The fittingly named The Horror of Godzilla is an eco-horror take on the original 1954 Godzilla film from Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan, Tristan Jones, and Josh Burcham that also acts as an origin story for the kai-sei energy that has defined this era of Godzilla comics. I’ve definitely fallen behind on the current Godzilla comics, but thankfully this is set decades in the past and is easy to jump in with even the most cursory knowledge of the King of Monsters. Similar to the excellent Shin Godzilla film, The Horror of Godzilla #1 jumps from biblical destruction to board room arguments plus there’s a missing scientist. It explores the time-honored theme of the folly of humanity and science in the face of natural forces as a plan for renewable energy backfires big time.
The art team of Jones and Burcham are in full multi-genre mode in their visual storytelling going from massive full page shots of Godzilla and the damage he’s caused to Tokyo to grey tone, almost handheld camera style of panel angles for folks trying to flee the city at all costs. Josh Burcham’s color palette has an apocalyptic drabness to it, but there are interjections of green representing the kai-sei that Godzilla secretes and has terrible consequences for anyone who comes into contact with it. It’s a leit motif that appears on almost every page of the comic culminating in a full-on body horror/mutation moment. There’s something truly sinister about this incarnation of Godzilla, and Parker and Sheridan back this up in the scientist Dr. Morrison’s dialogue when she talks about how Godzilla isn’t a hungry animal, but destruction personified. The Horror of Godzilla #1 isn’t an action book ; there’s not fighting back, just running and scrambling to figure out the situation.
But, despite being surrounded by disasters, Morrison is still optimistic about kai-sei energy’s ability to save the world from Godzilla and high energy bills. She’s a Baby Boomer optimist trapped into the most pessimistic story. I don’t think there’s a single positive panel in The Horror of Godzilla #1. Morrison might say that she has a plan, but then Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan, and Tristan Jones cross cut to an old man covered in green goo. The government committee during her hearing is quite confrontational, but from an in-story perspective, she screwed up on an extinction event level so, of course, they’re not going to be the most sympathetic audience. Jones effectively uses close-ups to show how drained and traumatized she is from her actions, and how basically the entire world is up a creek without a paddle. Plus it’s easier to find a scapegoat than a solution.
The Horror of Godzilla #1 is a reactive, harrowing peek into the origin of the more than a little post-apocalyptic universe. Parker, Sheridan, Jones, and Burcham transform Godzilla into something genuinely scary that effects humanity beyond just knocking down buildings and causing mass panic in the streets. To be honest, the victims are creepier than the monster, and at this stage in the game, no one has any answers, which makes the comics that more compelling. As an enthusiast of both kaiju and slasher stories, The Horror of Godzilla really hit the sweet spot for me.
Story: Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan Art: Tristan Jones
Colors: Josh Burcham Letters: Tom Napolitano
Story: 7.8 Art: 8.6 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy
IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
