Godzilla [Paperback]

Kazuhisa Iwata (Author), Mike Richardson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Godzilla

For thirty years, the King of the Monsters has slept off the shores of Tokyo. But now he's back, and he's looking to make up for lost time! This 200-page manga epic adapts to English the Kazuhisa Iwata graphic novel. Featuring an afterword on the big lizard's film history, no manga, monster, or movie fan will want to be without this critical collection! Cover by Hugo Award-winning artist Bob Eggleton!

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse; 2nd edition (July 25, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569710635
• ISBN-13: 978-1569710630
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #574,013 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Manga Goji: Speed Racer vs. Godzilla, December 14, 1999

By 

Rev. Daniel Cziraky - See all my reviews

This review is from: Godzilla (Paperback)

This black-and-white, manga version of 1984's "The Return of Godzilla" (U.S. title: "Godzilla 1985") was originally published in the U.S. bu Dark Horse Comics as a six-issue mini-series in 1988/89. The English translation was by Randy Stradley and Mike Richardson. This single-volume collection features a wonderful cover painting by Bob Eggleton. The story is pretty straightforward: after thirty years, Godzilla returns to menace modern Tokyo. Since this was an adaptation of the Japanese cut of the film, there are no scenes with Raymond Burr, who reprised his Steve Martin role for "Godzilla 1985." It's also much clearer in this version that the Russian nuclear missile launch on Japan was a mistake, not intentional. The manga style of art employed by Iwata is an odd mix with a Godzilla story. G-fans not used to it might think the whole thing comes off as a sort of "Speed Racer vs. Godzilla." The collection also comes with a nice gallery of Godzilla art by such U.S. comic artists as Art Adams, Mike Mignola, Steve Bissette, and British artist Alan Moore. For the price, it's well worth it even for marginal 'Zilla maniacs. For fans of the 1998 TriStar "Godzilla" -- shame on you!

5.0 out of 5 stars Manga makes the Mon(ster), August 5, 2011

By 

Jumpercliff - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Godzilla (Paperback)

Between 1988 and 1989, Eugene, Oregon-based Dark Horse Comics published a six-issue miniseries translation (of which this is collected) of the manga adaptation of "The Return of Godzilla" ("Godzilla 1985" for us Americans), a year after releasing their first use of the then newly-acquired liscence in comic form, "Godzilla King of the Monsters Special". It is in this miniseries that readers got to truly witness the great ferocity of the movie screen's biggest star, far removed from the Marvel Comics series published from 1978-79 (which can be found in Marvel's Essential Godzilla: King of the Monsters entry in their "Essentials" line).

Story
The main story comprising this collection of the miniseries is, as previously stated, an adaptation of The Return of Godzilla. For making a long story short, think Godzilla 1985 without the Raymond Burr/Pentagon scenes and all the Dr. Pepper product placement (aka the Japanese cut). As to the plot, it is laced with the genuine feelings of people during the waning years of the Cold War, emphasized by both the subplot of an accidental nuclear missile launch from an orbital Russian satellite; and the fears of the Japanese government leaders of use of similar nuclear weapons, not wanting a repeat performance of the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Combined with a subplot involving a reporter and his interations with a pair of siblings (one of whom is a shipwreck survivor) and a scientist who lost his parents in Godzilla's original attack on Tokyo makes this story a very emotional and engaging tale. But the bulk of it is a wonderfully scripted rampage of the Monster King himself, free and unburdened from the 20 years of being Japan's heroic defender. It is the sequencing of his destruction that ressurects the notion of Godzilla being forevermore a force to be reckoned with.

Art
The art of this story to me is very eye-catching; it almost looks similar to the art used in the manga series "Knights of the Zodiac", though more streamlined and less action cartoony. The facial expressions on the main human characters fit greatly with each moment of suspense; Godzilla himself, despite fluctuating features in each panel, is beautifully rendered as the great titan of terror he has come to redeem himself as. Probably one of the best sequences drawn are the stormy waters at the start of the story and the views of the satellite in space. Outside the main story, in the back pages there are also great tributes to the King of the Monsters by artists such as Arthur Adams ("X-Men" "Longshot"), Mike Mignola ("Hellboy" "Cosmic Oddessey"), Steve Bissette ("Saga of the Swamp Thing") and even legendary writer Alan Moore ("Saga of the Swamp Thing" "Watchmen" "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", among others).

Overall
This book is a great read for longtime fans or people who have yet to see their first Japanese monster movie. If you introduce someone to this book, let them know that THIS is what a monster movie SHOULD be.

5.0 out of 5 stars GO-GO GODZILLA!, December 28, 2009

By 

The Mystic Eye Of The Hipster (Murfreesboro, TN United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Godzilla (Paperback)

This graphic novel from Dark Horse, based on the film "Godzilla 1985" is fine proof of Godzilla being the King of the Monsters.

Here, Godzilla sheds the "friend to all children" stuff, & unveils himself as the living nightmare he really always was. A walking mountain of flesh & hate, with no "off switch"--merely ever amped-up levels of raw, naked power.

Well illustrated, slickly written, & set in the Cold War era, it is certain to please the true kaiju (Japanese for "giant monster") fan.

The Hipster gives it a Big Thumbs UP!