The first issue of James Stokoe’s “Godzilla: Half Century War” got a lot of love, and it’s not hard to see why. Stokoe’s detailed and immersive art — honed within the eye-searing pages of “Orc Stain” — could not fit this subject any better, and his fresh and concise writing brought unexpected energy into an old franchise. But there’s yet another nifty challenge to this series: each issue takes place about ten years after the last (this is a half-century war we’re talking about), and that’s a lot of story-time for one man to bridge. For all his sheer talent, does Stokoe manage the leap?
Written and Illustrated by James Stokoe
The year is 1967 and Godzilla is on the move… to Vietnam!
With a war underway, Godzilla is the last thing the country needs. Lieutenant Murakami follows Godzilla to try out some new tech on the monster, but a super-sized foe named Anguirus might just be the most effective counter-measure.
It’s a rumble in the jungle, don’t miss it!
So: it’s 1967, thirteen years after the last issue’s events. Godzilla’s torn up Tokyo a fair number of times, and Lieutenant Ota Murakami, most experienced soldier in the AMF (that stands for Anti-Megalosaurus Force) is starting to feel like he can predict Godzilla’s movements. But then the big scaly guy makes a beeline for Hanoi, Vietnam (which already has a war to worry about) and things get really, really messy, not least because it turns out Vietnam’s got its own radiation dinosaur. Do I even need to tell you that there’s an epic monster fight?
We didn’t learn a lot about Ota last issue besides the fact that he had a hunger for adventure and was good at thinking on his feet, but by the beginning of this issue he’s achieved badass status for sure. Possessing a better knowledge of Godzilla’s habits than anyone (as well as a neato vest emblazoned “Monster Masher”), he’s moved past his original terror in face of the beast and is handling the big guy well. Unfortunately, that’s about it for character development, and despite the circumstances it’s a bit troubling that he hasn’t exhibited the least sign of guilt yet. I’m sure this is the kind of thing Stokoe is saving for future issues (I can’t be the only reader out there who feels a little bad for Godzilla), but a regretful remark or two before he gives the order to go for the eyes wouldn’t have gone amiss.
Ota’s goofy comrade Kentaro, meanwhile, seems to have been set up as a foil to the main character but doesn’t get a lot to do in this issue. Again, he feels like something Stokoe might be keeping in reserve, although it’s not clear for what as of yet.
This said, I’m sure most people don’t pick up a Godzilla comic for believable character development, and in every other category this issue hits the mark like a weaponized maser. The action is well-paced and as mentioned it all leads up to one hell of a monster fight. The gap in story-time between issues, meanwhile, barely makes itself felt; one of the advantages of making Ota a flatter character is that we don’t have a heck of a lot to catch up on in regards to him. He gets us up to speed in terms of the plot by means of a couple of captions and we’re ready to go, no muss no fuss.
As for the art, I don’t think I even need to tell you that it’s incredible and amazing. Stokoe shows an obsessive attention to detail, rendering every single tree, ridge, scale and spike with precision. This is part of what makes Stokoe’s Godzilla such a gorgeous beast: all the detail lends him a magnificent presence at the same time as flattening him out, making him seem hyperreal and out-of-this-world. Give him a largish panel to himself and he’s nothing short of magnificent; give him another monster to fight and you’ve got one overwhelmingly awesome action scene.
Stokoe’s human beings, while stylized, are pretty neat in themselves; covered in band-aids, smoking, wearing clothes with nifty patches on ’em and carrying believable gear, Stokoe affords them as much detail as the scenery and makes them just visually arresting. He’s also got a good handle on facial expression and gesture, both of which exhibit a touch of manga influence.
Continued belowIt’s all lit up by the usual blistering array of colours (assisted by Heather Breckel); every scene looks like it’s bathed in the glow of a nuclear blast, which isn’t very far from the truth. Put it all together and you’ve got one of the best-looking comics on the shelves today, with brilliant page after brilliant page setting out this fresh, if slightly superficial, take on the Godzilla tale.
And so, while we may still be waiting for the thematic weight of this story to show up, the sheer gorgeousness of Stokoe art is making the wait a thrill. The fast pace and economical storytelling, meanwhile, are both working to the series’ advantage, zipping us through this old chestnut of a story in a way that makes it feel new. This is definitely a series to see through to the end.
Final Verdict: 8.9 — Buy
