Writer: Andrew Maclean
Art & Colors: Jake Smith
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Cover Art: Andrew Maclean
Publisher: IDW
Price: $4.99
Release Date: August 16th, 2023
Reviewer: Samriddh Chaudhary
Introduction:
A new threat to both Kaijus and humans has risen and Dr. Yuko Honda and The Kaiju Task Force Alpha must stop its attacks at once. Godzilla: War for Humanity #1 provides a look into a world that has grown accustomed to but is still vary of Kaijus and how Godzilla is seen as a symbol of hope by many and considered a menace by others.
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The Dispatch:
Godzilla War for Humanity #1 provides a new perspective into the world of Godzilla and the other Kaijus. Godzilla is portrayed as a controversial character throughout the issue which provides complexity to the narrative of the book. Dr. Yuko Honda gives us the perspective of a person who sees Godzilla as a symbol of hope while the character of the Billionaire Phazon Fullchech gives the perspective of a character that sees Godzilla as much of a menace as any other Kaiju out there. Most other characters are shown to be neutral towards the issue. The book itself favors Yuko Honda’s side by giving us a flashback into her past but the better approach would have been keeping both sides balanced as it would make the conflict much more interesting.
The issue is plagued with the problem almost every piece of Godzilla media suffers from which is too less Godzilla and at some point later the creative team decides to ham fist him into the plot so it doesn’t seem like there’s too little Godzilla in the story which is quite disappointing because it makes it seem like that the writer has less confidence in their work so they had to force in a cameo from The King of Monsters himself.
The Art:
The Art is visually pleasing. The art is extremely detailed and Jake Smith’s style is extremely interesting to look at it seems like it doesn’t really suit the book that much because there needs to be some amount of edge for the reader to take a book like this seriously. An art style that compliments the subject matter of the book would really help elevate the experience.
Final Thoughts:
Godzilla: War for Humanity #1 delves into the complex perceptions surrounding Godzilla, depicting him both as a symbol of hope and a potential menace. The issue struggles with the common Godzilla media pitfall of limited screen time for the titular creature, leading to a somewhat forced inclusion later on. The art by Jake Smith is detailed and visually pleasing, yet some readers may find its style at odds with the seriousness of the subject matter. In summary, the comic brings a fresh perspective to the Kaiju genre but could benefit from more even-handed storytelling and an art style that aligns with its tone.