IDW's Original Kaiju

[TitanoGoji16]

We've seen just about if not 20 different types of Trilopods by now. Including "Magita", a gigantic Trilopod and the largest Godzilla monster ever by a large margin. Magita was neat but felt pretty unnecessary. They could've just stuck with an army of Trilopods.

I didn't mind the idea of having a Final Boss Trilopod, but I think they tripped up with the execution. Instead of simply a giant "It's kinda like Biollante but not quite!" kaiju that doesn't even really do anything, they should've kept the creature at a reasonable, SpaceGodzilla/Destoroyah-like size. They should've done one of two things with the final Trilopod:

1) Have the Godzilla-pod actually mean something. Instead of introducing three of them at once (again, like the Showa Mechagodzillas, reducing what should be a huge threat to mere Redshirts immediately out of the gate), the arrival of a Godzilla-pod should have been treated as a big deal, a total "Oh shit" moment that would actually pack a punch.

2) Is a 'mere' evil Godzilla not enough for you? Then how about one single Trilopod that has absorbed the DNA of so many different kaiju that it ends up overloading and mutating into some hideous abomination of all of the Earth monsters? Just imagine a huge, mutant Trilopod with Godzilla's head, King Caesar's eyes, Anguirus' spikes, a Kamacuras arm, an Ebirah arm, the wings of Rodan, Mothra, and Battra...

I mean, Magita looks pretty cool, but all she really does is show up, have the ship crash into her, and get killed.

[LSD Jellyfish]

I liked their design a lot. They fit in and looked like Godzilla monsters. Definitely like Heisei ones.

I thought it was cool how there were two varieties, the alpha and beta. I do wish though that we got more fight scenes with just the beta not trying to absorb other monsters before moving more into the hybrid oriented action. I wouldn't have minded an issue focusing solely on Godzilla fighting a beta.

However, I'm reading through the Trilopod arc ATM and I realized the Trilopods themselves aren't that strong. Like Gaira and Sanda+Gorosaurus were each able to take a few out on their own. What really makes them powerful is their team work and the fact that there's so many of them. The betas weren't made to fight other monsters, just be the muscle and hold the monsters down with their claws while the alphas suck their blood and DNA before transforming. The way their claws work, as melee weapons and tools to hold monsters down seem very effective. There's many great shots of the trilopods using their claws to close godzillas mouth or hold back other monsters.

This also brings up the question if the trilopods are more powerful than their original versions. I think so but not insanely more powerful as I originally thought. Sure a lot of vanilla monsters fight the clones in issue 25 and defeat them but that's after Godzilla, Mougera, Kiryu, Jet Jaguar and Zilla do a bit of cleaning up. Plus those monsters work together to beat the trilopods, like Gaira and Anguirus defeating the Gezora pod.

Also I just wanted to mention in issue 21 the emperor mentions how the trilopods are rounding up the other monsters. Keep in mind Varan was not on monster island. So he, Gorosaurus, Kameobas, and Kamacuras were captured outside of the monster island cleanup. Of course there's Gezora and Manda but we don't know what happened to them.

Hybrid stuff:
-Issue 23: Emperor does explain that the Trilopods cannot use Godzilla's full power. So while they can use his nuclear breath they aren't as resilient as Godzilla. This is a passing explanation why Godzilla was able to take out his clone so easily in issue 24.

-Didn't realize this until now but Zilla didn't get a hybrid. That's fine with me but confirms that he was never captured and was able to escape. King Caeser didn't get one either but it's clear he doesn't have blood (and probably part statue like his original appearance).

All in all I liked the hybrids. I thought it was a good excuse to have Godzilla and the other monsters fight monsters that they have already fought in the comics or monsters that would make no sense for them to fight.

I also thought it was cool how Godzilla was fighting Megagurius for a few issues and then it transitioned into a fight against the Megapod. I do wish however Godzilla fought the Megapod solo rather than the big thing with Spacegodzilla. It's cool how the Megapod and Spacepod both took up the role as worthy adversaries before the full army or Godzilla pods were released.

"Cut/unused content": Trilopods were originally supposed to have chest lasers. Based on this and some of the wording on some of the concept art, as well as how Battrapods look on the cover of issue 20 I get the impression that originally the arc was less hybrid orientated and that the hybrids would look less identical to the monsters and keep their original traits more. Like rather than transform into a full fledged Rodan clone they just gain his wings.

Unrelated: Issue 23 states that the trilopods and the emperor were attracted by the appearance of MKG in space. Then SpaceGodzIla's return to earth/fight with Gigan+the soldier accidently hitting the button that sent out a signal for the emperor. I'm glad to have this cleared up more. It makes the Mecha arc for nicely as the events in the end of that led to the trilopod arc.

[B34sT]

So the first issue of Godzilla in Hell features two hell beasts as new kaiju for Godzilla to fight. That would make them the 4th and 5th original kaiju IDW has made with the first being the psychic monster from KoM and the second and third being the Trilopods and Magita, respectively. Considering the amount of liscenses they have this is pretty impressive to add to Godzilla's lineup of monsters.

[LSD Jellyfish]

So the first issue of Godzilla in Hell features two hell beasts as new kaiju for Godzilla to fight. That would make them the 4th and 5th original kaiju IDW has made with the first being the psychic monster from KoM and the second and third being the Trilopods and Magita, respectively. Considering the amount of liscenses they have this is pretty impressive to add to Godzilla's lineup of monsters.

I don't count the psychic monster from KOM really as a monster considering it's size and how it isn't even real.

And I just kind of consider Magita a Trilopod, not a wholly separate beast.

[LamangoKaijura]

So the first issue of Godzilla in Hell features two hell beasts as new kaiju for Godzilla to fight. That would make them the 4th and 5th original kaiju IDW has made with the first being the psychic monster from KoM and the second and third being the Trilopods and Magita, respectively. Considering the amount of liscenses they have this is pretty impressive to add to Godzilla's lineup of monsters.

I don't count the psychic monster from KOM really as a monster considering it's size and how it isn't even real.

And I just kind of consider Magita a Trilopod, not a wholly separate beast.

Pigmon's a monster and is 4 feet tall. The Giant Lizard of King Kong vs Godzilla is smaller then a man but still considered a monster. In some books, the giant Boar from Frankenstein vs Baragon is considered a monster. The ManEating Plant from Godzilla's Revenge is considered a monster. Gabara isn't real and considered a monster.

[LSD Jellyfish]

So the first issue of Godzilla in Hell features two hell beasts as new kaiju for Godzilla to fight. That would make them the 4th and 5th original kaiju IDW has made with the first being the psychic monster from KoM and the second and third being the Trilopods and Magita, respectively. Considering the amount of liscenses they have this is pretty impressive to add to Godzilla's lineup of monsters.

I don't count the psychic monster from KOM really as a monster considering it's size and how it isn't even real.

And I just kind of consider Magita a Trilopod, not a wholly separate beast.

Pigmon's a monster and is 4 feet tall. The Giant Lizard of King Kong vs Godzilla is smaller then a man but still considered a monster. In some books, the giant Boar from Frankenstein vs Baragon is considered a monster. The ManEating Plant from Godzilla's Revenge is considered a monster. Gabara isn't real and considered a monster.

You're right, sure.
But given how it appears in one panel, is never explained or anything like that I wouldn't count it as a real monster in the sense that the creators had to get through Toho or really put much creative thought behind it. Compare that to the Trilopods which had tons of thought behind them. The trilopods are IDW's first original kaiju and the ones that they had to put a lot of effort into.

[daveblackeye15]

What is this one panel new monster from Kingdom of Monsters? Please don't make me touch those volumes unless I have to.

[LSD Jellyfish]

What is this one panel new monster from Kingdom of Monsters? Please don't make me touch those volumes unless I have to.

It's a thing the two twins conjure up to attack a boy. It's green and looks like a Xenomorph knockoff. It's never given a name or referenced again and has zero significance to the story.