Note: Special thanks to IDW for providing this issue for review!
KAI-SEI: STRANGE BEAST ENERGY.
The beginning of this new continuity hits the ground running. The first ten pages are devoted to a "prologue" sequence, setting up most of our human character mainstays and giving readers a glimpse into what this volatile and untamed world has to offer. With former G-Force Japan operative Dr. Rumi Chiba essentially acting as the audience surrogate, she is introduced alongside several G-Force USA members: Nuki, a former Deadzone patroller and heavy munitions expert; Incense, a "streaming star" and controller of pyrotechnics; G-Force Commander Riviera, an older gentleman with piercing blue eyes and a fiery, patriotic temperament; and, most unusual of the bunch, Jet Jaguar, a Japanese android who "speaks" through a theme song said to be created in the '90s. The team is briefed about "Kai-Sei" and its connection to the monstrous Godzilla, who needs no introduction. However, a young man by the name of Jacen Braid is witnessed not only surviving an energy blast by Godzilla, he is also shown to have the ability to control Kai-Sei. Unsurprisingly, the "G-Mutant" Jacen is recruited by G-Force USA in order to bring an end to Godzilla's reign of terror.
Following the prologue, Anguirus suddenly makes an appearance rising from the ocean before cutting back to G-Force HQ and the introduction of yet another new face: Marco Petithomme, a quirky science officer and Jacen's roommate who is after whatever secrets Jacen may be hiding. Some of the intrigue surrounding Marco is quickly cut short as all the other characters we've been introduced to so far engage in a game of "Kemari" - essentially, an excuse to show off their unique powers and abilities for a few pages. The exercise comes to an end when Jacen is provoked by Incense, punching the latter with Kai-Sei, and is harshly scolded by Riviera. Just before Rumi can intervene, Anguirus is finally spotted off the coast of Florida, and the team heads out to intercept the monster. All the while, it seems malevolent forces are at work in the background, and only the monsters seem to be vaguely aware of its presence.
Issue #1 of IDW's "Kai-Sei Era" has a lot of promise. The human characters are diverse in their abilities, and the world building so far is extremely interesting. Between G-Force, G-Mutants, and of course giants such as Godzilla, there is plenty to unpack! At the moment, I'm still not completely sold on the characters; they share some banter, but their chemistry largely feels unstable and hostile, especially Commander Riviera. Given this is just the first issue, though, I'll have faith in Tim Seeley to flesh out the team some more as the series progresses. There is a quiet bonding moment between Jacen and Rumi that, while a little cliche and short-lived, felt like a nice character-building reprieve after some intense moments.
Speaking of, the action and panels flow very nicely, and the art has a very distinct and lively style. Other than the placement of some speech bubbles, I found myself becoming immersed in what was happening in the story very quickly, only pausing to pick up on small details in the artwork. While the introduction of the human cast was a little intimidating at the start, it became clear as the comic went on the purpose of each team member and how diverse they felt in combat.
In short, this take on Godzilla has a modern and fresh flair that kind of gives me Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) vibes. Whether that's more a positive or a negative remains to be seen! At the moment, there's more an emphasis on human (or G-Mutant) forces-against-monster action instead of the more traditional monster-versus-monster formula, which may not be as appealing for some readers. Either way, I look forward to seeing how events unfold and what secrets are revealed as this series continues. |
![Comic: Godzilla [Kai-Sei Era] #1](../images/comics/idw_godzilla_kaisei_01_cover_tn.jpg)
