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Godzilla: The Half-Century War #1 Review
By Dan Horn
August 9, 2012 - 13:19
When it came to artist/writer James Stokoe on one of IDW's Godzilla
titles, the real question from me was, is Stokoe Stokoe without gronches
and orcs? Simply put, yes. While his dalliance with a property a bit
more mainstream than his
Orc Stain series may seem tamer, it's because
we've all been incredibly spoiled by Stokoe's ultra-detailed, wildly
subversive, and mind-numbingly vibrant artwork in the past. Anyone new
to Stokoe's art here is going to experience something absolutely
revelatory despite strictures in content. James Stokoe is an artistic
genius in any venue it seems. He doesn't simply wear his manga and
graffiti influences on his sleeves; he melds the two into something
wholly, aesthetically unique. The result, in terms of his debut issue of
Godzilla: The Half Century War, is just brilliant.
James Stokoe's Godzilla: The Half-Century War #1 recalls the first
encounter the series' protagonist, Ota Murakami, a lieutenant in Japan's defense
forces, had with the giant reptilian beast known as Godzilla and the
lasting psychological impression that confrontation has left on Ota. The
brush itself with the titular creature is action-packed and exciting,
but this issue also lays a substantial amount of backstory which keeps
its reader invested in the plot.
In some small part, the book misses the mark, though. As Godzilla rampages
through Tokyo, never do you get the feeling that the monster is
destroying homes or taking lives; it simply seems as though he's
obliterating beautifully rendered set pieces. It doesn't quite capture
the starkness of the original Gojira film, which was haunting in it's
metaphorical depiction of nuclear devastation. Instead, Stokoe's
Godzilla is more of an homage to the less sober Japanese monster flicks
that followed (even a supporting character humorously emulates the most
ridiculous of Japanese film antics). Stokoe presents Godzilla as a force
of nature, but focuses almost solely on the instantaneous physical
destruction that force affects, and not the anguish left in its wake.
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Stokoe's Godzilla does succeed in evincing the sheer magnitude and
awesomeness of the monster, however, and that awe really becomes the axle
upon which the main character pivots. The obsession this character
embodies becomes the saving grace of the The Half-Century War #1's
script. While most of the issue hinges on edge-of-the-seat mayhem, Ota's
idee fixe becomes the humanity at its center, and his Ahab-like
preoccupation with the monster creates an engaging dimension to Half-Century War that supersedes any of the book's previous shortcomings.
Godzilla: The Half-Century War #1 proves to be a worthwhile monster
story that becomes a standout when considered for its artistic
achievements. Stokoe's got me hooked again.
Rating: 8.5 /10
Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12