6 page sneak preview (kind of...some of it is difficult to decipher):
http://www.godzillanews.com/2012/04/exc ... zilla.htmlToday we continue our tour of IDW Publishing, now focusing on the first issue of the new Godzilla comic series that is set to be released in May.
Bobby Curnow, editor of the new Godzilla series, leads us to a conference room and spreads out the printer proofs of the first issue. Behind us is the “wall of fame,” featuring mounted posters of select IDW comic covers, including the inaugural cover of last year’s Godzilla: Kindom of Monsters series.
The cover by Art Adams is positively epic, with Godzilla rampaging through a cityscape amid a hail of fire and rubble. The picture spans the space of more than two cover panels. “We gave Art complete freedom on this one,’” Bobby says. “Well, he’s a big Godzilla fan, so even though we paid him for a single cover, he gave us a lot more than that. We had to figure out how to handle printing it as a wrap-around cover, but we certainly weren’t complaining.”
Bobby also shows us some of the early renderings without dialogue, and his notes on where the dialogue should be placed. On one draft, he has marked the words “Mexico City” with red pen, requesting some graphical changes that you will see in the final version. It’s cool to see the storytelling process take shape over these different design drafts.
Next, Bobby shows us the opening pages, which are rendered to depict a movie-style opening: “Toho Co. LTD. Presents an IDW Publishing Production…”
At that point, the story begins on a suspenseful note and carries that momentum right to the last page. Basically, the story picks up a few years after where Kingdom of Monsters left off, and Godzilla and numerous other monsters are wreaking international havoc once again. Into this picture steps our protagonist, who, for reasons that are revealed in the first issue, makes it his personal mission to assemble a band of monster bounty hunters. Trust us, this series really hits the ground running.
The book is drawn by English artist Simon Gane. There’s a gritty, modern edge to Gane’s style that stands out from the crowd, as evident in the first pages depicting Godzilla as he smashes his way toward Washington D.C.
Bobby also points out Gane’s attention to detail and thoughtful character development. Early on in the story, you see a young girl fleeing the mayhem. Spilling out of her bag are designer shoes and iPod headphones—exactly what a privileged young girl might consider her most important belongings.
Ultimately, Bobby sees this new series as an opportunity to take IDW’s Godzilla efforts to the next level. Last year’s Kingdom of Monsters was a smash hit out of the gates, but now IDW’s Godzilla mission is even more focused and ambitious.
“Our challenge now is to prove that Godzilla is not a one-trick pony,” Bobby says. “We need to show that an entire rich universe can be created with the Toho monsters, a universe that can appeal to very wide audience, while staying true to its roots.”
Included in the gallery above are several photos of the initial pages, as well as an exclusive sneak peek at the first page of Part One of the new issue. Enjoy!
P.S. Stay tuned on Friday for a profile on senior graphic artist Chris Mowry and the Godzilla fanaticism that burns behind the scenes at IDW Publishing.
Definitely looking forward to this series. 
