Cosmic Dread and Body Horror in Gruesome Comic Event Horizon: Dark Descent

Event Horizon: Dark Descent by Christian Ward; artwork by Tristan Jones

Event Horizon: Dark Descent book cover

Author Christian Ward

Artist Tristan Jones

Many thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of Event Horizon: Dark Descent by Christian Ward with artwork by Tristan Jones. This comic is based on the original film Event Horizon and serves as a prequel to understand how the abandoned ship The Event Horizon was initially left floating in space sending out distress signals. While I’ve heard of the film, I’ve never seen it. It’s not necessary to see the film to understand the basic storyline of this comic, but it might be more interesting if you are familiar with the events of the film. You’ll be able to pick up on a few key details (that I ended up googling while reading this). Nevertheless, as someone who was not really familiar with the film, I absolutely loved this comic. The story and artwork are dark and dread-inducing. It’s bloody, gory, and gross, and the pages are filled with the kind of cosmic horror that can truly tout the term Lovecraftian. I loved how the story combines elements of sci-fi, quantum physics and space travel with occult and demonology, and doing so in a creative and unique manner that synthesizes these two genres.

The story begins with Dr. Will Weir, who is in the original film. Dr. Weir is the designer of the ship, but he is grieving over the loss of his wife. His grief seems to induce strange dreams about his wife who is calling for him to find her. In some of the dreams, he envisions her bloody and eyeless, among other graphic scenes in the Event Horizon. We then learn about the crew of the ship who are preparing to fulfill the main objective of their mission: an interdimensional jump facilitated by a gravity drive, allowing the ship to fold space time and move between vast distances in a matter of minutes as opposed to millions of years. The ship has staffed a crew of expert scientists, physicians, engineers, and navigators to facilitate this monumental experiment. However, as we learn in the first act, all of the crew members are escaping their own personal traumas and pain they experienced on earth, whether it was recent or from their pasts. In a way, they all seemed to see the journey in space as a means of escaping their past pain; however, as we will soon find out, hell is inside of them, and their pain and trauma will reemerge as their worst nightmares.

As the crew gets ready to engage the gravity drive, the communications officer receives a notice from Earth about one the crew members’ whose escape involves a death he tried to cover up. When Nia Atwell, the coms officer, attempts to inform the captain about their navigator Devlin Conners’s warrant, Conners ends up killing Atwell. It was a little unclear if this prevented these two crew members from being at their posts and prepping for the jump, but in any event, when the gravity drive is engaged, something strange happens, and it seems to have opened a portal to hell, bringing in Paimon, the sightless king of hell. Paimon recognizes the desperation and violence in Conners and uses him as a kind of soldier to inflict his torments and violence on the crew, killing them in gruesome and gory ways. I won’t get into the details here, but the story takes on a kind of occult slasher feel, as the crew, unaware that a portal to hell has been opened, try to make sense of the uncertainty and dread that seem to be plaguing all of the crew. Furthermore, each of the crew members begin to hallucinate about their traumas, re-living them and experiencing the pain and tumult of these traumatic experiences that they sought to escape.

I couldn’t put this edition down, reading through the story in nearly one sitting. The story really picks up once Conners kills Atwell and the portal to hell is breached, allowing Paimon to enter the Event Horizon. Furthermore, Jones’s dark, gory artwork contributes to the feeling of dread and cosmic horror that permeates this book, like a lurking fear or creeping death. His artwork emphasizes not only the uncertainty of unexplored dimensions but also features examples of gruesome body horror and a gory ghoul that seemed to be constructed from the bodies of the dead crew members. It’s totally gross, and I loved it. This was a fun and wild comic, although it’s definitely a downer. Nevertheless, I recommend this for fans of dark sci-fi, and the kind of Lovecraftian cosmic and body horror that Stuart Gordon would be proud of. Highly recommended!

 

The Beauty of Friendship in Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

 Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

Beautyland book cover

Author and Philly Native Marie-Helene Bertino

This was an incredible book. I recently saw that it was listed as one of the best books of the year so far. When I read the description about the life of a alien-girl who is activated to send messages to her alien friends (whom she has never met) through a fax machine, I thought it sounded interesting; however, this description in no way captures the beauty and emotion in this book. I found myself wanting to read through as Adina (the self-identified alien) gradually moves through life, navigating school, friendships, work, and love. Her mother and friend, Toni, are consistently with her, as is her dog Butternut. I really enjoyed the book’s narration and it was interesting to see how later in Adina’s life, the book took more of a reporter approach (or at least I noticed it more towards the end of the book, when Adina seems more desperate to contact her alien home). Beyond just being a creative and lovely story about a person who struggles to find herself, I loved that this book was about someone who grew up around the same time I did and could share some of the same music loves (frequent mentions of Black Sheep, A Tribe Called Quest) and challenges experienced with navigating adolescence and adulthood. I felt like I could relate to a lot of Adina’s experiences, and I loved how kept her reports and observations to share with her alien family through the fax machine. I also loved how her observations became more astute and philosophical as she grew older. It was also great to see how Adina frequently faced challenges, and despite desiring consistency and a kind of uniformity, she still pushed herself for change when it was necessary. When she revists Beautyland (the store) to see how it has changed, the clerk mentions that it only recently changed, but was time for an update. I’m not sure if Adina expected things to remain the same, as this was a site of one of her first instances of a kind of awareness of her class, but I think this was a signal for her. The ending of the book gets a little bleak and sad. I found myself growing sad while reading along, but I think this was one of the great strengths of Bertino’s writing—it elicited such emotion and empathy with a unique character. I also loved her mother’s words to her about her perceptions and how Adina’s kind of fantasy world seemed to protect her, but also isolate her. This is one of those books that I will recommend to friends and give as a gift since I think many people, especially people my age, should read this. Especially if you grew up in Philly around the 80s and 90s and shopped at House of Bargains. While my mom took me to the one at Ivy Ridge Shopping Center, I totally could relate to the dim lights and overstuffed racks with Oshkosh and rainbow striped long-sleeve polos. I really can’t wait to read more from Bertino. 

Battling for Spice: Dune: Edge of a Crysknife

 Dune: Edge of a Crysknife by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; illustrations by Simone Ragazzoni, Andrea Scalmazzi, and Frank D. Mazzoli

Dune: Edge of a Crysknife cover

Many thanks to BOOM! Studios and NetGalley for sharing an advanced copy of Dune: Edge of a Crysknife, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson with illustrations by Simone Ragazzoni, Andrea Scalmazzi, and Frank Mazzoli. I’m not completely immersed in the Dune world, but I have watched the recent adaptations and read the original Dune book by Frank Herbert. This is a story that incorporates many of the themes about colonization and rebellion, as well as the specifics of the Dune mythology, and creates some plotlines showing how the members of the Fremen are battling against the Harkonnens, enlisting the Shai-Hulud for help.

There are two interrelated stories contained in this edition, and both feature stories of resistance to the Harkonnens, but they have different artists. Nevertheless, the artwork is pretty similar, and it is colorful and bright, helping to highlight some of the unique features of the Fremen and Arrakis.  Nothing stood out to me too much in either story, except that there’s a battle for spice mélange and both stories feature the shai-hulud, the giant sandworms that populate Arrakis. Both stories also feature a plot involving Dmitri Harkonnen, another ruthless Harkonnen governor. I really liked his artwork, as the artists made him appear imposing and brooding. While he doesn’t say much, his presence is felt through the harsh conditions he imposes on the people of Arrakis. Ultimately, the Fremen employ a plot to infiltrate Dmitri Harkonnen’s headquarters. Will it work? How will their inside knowledge lead to changes? This was a quick read, and it should be of interest to other fans of Dune. I would have appreciated some additional background or character lists since I sometimes struggle with keeping the varied houses and factions within the Dune mythos clear. Nevertheless, it’s pretty easy to see and understand which forces are at battle in these stories and what the stakes ultimately are. If anything, the ending of this edition left me wanting more, waiting to find out what will happen next in the saga to control Arrakis and the flow of spice.

Documenting a King: King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon by Ray Morton

 King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon 

by Ray Morton

King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon book cover

Author and Kong enthusiast Ray Morton

Gigantic thanks to Bloomsbury Academic and NetGalley for allowing me to preview an advanced copy of Ray Morton’s comprehensive and ginormous detailed history of King Kong titled King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon. This is actually a revised and update edition of the book he initially published 20 years ago as the 3^rd version of King Kong, Peter Jackson’s adaptation, was released. This book includes additional research and information about the three main versions of King Kong from 1933, 1976, and 2005, as well as other offshoots including Son of Kong, the official sequel, and the Toho iterations where Kong battles Godzilla. In addition, Morton provides detailed information about the recent Mosterverse that includes Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024). He ends the book with some other appearances of Kong in comics, books, television, cartoons, and movies, including proposed films that never made it to the big screen. As someone who loves monster movies, especially the grand spectacle of giant monsters, this book was a great read. Furthermore, as someone who has grown to love the King Kong story, studying the film in college for some of the possible subtextual readings that its creator rejected, I also found that this book was a fascinating read, and I appreciated Morton’s detailed and loving research into the creation of the main Kong films from inception, to production, to the box office. It’s not only fascinating to learn that the story of a giant ape has been appealing to audiences for nearly 100 years, but also to see how these films have helped to drive innovative practices in film and special effects.

Morton spends the most time detailing the three Kong movies, and these chapters delve into all aspects of the film. It was fascinating to learn about how the first film script changed over time. I wasn’t aware that so many writers were involved in crafting the script, and that there was also a novelization that came out before the film, but also ended up out of copyright and in the public domain, allowing others to develop stories based on the novel rather than the movie. Nevertheless, Morton provides two storylines to allow readers to see how the script changed after subsequent drafts. He also provides a detailed chronology of the film’s production, with a focus on how the special effects were implemented for this film. Although it wasn’t the first film to use stop motion animation, expertly done by Willis O’Brien and Marcel Delgado among others, the film implemented it to such a degree that it changed special effects. I also loved reading about the challenges with filming the 1976 version of King Kong, which attempted to create a giant robotic Kong, but ultimately used this version more for promotion than actually in the screen. I also learned that Rick Baker played Kong in most of the scenes and reportedly had a difficult time working with the other special effects artist Carlo Rambaldi, who had previously worked on other Dino De Laurentiis films. Ever since seeing American Werewolf in London, I’ve been a huge Rick Baker fan, so it was surprising to learn more about his role and lack of credits in this film.

The book contains a lot of information about various Kong related projects, including a 1986 film, King Kong Lives, that I kind of remember. I’m sure that I saw it at some point, but as Morton details, the film was planned during the De Laurentiis Studio’s decline and string of failed films, so the budget kept getting slashed, which ultimately had an impact on the story and effects. It’s ultimately a forgotten film, but this chapter does detail how the studio system works along with the challenges that producers and effects artists experience when trying to make the unreal appear in films. The chapter about Peter Jackson’s version was incredibly fascinating since it provides background in Jackson’s career along with his development of the Kong project, which started before Lord of the Rings, but ultimately was made after LOTR (and probably would not have been made without the success of that franchise). I learned so much from this chapter, but I was most enthralled with the various technology and effects that Jackson and his team employed to create this version of Kong along with a realistic recreation of 1930s NYC. Morton does a great job explaining the process of how digital effects work. Like the other versions of King Kong presented in the book, Morton also details the various scenes and technology employed to make the effects appear realistic, which was also fascinating to read, although it is more of a reference and explanation than anything else. Nevertheless, I feel like I have a better understanding of the various uses of green and blue screen technology, among other technologies that have developed from 1976 to the 2005 version of Kong.

I also enjoyed reading about the Monsterverse films, and while Morton doesn’t hold them in as high regard as the other Kong films, I generally like them. As he notes, these are mostly fun films without much serious plot, and in many ways, Morton explores how Kong has developed an alternative backstory to his life on Skull Island, becoming an orphan as other creatures attacked and killed his parents, and eventually discovering a land in the hollow earth where other giant apes (and other creatures) live and battle. Furthermore, Morton traces the challenges that the production teams have in accessing the rights to these monsters, creating story lines where they meet, collaborate or battle, and exploring how technology was used to create their environments and likenesses. I really enjoyed learning more about how the directors and designers looked to other films, including the various versions of King Kong, for inspiration. It’s really cool to see how these more recent films both honor the legacy of Kong, yet also want to try something different or find inspiration from other films and styles.

This book is truly a great reference and resource for anyone who is deeply interested in Kong movies or monster movies in general. My favorite parts of the book were learning more about Rick Baker’s background in special effects and seeing how his work on films like The Exorcist, It’s Alive, and with John Landis eventually led him to work on the 1976 version of Kong. Furthermore, even though King Kong Lives was a failure, the film came out around the time that Evil Dead II, Manhunter, and Blue Velvet were also produced by the De Laurentiis Group (I think that Dune was also around this time too). It shows that De Laurentiis did have an important role in producing some important films, even if the film industry relies on intellectual property and sequels. In fact, this is a point that Morton raises when discussing Legendary Pictures and how financing shifted from studios to corporations and investment firms. Again, Morton helps to highlight much about the film industry and how Kong both represented and drove trends and changes in genres and styles. I was also surprised to learn that Peter Jackson apparently created a film idea for the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise in the late 80s, which I can only imagine what that might have been. I also loved learning about where the newer Kong movies were filmed. I recently travelled to Kualoa Ranch, where some of Skull Island was filmed. I didn’t realize it at the time since most of the focus was on Jurassic Park, but I could see some of the distinct spots after reading through Morton’s indications of the filming locations. Although the book has so much detail and information about all of the Kong movies, it does feel repetitive at times, especially early on when the chapters detail the plotlines and then detail the filming process, and then also details the special effects. I loved reading about how these effects happened, and I think the process was especially fascinating or all 3 of the Kong movies, but I found myself less interested in some of the lesser Kong movies like Son of Kong and King Kong Lives. If anything, including all of these examples helps to highlight the vast differences in quality and innovation among the different productions. Overall, though, this was a really entertaining and enlightening book, and I’m so glad that Morton has not only shared his love of Kong with the world, but has also populated the book with so many images and photos from his own Kong collection, sharing some of the unique merchandise that was used to promote the majesty and regality of Kong. Highly recommended book! 

Kaiju Battle in Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens

 Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens by Frank Tieri; artwork by Angel Hernandez

Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens cover

Author Frank Tieri

Artist Angel Hernandez

Great big kaiju thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for sharing an advanced copy of their latest Godzilla collection Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens by Frank Tieri with artwork by Angel Hernandez. I really enjoyed this story as it represents much of what makes the Godzilla stories so fun and entertaining. Not only does Godzilla work to protect the earth from an alien invasion, but he also teams up with some of his other kaiju friends like Mothra, Jet Jaguar, and Rodan to battle the invading Xiliens, a deceptive group of aliens who have the ability to shape-shift and take on human forms, and have been attempting to take over the world for centuries. However, they’ve upped their intensity to attempt to overtake the world by infiltrating various high-level government and military positions in post WWII America. I loved the historical element of the story in that it features President Eisenhour and other references to real historical individuals and events.

The main story follows Bob, a man who is trying to get pentagon buy in to use Godzilla as a defense weapon for Project Colossus. This project is based on the secret society called The Sons of Giants, whose members included Queen Elizabeth I, Ben Franklin, and Napoleon. These individuals protected the kaiju but also used them for defense and protection as well. Bob is interested in learning more about how this group might work to protect American interests and partner with the Pentagon for American defense; however, his supervisor, Director Stone, doesn’t take him too seriously, until Godzilla is sighted attacking Japan, when Eisenhour has renewed interest in seeking out the kaiju for America’s use. On his way to meet with the President, Bob is kidnapped by another mysterious group led by Dr. Kyoto. Bob finds out that this group is the one actually responsible for Project Colossus, and he also learns about the threat that the Xiliens pose to the inhabitants of Earth. As Bob learns more about Project Colossus and Dr. Kyoto’s role, the Xiliens attack various cities around the world, bringing out the kaiju to help defend major cities like Paris, Mexico City, New York, and Barcelona. Dr. Kyoto sends out Jet Jaguar, the robot kaiju, to battle the Xiliens and Mechagodzilla. Other kaiju like Rodan and Mothra battle evil kaiju helping the Xiliens. It’s a great story featuring kaiju battles in different major cities, all while the Xiliens are trying to take over Earth. It’s a fun and exciting story with some good action and great artwork from Angel Hernandez. I loved that the story also takes place during the original Godzilla time period, but the action happens all over the world. I’m also finding that I really enjoy these longer-form Godzilla stories that unfold over several issues. They allow for more plot to unravel, some characters to develop, and some surprises and tension to build. I’m hoping that IDW continues to create more stories like this that unfold over several issues and also feature a range of characters and kaiju. Highly recommended!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twin Lotuses: A Sci-Fi Historical Horror Story with Incredible Artwork

 Twin Lotuses by Zhang Xiaoyu

Twin Lotuses book cover

Author and artist Zhang Xiaoyu

Big thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for sharing an advanced copy of Twin Lotuses, an epic historical horror-sci-fi story that takes place during the Japanese occupation of China in the late 1930s. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this comic, but it has a lot to offer for fans of different genres. The story follows two plotlines that are interconnected. There is a group of war orphans who are struggling with survival in war torn China. These kids are faced with trying to navigate the traditional and superstitions of old China, while also seeking out food and avoiding territorial and gang battles with other groups of marauding kids. Zhang Xiaoyu’s establishes a few characters who are known primarily by their appearances—for example, there’s Snot Nose, who seems to have a perpetually runny nose, and Hair lip, whose got a cleft in his lip. The scenes with these kids are earthy and brutal, filled with fluids, waste, and often violence, as the kids seek to find protection and food by aligning themselves with or against other groups. I loved how Xiaoyu used close-up drawings to draw our attention to these kids’ hard-scrabble existence. The kids are contrasted with Fan, an educated, upper-class man who presents reason and science as a counter to the superstitions and traditions of these kids. Fan has designed an early robot, a kind of automaton, that performs in the opera while he controls this robot offstage. We learn that Fan’s wife, Mingfeng, was a well-known opera performer who was killed by the Japanese bombing of China. Fan’s insistence in science is not only an indication of his education and knowledge, but also serves as a way for him to call for more education to counter the destructive engineering of the Japanese. He claims that Japan’s success in dominating China in the 1930s is due to their engineering and scientific know-how while China maintains its traditional and superstitious ways. Although this wasn’t the main conflict presented in the story, I loved how subtly Xiaoyu presents this argument and seems to seek out a way to find balance between science and tradition.

As Fan’s automaton performer gains greater recognition and popularity, we learn that Mingfeng survived the bombing but was separated from Fan. She sent letters to him, hoping to reconnect and eventually finds him with her doppelganger robot who has seemingly replaced her in performances of traditional Chinese opera. Fan is elated to reconnect with his lost love, but Mingfeng wants him to abandon his robotic creation since she finds it unsettling and upsetting. Fan faces a conflict as he is proud of his ultimate creation, and he struggles with sending his creation away. Will he abide by his wife’s desire to replace her replacement? Or will he find a way to accommodate both his human wife and her robotic double? Xiaoyu sets up a compelling dynamic for a fantastic finish of the story. There’s double-crossing and back-stabbing throughout the second half of the story, and it helps to show the kind of chaos that endured during and after the Japanese occupation. Both Xiaoyu’s story and artwork create two different worlds that are inhabited by different groups of people. It’s both evocative and morbidly fascinating, and it highlights the kind of challenges and struggles that different people have with surviving amid chaos and tragedy. I really enjoyed this book not only for its story, but also for the creative and detailed artwork. Highly recommended! 

 Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa 

by Lewis LaRosa

Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa cover

Artist and illustrator Lewis LaRosa

Many thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for allowing me to preview and advanced copy of this excellent collection of comic artist Lewis LaRosa’s work for comics including Marvel and Valiant titled Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa. I wasn’t familiar with LaRosa’s work prior to this collection, but the striking image of a woman warrior riding a raptor-like creature and shooting arrows at a pursuing, ferocious t-rex immediately grabbed my attention since it resembled both the bold work of some of Oni’s recent EC revivals like Cruel Kingdon. Plus, it reminded me of some of the iconic work of Frank Frazetta, so I was glad to explore the works and worlds that LaRosa’s art has helped to create. Beyond the amazing art contained in this collection, readers also learn a little about LaRosa’s interesting career, where he got his start working on the Punisher MAX series. In this first section, we see LaRosa’s work, but the collection also contains sketches and notes. I loved seeing these drafts and sketches since it helped me better understand LaRosa’s process of developing not just characters, but also conveying the themes and tones of the narrative story. I enjoyed this kind of visual development of the process involved in the story telling that moves beyond words. Furthermore, readers can see how as LaRosa’s skills and knowledge of working in comics develop, his art and work continue to convey more of the narrative elements of the story. In some of the later work from Bloodshot and Harbinger Wars, readers can get a sense of how LaRosa’s art, use of colors, and even close-up and zoom out of the images convey the action and possible motivations of characters. Other notes and sketches provide fascinating details about the fine details of certain characters. For example, in the section on Ka-Zer MAX we see some notes about one of the characters and various sketches that portray the character in different perspectives. In another section, he has this interesting character who has a kind of infection that has created a kind of skin-shield over him that not only protects him, but also has infected his mind. It’s a brilliant way to create and portray this character whose strength is also his downfall. In another Bloodshot storyline, LaRosa has this great description about how the establishing shot has to be “awful” and he wants the readers to “smell the dank odor” as they encounter the white supremacists’ compound. All of the images from this section are creepy and evocative, while also doing much to convey the story’s narrative. If anything, this book has made me want to check out more of the comics that LaRosa has worked on. However, what stood out most was LaRosa’s work on dinosaurs. As he notes in the brief texts that accompany much of the art, he is a fanatic about dinosaurs, and like a lot of kids, developed this interest in them from an early age. However, LaRosa has moved beyond an interest in dinosaurs and has used research and findings in paleontology to hone his craft in creating increasingly realistic images of dinosaurs. There’s one sketch of several anatomical perspectives of the dinosaurs that allows readers to better learn more detailed and specific his work on these creates are.

What I found most interesting, though, was that LaRosa had this period where he was teaching and not working in comics. It wasn’t until someone from Valiant reached out after 2010 that he came back to working in comics, which enabled him to move into not just the artistry, but also doing cover work for Valiant comics. The cover work is great as well, and I’m glad that this edition was able to present much of his more recent cover work in color. This was a great collection, especially if you are a fan of Lewis LaRosa’s work. However, even if you are not, it’s a great entryway into some of this striking and original art, and it enables readers to gain a better sense of LaRosa’s artistic process and what is can be like to work in comics. Highly recommended! 

Monsters in America: Godzilla Vs. America

 Godzilla Vs. America: Boston, Chicago, Kansas City, and Los Angeles by Tim Seeley, Caroline Cash, Gabriel Hardman, Dave Baker, and Jesse Lonergan

Godzilla Vs. America book cover

Big thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to preview an advanced copy of their latest entry in the Godzilla Monsterverse titled Godzilla Vs. America: Chicago, Kansas City, and Los Angeles. It’s an interesting concept where the king of monsters ends up on American soil, specifically targeting the four cities in the title and encountering local landmarks, events, and foods in his visit. I previously read Godzilla Heist, which was a synthesis of Godzilla with crime/action genre, and Godzilla Legends—Mothra, which was a cool time travel story about Mothra. Godzilla Vs. America follows a similar trend in these editions where Godzilla is placed in a unique situation and environment, and the authors and artists imagine what it would be like for Godzilla to visit and/or terrorize American cities. Each city in the collection has 4 stories with different authors and artists highlighting well known (and sometimes not as well known) history, landmarks, events, traditions, and food related to these cities. Although the premise is interesting, the execution doesn’t always land. There are several standout stories, and Boston was my favorite collection of stories in the book. In particular, “The Great Gorilla Whale” stood out to me as the best story in the collection. It’s like a Moby Dick type story, but with an old sailor retelling his tale as the only survivor of an encounter with Godzilla. The artistry and the story have a kind of Tales from the Crypt old school EC Comics feel to it. I loved it. There’s also a really cool story about a mutant lobster that grew due to a thrown away science experiment. The giant lobster was great looking, especially as it wages war for Boston with Godzilla. There’s also a brief, but beautifully illustrated story about Mothra (“Make Way for Mothra”), and a final story about a subway line. Nearly all of the cities feature stories with other kaiju monsters and subways. The LA story about the subway (“How to Use the Los Angeles Metro to Survive a Godzilla Attack!”) was like a history lesson that presents the history of the LA transportation system and how the unknown LA subway system developed. Although it was informative, the colors were brown and white, so it wasn’t as visually appealing as some of the other stories. Maybe it was just the way it appeared on my iPad but the visuals didn’t have the same pop as some of the other stories. Similarly, I liked the story “The Big Break” and the artistry was good, but the color scheme featured bright yellows that didn’t work as well with my digital copy. Regardless, author Jordan Morris and artist Nicole Goux capture what life in LA can be like trying to struggle in the entertainment industry. Kansas City and Chicago were ok. The Kansas City stories featured a lot on barbecue and hot sauce, while Chicago had a lot of interesting landmarks and a fun shout-out to Svengoolie. I especially like “Chi Godzilla” which features a great twist of irony, again reminiscent of the EC Comics where cosmic justice is eventually served. This was a fun collection, but it left me wanting more, especially in the stories. I hope that there is a consideration to expand Godzilla’s visits to other cities, but I’d also like to see maybe a longer, central story where there’s more development of the characters or an understanding of how and why Godzilla ended up in that city.   

Contributing to the Godzilla Canon: Mothra Queen of the Monsters by Sophie Campbell

 Godzilla Legends-- Mothra: Queen of the Monsters  by Sophie Campbell

Mothra: Queen of the Monsters cover

Artist and author Sophie Campbell

Many thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for sharing an advanced copy Godzilla Legends—Mothra: Queen of the Monsters by Sophie Campbell. I was really excited to find this addition to the Godzilla canon, especially since the story adheres to many of the ideas from the original Mothra film, yet updates them in a compelling and creative manner. However, what sticks out most to me is the incredibly colorful and captivating artwork from Sophie Campbell and Matt Frank. The color scheme is apt- bright colors for the monsters, especially Mothra, while the evil monsters, Antra and Omegaguirus, have darker, gray hues with purple and red around their outer edges. Campbell also uses a dark, drab color scheme to depict the lack of life on Earth, and this is contrasted with the lush greens and blues seen in other periods of time where the sisters travel to retrieve a Mothra egg to bring back to the present. The story has a lot of dichotomous contrasts represented by the sisters’ opposing styles, as well as other dichotomies like the different time periods, the twin priestesses, and the good and evil kaiju. Furthermore, Mira, the more hopeful and excited sister, has been the caretaker for the Shobijin, the twin priestesses who have a connection with Mothra. As Mira explains, Mothra’s energy is dwindling, and if Mothra dies, the Earth, too, will suffer, being overtaken by the evil kaiju. The only hope is to travel back in time to retrieve the egg that will allow Mothra to continue to inhabit the Earth and defend people against the evil Kaiju. Furthermore, Emi and Mira, despite their differences and past trauma, must learn to work in harmony and accept one another to make their mission work and end up in the right places. I liked how these dualities operated in the story, how Campbell and Frank present them with contrasting color schemes, and how the sisters learn to work together despite their differences. However, I really enjoyed that this story adhered to the original framework of the Mothra story, yet cleverly integrated some new and interesting ideas to make it fresh and unique. In addition, Mothra engages in a series of training battles with other Kaiju, and these monsters are also creative and colorful.

This was a fun edition and addition to the Godzilla canon, adding some cool kaiju and a compelling story about Mothra, Queen of the Monsters. I really liked the dichotomies in the story, and how the story itself is a straightforward story about how people can come together to solve a problem to improve their world. What stands out most in this collection, though, is Campbell’s and Frank's excellent, colorful, and creative artwork. As I was reading Mothra, my daughter kept peeking over and was interested in Mothra’s bright colors and her transformation from larvae to moth, as well as her battles with the other kaiju. She also liked the focus on Emi and Mira as protagonists in the story. Godzilla Legends—Mothra: Queen of the Monsters is a fun and engaging story with incredible artwork that makes the story even more compelling. There are also some other illustrations by Matt Frank, Noah Cortez, Miki Ramirez, Nicole Goux, Elizabeth Beals, Roberto Rivera Padro, Jake Smith, Tom Whalen and Samantha Wright in this edition as well that are also great. I’m hoping that maybe these are indicative of future stories and adventures that Mothra, Emi, and Mira will have. Highly recommended! 

Combining Genres Godzilla Heist by Van Jensen illustrated by Kelsey Ramsay

 Godzilla Heist by Van Jensen, 

illustrated by Kelsey Ramsay

Godzilla Heist cover

Author Van Jensen

Illustrator Kelsey Ramsay

Many thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for sharing an advanced copy of Godzilla Heist by Van Jensen and illustrated by Kelsey Ramsay. I was excited to find this graphic novel since I love a good Godzilla story, and I haven’t come across too many Godzilla graphic novels. This one particularly piqued my interest since it situates Godzilla in a crime caper. I wondered how exactly the author might synthesize two different genres of film- Kaiju monster movies and crime/heist stories, into one graphic novel series. This edition is a digital version that collects 5 issues of the story into one volume. The story follows Jai, a thief who primarily works alone and has developed a system of drones and has harnessed the power of neutrinos to capture Godzilla’s attention and might, allowing Jai to create distractions and destruction while he makes off with the loot. It’s a little far-fetched since it doesn’t seem like Godzilla can really be controlled, and Jai doesn’t seem to be in complete control of Godzilla, but nevertheless, he uses the King of Monsters to his advantage. Word gets around the criminal underground, and Jai is abducted by a mysterious group of mercenaries who only refer to one another by Greek alphabet names like Kappa, Pi, and Alpha. They have a plan to attack a highly secure and secretive site using Jai’s methods. This is where the story breaks down a little. For one, we don’t learn too much about this crew, and I found it somewhat hard to differentiate them. I wish there was more time to learn about their backstory or their motivations or at least have some of the characters stand out a little more than others. We do learn a little more about how Jai came to understand the power of Godzilla, but it also seems a little far-fetched and this backstory is not developed in depth. In fact, one of the issues starts with this backstory, although we aren’t told about its connection until later in the story. I found that kind of narrative disruption a little confusing. As other reviewers have mentioned, the story gets a little muddled with betrayals and crossings, but I ultimately wondered why the crew wanted to rob this site. Their motivations were unclear. It didn’t seem like it was monetary, but it also didn’t seem political. I wish there was more explanation and development of the crew to better understand their motivations for this heist. Although the story elements were underdeveloped, it’s still a fun read to envision Godzilla partnering with a thief to travel around the world, robbing lucrative sites. The artwork by Kelsey Ramsay is pretty good too, especially the panels that detail Godzilla attacking. I hope that there will be some more adventures or issues featuring Godzilla working with Jai. I wondered whether they will continue their collaborations, or if this is it for the big guy. The end of this edition includes some cool imagined Godzilla movie posters by Pablo Tunica, including some that look like a take on Reservoir Dogs, The Fast and the Furious, and Mission: Impossible. 

Spending Time in the EC Cruel Universe: EC Cruel Kingdom Vol. 1

 EC Cruel Kingdom Vol. 1 by Various Artists

EC Cruel Kingdom Vol. 1 cover

Issue 2's cover

"A Rare Immunity"

"Death and Pickaxes"

"Blood of the Roboking"

"The Demon's Face"

Big thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for making the latest edition of EC’s revival series available for review, EC Cruel Kingdom Vol. 1. I previously read the Epitaphs from the Abyss and Cruel Universe and thoroughly enjoyed them. Cruel Kingdom Vol. 1 follows in the same tradition of presenting weird stories with ironic and shocking endings that often present a sense of cosmic justice. While Epitaphs from the Abyss is more horror oriented and like Tales from The Crypt and Cruel Universe dealt with aliens, technology, and space, Cruel Kingdom focuses on fantasy and fairy tales, although many of the stories also include elements of sci-fi and horror. Most of the stories are short and quick to read, and this edition collects 4 issues, each with 4 stories. The artwork for the stories stands out the most. The artwork captures the horror and shock of EC Comics heyday, while also adding fresh and unique elements. I also liked the stories too. In particular, there are 2 stories that are based on popular fairy tales, yet have a bloody twist on them that makes it particularly entertaining. “Death and Pickaxes,
 a take-off on Snow White was particularly demented, but in a fun way. I kept thinking how great this would be as a short film. Likewise, “What You Wish For,” based on Cinderella was also surprising and ironic. “The Feast of King Arthur,” was one of the most shocking and gory stories as well, and it demonstrates how the authors and artists working on these comics can take traditions and well-known stories and make them fresh and new, adding surprising twists to make them feel at home within the cruel universe of EC. Other stories contain monsters, beasts, knights, and mercenaries looking to either survive or thrive within this cruel universe. Stories like “Just Desserts,” “The Seat of Power,” and “A Rare Immunity” highlight the irony and costs of these quests for survival and success in this universe. The only drawback with this collection was that it left me wanting more. It seemed a little shorter than the other EC editions from Oni Press. Regardless, it’s a great collection that captures the spirit of the original EC comics with its wicked and cruel endings and bloody and colorful artwork. I also wish that there was some commentary from the editors or artists in this edition like the other editions. It would be cool to learn more about what went into creating this edition—like what the themes are and how they fit with the spirit of the original EC Comics. Nevertheless, this is a fun and quick read. Highly recommended!