Review — ‘Godzilla Vs Avengers’ Shows Why Godzilla Is King Of Monsters

Written by David F. Walker, with art by Georges Jeanty, inks by Karl Story, color work by Frank D’armata, and letters by VS’ Cory Petit, this is one of the many one shots Marvel has been putting out as part of their ‘Godzilla Vs.’ one-shot series in collaboration with Toho.

In this offering the New Avengers show up in Astoria, Oregon of all places, where Fin-Fang-Foom is throwing down with Godzilla with little to no consideration for the countless millions in collateral damage being done.

“Why is the dragon who wears purple pants mixing it up with the King of Monsters?” you may ask.

Well, it’s because Fin-Fang-Foom declared that he was “King of Monsters” and, like some kind of fever dream I manifested, the actual King of Monsters shows up to put whatever pretender to the throne in their place.

It’s pure delight for me. I sit and watch Godzilla movies and any time someone (military, monster, or man) does something that would in any way cause Godzilla’s rule to come into question, I say loudly to anyone listening… or honestly sometimes to just myself, “Godzilla won’t like that.”

This issue feels like an extension of my inner voice made manifest with a running joke about why Jet Jaguar does not look like a Jet or a Jaguar. It’s just fun!

This issue feels like someone writing snappy voice-over dialog in the style of America’s Funniest Home Videos and placing them over someone playing with giant plastic toys in a bathtub being pitted against each other before bedtime. This issue is pure fan service and I feel better for having read it.

There is a point in this issue where Godzilla just rips the arm off Jet Jaguar and then beats Fin-Fang-Foom with it. He then picks up Jet Jaguar and beats Fin-Fang-Foom with Jet Jaguar’s entire body before just kind of tossing him away and wandering off because he feels like he has put Fin-Fang-Foom in his place.

We have a lot of closed-door conversations in the bullpen about places where comics have lost their way or we feel like they may be farming much tilled soil for very little fresh growth. I can say without a doubt that Godzilla Vs Avengers is the kind of thing that would have me pick up a floppy in store and rave to anyone who will listen that this is pure comic book fun.

It’s also a book where the Avengers do pretty much nothing to move the plot along. Oh, they for sure save some people and reduce collateral damage, but more than anything they serve as exposition to the fight between Fin-Fang-Foom and Godzilla. When they actually try to use their various abilities on the King of Monsters, none of it seems to even register to Godzilla as his focus is putting Fin-Fang-Foom in his place.

In something that could have been the result of a fever dream, and in truth something I’m sure I’ve ranted about at the table with Brendan and Cullen on Happy Hour, Godzilla fights, wins, and then he just up and leaves.

It’s amazing. The book ends with Fin-Fang-Foom locked up by S.H.I.E.L.D., The Avengers heading off after getting a few more jokes in, and Maria Hill left sitting holding Jet Jaguar’s head and cussing with a “Well #%&@.”

It’s honestly the most fun I have had reading a Marvel book since Godzilla Vs. Hulk, another absolute joy ride of a comic.

If you want something serious, leave this book alone. If you want unhinged comic fun where Godzilla wanders about kicking the hell out of things and then stomps off to deal with some other random thing happening somewhere else in the world this is exactly the kind of book you are looking for.