Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors #1 is published by IDW Publishing, written by Erik Burnham, art by Dan Schoening, colors by Luis Antonio Delgado, and letters by Nathan Widick. When an energy company releases an exciting new power source that they claim will fix humanity’s energy concerns and be better for the environment it seems too good to be true. And it is. Not only does this new power cause harmful reactions to some key elements of the sea’s ecosystem, but it also captures the attention of Godzilla. And Godzilla doesn’t like what he sees.
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This introductory issue tells its story through a unique style. And while I think writer Burnham does a fantastic job of recreating the style and speech patterns of the chosen narrator, that narrator comes across as grating and obnoxious. You see, Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors #1 is told in the form of a 12-year-old’s METOOB(YouTube) video. And it is not the most pleasant way to get a story across.
Our host through this issue, young Cedric Nishimura, guides readers through this story in an extremely authentic fashion. Everything from a random off-the-cuff delivery that forces Cedric to start over, random rants about geography tests, to ending the issue with a reminder to like and subscribe to make sure you catch his next post are used to make the character’s voice sound authentic. Though happily, he does fall just short of unironically telling me to “smash that bell”.
While the above paragraph may make me sound like the old man yelling at a cloud, this live streamer-styled presentation hurts the book’s narrative far more than helps it. At least to the level of authenticity, it is taken to. To have the kid delivering the tale with maybe about half the realism this book delivers would’ve gotten the point across without all the annoyance. Art can do a remarkable job of imitating life, just sometimes it really shouldn’t.
Beyond the choice of narrator Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors #1 delivers a solid beginning to its story. It introduces the concepts of the science used in the story clearly, as well as letting the reader get to know the various characters the story will revolve around. And of course, we get to see the big guy cause some havoc.
The art delivers the story’s visual in a bright fun way that keeps the excitement of Godzilla’s opening rampage solidly in the PG spectrum. Bright primary colors further augment the push to keep the book light-hearted, even as the end implies ominous things to come.
Rounding out this book’s presentation is the lettering. The letters here are placed well, allowing the reader to follow along with the story without any difficulty.
So, when I take it all together Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors #1 does a good job of presenting its premise through its accurately depicted narrator. Whether or not this book’s simple, but fun presentation will work for you rests largely on whether or not this voice is one you want delivering a story to you.
Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors #1 is available now wherever comics are sold.
Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors #1
TL;DR
So, when I take it all together Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors #1 does a good job of presenting its premise through its accurately depicted narrator. Whether or not this book’s simple, but fun presentation will work for you rests largely on whether or not this voice is one you want delivering a story to you.
