Article #52!
The
Godzilla Stomp!
OR…
A
Couple of Things You Always Wanted to Know About Giant, Atomic-Fire Breathing
Lizards but Were Too Afraid (or Indifferent) to Ask
I’ve
always had a soft spot for giant, radioactive, fire-spewing monsters. Like many
people, it stems from watching Godzilla trample Tokyo and battle other
big-baddies on TV for many, many lazy Saturday afternoons. Lazy on my end. My
folks were always bugging me to get off the couch and do something with my
life, or at least to get up and let the sofa air out a bit. I must say that the
constant nagging did motivate me, as weeks later I started this website. Now I
spend the occasional Saturday afternoon getting off the couch and waddling over
to the PC to run an update (until I can afford a laptop). Yeah, that’s
showing mom and dad!
So, anyway, my love for the King of Monsters extends to the point where I’d even pick up comics like the one shown below…
It’s Superman/boy vs. Godzilla(ish),
along with a large crowd of screaming Japanese folks, falling people and an
atomic explosion in the background! How freaking awesome is that? One person
seems particular perturbed by the Superman logo blocking his escape route.
Yeah, I
know that isn’t really Godzilla. It’s actually Godzilla(ish), one of those parody-type monsters you’ll find
now-and-again adorning comic books. It makes perfect sense to me, if
you’re going to have your hero fight a giant monster, why not knock-off
the most well recognized movie monster in the world? You get instant
recognition and you don’t have to pay royalties, it’s win-win!
You know, the movies I’m most familiar with starring the Big G are the color capers from the 1960s and 1970s. Godzilla was the Earth’s protector back then, a much warmer and fuzzier lizard – sort of like Kermit the Frog if he were on steroids. He was so freaking warm and fuzzy, that Godzilla even turned VEGAN.
Yes
Vegan.
What,
you doubt me? How could something with large, pointy teeth and capable of
breathing atomic fire possibly be a vegetarian, you ask? And for those of you
who are more enlightened, you’re quick to note that there isn’t a
single movie that references Godzilla’s vegetarian nature. And
you’re right, it’s not in the movies – it’s in the
comics. Godzilla #17 published by Marvel back in the swinging 1970s to be more
precise. Now, I don’t have a copy of the actual issue, but the black and
white Essential Godzilla trade will do in a pinch…
Mmm…
trees…
By the
way, Godzilla didn’t eat the cattle. And that makes sense because
according to the image above, Godzilla is apparently also part radioactive
cow. Who knew? I know it boggles my mind, but
that’s not saying much.
Speaking
of mind boggling, leafing through a copy of the Godzilla: Past, Present, Future
trade by Dark Horse made me realize something else. Godzilla is also capable of
magic tricks once in a while. What
the heck am I talking about? Scroll
down and find out.
See, some intergalactic hunters have pegged Godzilla for their latest
hunt. As you’ll note by the big panel above, they’ve tried shooting
Godzilla full of gigantic arrows.
Now that Godzilla’s down they’re going to drop the net on him
and… what the heck happened to the arrows???
They were there a second ago… I didn’t blink or anything, but
now they’ve disappeared? How’d the Big G do it?
And now the arrows have returned! I don’t know about you, but I
think that’s one amazing bit of magic!
I’d give a standing ovation, but, you know, it’s a comic
book. Who claps to a comic book? That’s just weird.
So there you have it, a few interesting bits featuring everyone’s favorite radioactive monster after his triumphant return to comics thanks to IDW publishing. I wonder if they’ll incorporate any of these traits into the new series. Personally, I can’t wait for the story arc that features Godzilla in a giant magician’s black top hat while drinking down a fruit smoothie every other panel. That, my friends, would be an instant classic.
Take
care until next time…
RENK!