Glad you found your way back for this week’s RETRO REVIEW. Thanks for following my meager efforts! As I promised, this week I’ve dug deep, deep, into the vault, and I was back in the Marvel section once again. While there, I unearthed a comic featuring another big, green, guy, but not the Incredible Hulk this week, no, this character happens to be a lizard! Hmmm, how about Spider-Man’s green scaled villain, the Lizard? Nope, think bigger! Much bigger! Okay, I’m talkin’ about Godzilla! Yes indeed, Marvel Comics published a Godzilla comic book that lasted for twenty-four (24) issues, or two (2) years featuring Japan’s favorite monster! And today I’m looking at Godzilla # 1 & 2.
Issue number 1 features Godzilla making his landing on American soil in Alaska, where he promptly attacks the Alaskan pipeline. The first five (5) pages show some great giant lizard action, almost worth the price of the comic alone. But then S.H.I.E.L.D. is quickly on the scene, trying to take down the gigantic lizard, led by “Dum Dum” Dugan. Dugan and quite a number of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, including Agent Jimmy Woo, attempt to slow Godzilla down, while Colonel Nick Fury, Commander of S.H.I.E.L.D. escorts a contingency of Japanese scientists to the scene.
Using everything they’ve got, Woo and S.H.I.E.L.D., manage to lure Godzilla back out to sea, before Fury and the scientists even arrive, pretty much ending the first issue. Oh yeah, I need to show you the cover, don’t I?
Godzilla # 1 August 1977
And I need to also tell you that the cover is pencilled and inked by Hulk, and now Godzilla artist, Herb Trimpe. The story is entitled; ” The Coming” and it is written by Doug Moench, with Trimpe providing the break down art and Jim Mooney providing the final artwork, including inks. A pretty good beginning to the first Godzilla comic book by Marvel that is cover dated August, 1977.
Issue two’s cover is found immediately below:
Godzilla # 2 September 1977
The cover, besides proclaiming that this is the 2nd Searing Issue! states that the title of the story is “Seattle Under Siege!”. It is also pencilled and inked by Herb Trimpe. He even signed his name to this one.
But when you open up the comic to the splash page, you find that the actual title to the story is; “Thunder In The Darkness”. I’m not sure why the title change, but I actually like the Siege title better. Again the story is written by Doug Moench, with pencils by Herb Trimpe, but this time the inks are supplied by Frank Giacoia and George Tuska. I guess the Godzilla was so big it took two inkers to complete the job!
In this second issue, Godzilla has again reached U.S. soil, only this time, he has surfaced in Seattle, Washington. As usual, Godzilla goes on a destructive rampage and S.H.I.E.L.D. forces, again led by “Dum Dum” Dugan, battle the monster lizard. Finally Godzilla is on a path toward the Seattle Space Needle, but working together, Dugan, Woo and also S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Gabe Jones manage to distract the monster and he follows a series of bright lights away from land and back out to sea, once again, saving Seattle’s most famous landmark from destruction.
Another fun issue, especially if you happened to be a Godzilla fan.
You may be wondering why I chose these two (2) issues to feature in this week’s RETRO REVIEW, but if you’ve been following my posts, you’re aware that I just got back from and Alaskan cruise and a visit to Seattle, so it only seemed natural to feature these two books, as I was just in both locations.
Thanks for allowing my indulgence and please return next week for a brand stinking new, Fabulous Find. Well the find won’t be new, but the post will be! So stay toasty and we’ll see ya next week.
