After a so-so Godzilla #4 and Godzilla #5, Duane Swierczynski's Godzilla series rebounds with a fairly solid issue. The plot here finally takes a much needed ramp toward a larger arc while the art is also decent under new artist Dave Watcher, although it feels odd to see the main cast not drawn by series veteran Simon Gane.

The plot begins with a family being spared by Godzilla after Mothra intervenes, managing to simply communicate with Godzilla to send the monster away. News spreads of Mothra's appearance in California, prompting for Boxer's crew to want to confront her, especially after hearing that the Shobijin will be speaking with the United Nations.

I'm not going to hold back any spoilers, so please stop reading now to avoid them. That out of the way, Mothra's inclusion in the plot is very needed to bring a bit of diversity and introduce new and grander direction than the first five issues with Boxer and his crew going up against kaiju after kaiju. The Shobijin's meeting with the UN is also a great concept, giving a parallel with the scene when they confront the Japanese government in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964), and made complex with an added element when half of Boxer's crew interrupts to threaten them. While seeing Boxer and Claire try to confront Mothra in a Jeep, and having Mothra fight back with weak (i.e. non-lethal for humans) bolts from her wings is a little silly, it does lead to the highlight of the book: when Mothra shows Claire a vision of the horrors ahead from a combined attack from SpaceGodzilla, Hedorah and Gigan (which should be a "hell yeah" moment for many fans). Not sure it will play out that way, but if Mothra is indeed assembling kaiju to take on the prophesied threat, count me in as being excited.

In terms of the art, while Simon Gane wasn't fantastic on the series, his human cast was distinct and it's strange to see them under the pen of a different artist. Dave Watcher in particular gives them a lot more range of expressions, sometimes a little too comedic in the case of Boxer. His Urv is vastly improved, though, being able to convey a lot more emotion in the scenes, in particular the scene where he points a gun at the Shobijin. Speaking of them, Watcher's Shobijin are certainly unique. I wouldn't say they are better than any of the designs seen in the films, but points for doing something different with their long blue dresses and slightly older appearance than we are used to. As for the monsters, the art is passable but not a whole lot to "wow" the reader.

In regards to the covers, the Zach Howard one is fantastic, showing Godzilla attacking Seattle while Mothra flies in the background. It's a great shot, and the Shobijin in the front compliment the image really well while it's true to the comic's content. The Matt Frank one is a bit more vibrant, and while the Mothra and Shobijin featured don't depict how either looks in the comic, it's a pleasing cover.

Overall, the issue itself isn't particularly great, but is exciting for the fact that the new direction for the series with this arc feels like it will have a lot more payoff than what we have read so far. In a way, it's returning the ongoing to plots one would be more familiar with from the movies rather than something totally unique, and yet somehow that feels like just what the doctor ordered after the previous two issues. So count me excited again for Duane Swierczynski's Godzilla.