Godzilla: Rulers of Earth!

I try to keep any and all non-toy-related content to a medium around here, but this was just too important.* IDW is rebooting its ongoing Godzilla comicbook for the third time, and this time, they’re taking the fans’ advice to heart by assembling a fan-favorite team of creators.

San Diego, CA (March 13, 2013) – Following Duane Swierczynski and Simon Gane‘s run on Godzilla, the fan-favorite creative team of writer Chris Mowry and artist Matt Frank have returned with a new ongoing series kicking off this June, GODZILLA^®: RULERS OF EARTH! In the wake of humanity’s war on Godzilla, a host of new monsters will rise up, determined to stake claim on mankind’s greatest asset… the Earth itself!

“While we had a lot of fun with the Godzilla^®: Legends series, they were just single issues,” said series writer Chris Mowry. “What we’re doing with this series is giving readers that same focus on monsters that Legends had, while telling stories set in IDW’s established Godzilla universe. Readers can look forward to the return of some of our human cast and the introduction of a number of new ones, but the monster roster is larger than it has ever been, using nearly all of Toho’s film creations to give readers battles never before seen. Many of these monsters having never appeared in the comic book/manga medium, so who better to change that but monster artist extraordinaire, Matt Frank?”

“Whether it be Moguera, Biollante, or Gorosaurus, every Toho fanatic has their own favorite monster,” said series Editor Bobby Curnow. “Now it’s time to see these kaiju in action, and RULERS OF EARTH won’t fail to deliver the goods. It’s been a blast to watch Chris and Matt bring their passion to the page.”

In RULERS OF EARTH, the entire world is opened up to the flying, stomping, smashing terror that can only come from the gnashing fangs, slashing claws, and otherworldly powers of destruction that these giant monsters wield. What will Godzilla do when he’s suddenly not the only giant lizard in our small pond?

The only way to find out is to pick up the gargantuan thrills of GODZILLA^®: RULERS OF EARTH when issue #1 crushes comic shops everywhere this June! Not only will RULERS OF EARTH be sporting covers by series artist Matt Frank, but Godzilla fanatics will also be able to find smashing covers byBob Eggleton and comics legend Arthur Adams!

GODZILLA^®: RULERS OF EARTH #1 (FC, 32 pages, $3.99). In stores 6/19/13

Chris Mowry wrote Godzilla: Legends #4, which featured a three-way battle between Godzilla, Mechagodzilla and Hedorah (the Smog Monster). It also featured this incredibly badass piece of art from E.J. Su. Godzilla: Legends #4 is my second-favorite issue of any Godzilla comic, and I have high hopes for Chris Mowry’s storytelling.

As you’ll recall, I interviewed Matt Frank just a few months back. I’m guessing this gig may be his dream job. I love his art and can’t wait to see what he does with the series.

The problem is, neither Mowry nor Frank are big names in comics (yet). As editor Bobby Curnow notes,

First off, Godzilla fans seem PSYCHED and that’s great to hear. We’ll need your enthusiasm, and support. Here’s why:

Chris and Matt are well-respected (beloved???) in G-fan circles. But here’s an important thing: they are virtual unknowns in the greater comic book community. If you’re a comic book shop owner, (i.e., the person responsible for ORDERING comics) you’re probably not going to recognize their names. Every other Godzilla book has been helmed by established comics pros. So this book is going to be a big unknown, and a gamble for many of the people ordering the books. So how well it will do is in question.

That’s the main reason you haven’t seen longer stories from Chris and Matt before now. In terms of sales, it’s a very risky proposition. I’ve spent the better part of a year trying to convince folks here at IDW that they can pull it off. And I sincerely believe they WILL. This book is going to be tons of fun.

But here’s the thing: We’ll need YOUR support like never before. This is a Godzilla book by fans, for fans. It will be up to you guys to support this book. It’s really important that you tell your local comic book shop directly to ORDER THIS book! Tell them specifically that YOU want to buy a copy (or three!). Spread the word to anyone you know who digs Godzilla— or just fun monster stories in general. We’ll provide ordering codes as time goes on, but for right now, just spreading the word is VERY important!

It’s awesome that everyone is excited, you SHOULD be! But at the same time, don’t take this book for granted. Don’t assume your comic book shop will have it! This series will last as long as the numbers support it. It’s in the readers hands!

Okay, that’s it! Can’t wait to get the book in your hands!

Who will Godzilla’s first foe be in the new series? None other than “Zilla,” better known as the American Godzilla from the 1998 disaster. Yes, you’ll get to see the real Godzilla trounce that tuna-eating, Shere Khan-chinned wussy.

So if you’re at all a Godzilla fan, or if you’re a comic collector and don’t mind doing your ol’ pal Poe a solid, ask your local comic shop to save you a copy of Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #1. I think (hope) you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

* Important in a relative sense, of course. In non-hyperbolic terms, most things in the world are more important than the continued success of a comicbook based on a monster movie from the 1950s. Though there are a few things that are less important, like celebrity gossip, and 90% of all Twitter content.