Do you miss Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? Want to see more literary characters band together, Avengers-style, to battle giant threats?
You won’t have to wait much longer: on October 23rd, IDW’s Godzilla’s Monsterpiece Theater #1 (illustrated by Tom Scioli) hits shelves, bringing together characters both real and fictional to face off against some old radioactive breath.
The book is set in 1922, where James Gatz (aka The Great Gatsby) becomes obsessed with killing Godzilla after a tragic event occurs. Yes, Godzilla becomes Gatsby’s white whale, and like Captain Ahab in the novel Moby Dick, Gatsby chases Godzilla around the world, meeting numerous characters in his relentless quest to destroy Godzilla.
Supporting characters from The Great Gatsby also make key appearances, including Daisy Buchanan, Gatsby’s infatuation before Godzilla entered his life, who always seemed to be able to dance the Charleston just fine.
The great thing about this book (the first of a three-part miniseries) is that you don’t need a PhD in English literature or have read enough books to fill the Grand Canyon to understand who the characters are and what their motivations are. I personally love The Great Gatsby; it’s one of my favorite novels, but even if you’ve never read the book (or seen the film adaptation), you can get a sense of who Gatsby is within the first few pages (hint: he’s a Jazz Age Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, but without their intelligence or wit).
Credit: IDW
There are countless historical and fictional characters in this issue, from the unknown to the infamous. I particularly liked Shiori’s version of Thomas Edison, a self-proclaimed genius who everyone else thinks is an idiot. I won’t reveal the other characters (unfortunately, two are revealed on the book cover), but I’m sure at least a couple of them here are nice surprises that will delight you.
As for Godzilla (who, as we all know, is the star of the book), Shiori paints him as a terrifying figure. Godzilla is reminiscent of his first appearance in 1954: a giant walking monster that destroys skyscrapers and eats bridges. In one particularly horrifying scene, Gatsby’s friend Nick Carraway watches as Godzilla rampages through the city, police and firefighters doing everything they can to stop him only to be brushed aside like gnats. Godzilla doesn’t roar or snort, he just charges forward relentlessly, eating, blasting and obliterating everything in his path.
I’m happy to see the return of the “monster” Godzilla in recent films like this one and Godzilla Minus One. For years, movies and TV shows have focused on new, lovable versions of the character, and I’ve never understood that. Godzilla has always been a force of destruction and should be at the forefront of monster horror.
Tom Scioli’s art has a unique style that suits the book surprisingly well. Maybe it’s because the story is set in the past and his art always exudes a retro feel. Every time I open a book illustrated by Tom Scioli, I feel like I’ve discovered a lost issue of Marvel Comics from the 1960s that magically appeared in someone’s attic. This is not a bad thing. There’s a reason why books from that time are now considered classics, and this book gave me that same warm, nostalgic feeling.
“Godzilla Monster Peace Theater” First Release Review
Godzilla Monster Piece Theater #1
Godzilla Monster Peace Theater #1 is a blast and a whole lot of fun, with famous real and fictional characters interacting with Godzilla and Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby, almost like a Stan Lee version of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Tom Scioli’s art has a wonderfully retro feel to it and suits the story perfectly.
I liked that this book had a good mix of famous and unknown characters.
Godzilla is fearsome and ferocious here. This is classic Godzilla.
At the climax of the book, Gatsby becomes a little too comical, dangerously close to becoming a buffoon.
