Godzilla (comics)
Godzilla has appeared in a range of comic books that have been published in Japan and the United States.
In 1979, the Japanese edition of Starlog featured a two-part illustrated story written by Katsuhiro Otomo called A Space Godzilla.
[10] In 2018, Toho produced a manga serial published in Shōnen Jump+ based on the film Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters.
In the summer of 1976 (as part of the publicity promoting the upcoming U.S. release of the film Godzilla vs. Megalon), a small four-page comic book adaptation was published by Cinema Shares International Distribution Corp. and given away for free at movie theaters.
These ran the gamut from back-up stories in anthology titles, to one-shots, to miniseries, to an ongoing series, as well as various reprints in the trade paperback format.
In 1987, they published a black and white one-shot comic called Godzilla, King of the Monsters Special #1.
In 1992, an illustration of Godzilla (provided by Arthur Adams) was published in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #1.
The last issue of the Dark Horse series sees Godzilla flung back into time to just a few hours before the asteroid which supposedly destroyed the dinosaurs impacted on Earth, and fighting an alien creature.
But then a twist is thrown into the ending: Godzilla is shown staring at a piece of his opponent's tail that is still in his hand from where he had ripped it off in the final moments of their battle before the impact.
[28] Also that same year, some of the earlier published material was reprinted in the trade paperback Art Adams' Creature Features.
[29] Finally, in 1998, Godzilla appeared in trade paperbacks and miniseries that were simply reprinting earlier material.
[34] These include Anguirus, Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah, Kumonga, Hedorah, Gigan (Showa), Mechagodzilla (Showa), Titanosaurus, Battra, SpaceGodzilla, Destoroyah, Moguera, Varan, Manda, Baragon, Gaira, Sanda, Ebirah, Kamacuras, Gorosaurus, Gezora, Kamoebas, Jet Jaguar, Megalon, King Caesar, Biollante, Mecha-King Ghidorah, Orga, Megaguirus, Zilla, Mechagodzilla (Heisei), Gigan (Millenium) and Kiryu.
Created by artist Matt Frank, these monsters are based on the prehistoric arthropods called trilobites.
[38] In August 2011, IDW released a one-shot issue called Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters 100-Cover Charity Spectacular.
Proceeds from the sale of the issue went to benefit the International Medical Corps for tsunami relief in Japan.
[44] In April 2014, the entire series was collected as a deluxe trade paperback called Godzilla: History's Greatest Monster.
[63] A seventh five-issue miniseries called Godzilla: Rage Across Time was published from August – November 2016.
[65] An eighth five-issue miniseries called Godzilla: Monsters & Protectors was published from April – July 2021.
[66] This one-shot issue gave a brief overview of all the various IDW Godzilla series and miniseries that had been published over the past three years.
This one-shot collection features reprints of some of James Stokoe's artwork and covers from the various IDW series and miniseries.
It was written by Max and Greg Borenstein and featured art by Eric Battle, Yvel Gluchet and Alan Quah.
Characters from the graphic novel would later be adapted to live-action media in the 2023 television series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
A crossover between DC Comics' Justice League in Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong[71] A one-shot comic to promote a comic-con exclusive gamepiece of Godzilla for Cthulhu: Death May Die where the King of the Monsters battle Cthulhu.
