September 6, 2015 - Church of Satan

This comic series provides an innovative take on the King of the Monsters as we find our intrepid Gojira making his way through a Dante-inspired underworld wherein he encounters various bizarre landscapes and strange adversarial monstrosities. There is no dialogue, though the imagery suggests what might be passing through Godzilla’s mind on this daunting journey, sinking ever deeper through the haunted circles of Hades. James Stokoe’s powerful premiere issue begins with a two-page spread done as a triptych of Godzilla’s fall into the abyss. His rendition seems like a nod to the late Millennium series KiryuGoji. Gojira’s first act of defiance is to shatter a towering obelisk built from the words “Abandon all hope ye who enter here.” A collection of buildings resembling a nuclear power plant then draws his attention and a sort of seething Lovecraftian beast lashes out at Godzilla from its resting place in a cooling tower. Swiftly dispatched, a cloud consisting of damned souls furiously batters our hero, only to part and reveal a doppelgänger, bearing wounds. As Godzilla engages his mutilated twin, it morphs hideously, being kin to the alien called “The Thing” which was so well depicted in John Carpenter’s eponymous film. This seems a nod to the American title “Godzilla vs. The Thing” of the 1964 film in which Mothra fought Godzilla. The monstrosity seems to have aspects of Orga and Biollante amongst its biological bag of tricks, and it proves a difficult adversary to defeat before Gojira slips through to a lower level.Bob Eggleton’s superlative second issue offers panels painted in a style synthesizing aspects of old masters John Martin, Gustav Doré and J.M.W. Turner. He has conjured our mighty Leviathan in homage to Wakasa’s MireGoji incarnation. Former adversaries from the cinematic canon appear as demon-possessed opponents in successive descending domains. Rodan soars through skies reddened by volcanic eruptions, shot through with bolts of lightening. Anguirus rises to battle amidst damned ships trapped in blue-green glaciers. From a storm-tossed ocean comes Varan, though he is but the prelude to King Ghidorah’s blinding, maelstrom-raising advent.I’ve long admired Eggleton’s renditions as his masterly brushwork and fine imagination capture the many appearances of Godzilla in iconic imagery, celebrating his elemental power in an almost romantic manner. This issue is a feast, as not only is there a painted cover illustration, but the entire installment consists of gorgeous paintings—possibly a first in daikaiju comics. There are awesome, Hellish vistas and dynamic scenes of combat that could easily be graced by ornate frames and hung in a gallery. From precise details such as Rodan’s silhouette reflected in Godzilla’s eye to the grandeur of the two-page title spread, you’ll be captivated by the splendid sweeping imagery and pithy, poetic narration. Godzilla aficionados will find this series an absolute necessity for their collections. With the new Japanese Gojira film in the capable hands of Anno and Higuchi being released next year, as well as the upcoming second installment in Legendary’s series, we who cherish Gojira have much to savor. This comic is a resplendent element in the current Daikaiju renaissance. It shall be fascinating to see where the artists take the indomitable Godzila in the three issues to follow—I’ll certainly be along for the continuing saga!GODZILLA IN HELL #1 / GODZILLA IN HELL #2—Magus Peter H. Gilmore

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Daily Archives: September 6, 2015

GODZILLA IN HELL, #1 & #2