alien, which doesn’t look as good as blue but works in the context of the story.

There’s not much that stands out in IDW’s new Godzilla #1. With so many other Godzilla comics on the stands, including crossovers with big brands, Godzilla #1 doesn’t do much new with the formula. Furthermore, Godzilla is barely in it, forcing readers to endure a mismatched group of humans who range from irritating to fine. Nonetheless, Seeley plants seeds that offer a tantalizing narrative that offers potential great stories down the line. The action is fun, and the characters have plenty of room to grow, some more than others. It may not be a knock-out, but Godzilla #1 is worth investing in if you’re curious what Seeley may bring to the table. Or if you’re a huge Jet Jaguar fan.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

What did you think of Tim Seeley’s and Nikola Cizmesija’s Godzilla # 1 by IDW? Let us know in the comments!