IDW Publishing, in cooperation with Toho Company Limited, has announced an agreement that will see new Godzilla comics released in the United States starting in 2011. This marks the first time since 1996 that new comics based on the character are being made in the US, as that was when Dark Horse ended their run with the King of the Monsters.
March 30th 2011 update
For the launch of the first issue of Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters, artist Matt Frank and colorist Josh Perez attended a book signing at Austin Books & Comics in Austin, Texas, as part of a first issue release party. The location was one of the many comic shops which ordered 500 copies of the comic, landing them a custom cover showcasing their comic store being crushed under Godzilla’s foot.
The book signing took place today, March 30th, from 2PM to 7PM. The store was decked out in Godzilla memorabilia for the event.
The release party also got local television coverage, including a TV interview with Matt by WeAreAustin, which can be watched here. Beyond having the interview, the video also shows an early look at an upcoming comic cover with Kumonga.
In regards to the release party itself, Matt had the following to say to Toho Kingdom regarding the event:
“We most certainly had a grand ol’ time signing books at the Austin Books and Comics release party! The staff put on quite a show – they played classic G flicks in the back, had an Eric Powell original sketch as a door prize, and tons of Godzilla toys and shirts! The DESTROY ALL MONSTERS poster was the icing on the cake. Colorist Josh Perez (TRANSFORMERS: DRIFT) and I signed copies from 2 pm to 7 pm, and we had no idea there were so many Kaiju fans in Austin! We sold well over 300 copies. Good times.”
– Matt Frank
www.mattfrankart.com
Monsters, mutants, mecha, oh my!
March 29th 2011 update
Artist Matt Frank has provided Toho Kingdom with an exclusive look at one of the variant covers for issue five of Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters. The cover follows the trend of the variants that came before it, with issue two being Rodan, issue three being Anguirus and issue four being Mothra. This particular cover focuses solely on one of Godzilla’s most well known adversaries: King Ghidorah.
February 22nd 2011 update
March 30th, 2011, is the big day when IDW Publishing’s Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters begins it run, which is the updated title for the comic series. Over the past month, details have been pouring in regarding the first three issues in the run. This includes a detailed look at the staggering 80 variants created for the first issue, which Bleeding Cool got the scoop on, which spawned from a promotion that lead to a lot of comic store exclusive covers.
Solicitations for some of the issues are also available, which include some minor spoilers.
Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters #1
Release: March 30th, 2011
Writer: Eric Powell and Tracy Marsh
Artist: Phil Hester
The King of the Monsters rises again, and for the first time in comics, he’s bringing lots of other beloved Toho monsters with him in one destructive saga, and The Goon‘s Eric Powell is sounding the alarm. Powell will also paint covers for each issue of this new ongoing series, including a wraparound cover to kick things off! Acclaimed artist Phil Hester signs on for the first storyline, and Alex Ross supplies a painted 50/50 variant cover! This is the Big G storyline you’ve been waiting for!
The variant cover for Godzilla Kingdom of Monsters #2
Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters #2
Release: April 27th, 2011
Writer: Eric Powell and Tracy Marsh
Artist: Phil Hester
The world is in panic as Godzilla reduces Tokyo to rubble. No one knows where the giant lizard has come from and even the most extreme military counter-measures prove useless. As the people of Japan struggle to survive Godzilla’s wrath, the world’s governments start thinking outside the box. Unfortunately, Godzilla may not be the only monster-sized threat the world faces…
Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters #3
Release: May, 2011
Writer: Eric Powell and Tracy Marsh
Artist: Phil Hester
Godzilla, Rodan, and Anguirus continue their devastation, and the worldwide media begins to chime in. As people around the globe suffer, celebrities band together to save the monsters from human counterattack, and the president is criticized for being “soft on monsters.” Meanwhile… a mysterious giant egg washes ashore in France. And what’s with those creepy little twin girls?
Sci-fi Japan has also posted an interview with artist Matt Frank about the new IDW Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters comic run. It includes a look at the variant cover for issue #2, which is a shot of Rodan.
December 16th 2010 update
IDW Publishing issued a press release for their upcoming Godzilla comic series, titled Godzilla: Monster World.
Not much has changed from the previous announcement on the title, although the name of the series has been now confirmed by IDW Publishing. The release date has also been pushed back a month to March, 2011. Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah and Rodan were once again the characters mentioned as being part of the series, although with citation that more, both old and new, will be in the fold:
“Godzilla has been gone from comics for too long” said Yukio Kotaki of Toho. “And to have it return with other monsters is simply very exciting.”
Co-writers for the project include Eric Powell, of The Goon, and Tracy Marsh. Phil Hester will be the artist on the title. As is tradition in the industry today, there will be variant covers offered for the series, with Eric Powell a “gatefold wraparound” of several Toho Monsters while renowned artist Alex Ross is contributing a cover as well. Matt Frank has also announced that he is doing supplemental artwork for the series.
A plot for the comic series has also been given: “a full-scale apocalypse is brewing. The monsters are a force of nature whose attacks can be no more predicted or rationalized than a lightning strike. There will be no clean-cut heroes with perfectly chiseled chins and capes billowing in the wind; only ordinary human beings struggling desperately to survive in a world gone mad.”
Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer, has also stated that this is only for the first “arc”: “What’s more, this is just the first series to come in the line. The next one out of the gates features multiple Eisner-nominees and winners handling the creative, so we’re well and truly just getting started here.”
October 11th 2010 update
Some more details have sprung up related to this project. The first of which is that the title will be Godzilla: Monster World. The second is that Eric Powell, who did the cover art, will also be co-writing the comics with Tracy Marsh and doing the series’ covers. Rumor also has it that some of the other Toho monsters that were included in the original license deal are: Mechagodzilla, Gigan, Anguirus, Hedorah, Destoroyah, SpaceGodzilla, Titanosaurus and Kumonga.
October 8th 2010 update
IDW Publishing has announced at New York Comic Con that they will be acquiring the license to release Godzilla comics. Details are currently scarce, but it was revealed that Godzilla will be joined by several familiar Toho characters along with some new faces. Of the familiar monsters: Mothra, King Ghidorah and Rodan were mentioned.
Currently, the series is set to launch in Feburary of 2011. A creative team has yet to be announced.
The cover for one of the issues was done by The Goon artist Eric Powell. A larger copy is available at MTV, along with quotes from those related to the initial deal.
On a personal note, this is something I, along with a large part of the fandom, would love to see artist Matt Frank (whose work can be seen as part of Project G) be involved in seeing as how he is the premiere and most recognizable Godzilla and kaiju artist in the fandom. In my opinion, it would make the all the difference in the world in terms of quality to have a TRUE fan on board.
