In the coming year, monsters (well, one in particular) will be making the rounds in the largest comics companies around!
Fans paying attention probably recognize that DC recently wrapped up their first Justice League Vs. Godzilla Vs. Kong event, and a second one is going to start in December 2025.
Not to be outdone, the House of Ideas recently announced Godzilla Vs. Marvel, a six-issue series of one-shots taking place in different time periods. This event will begin in March of 2025.
No, it doesn’t look like the two events will cross over. Not in the current climate, anyway.
Here is a portion of the book’s description:
“THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY BEGINS IN GODZILLA VS. FANTASTIC FOUR! Hitting stands this March, Ryan North and John Romita Jr.’s GODZILLA VS. FANTASTIC FOUR #1 is the first of six one-shots where Marvel heroes battle the King of the Monsters across different eras! Last year, Marvel Comics and Toho International, the Japanese studio’s U.S.-based subsidiary that has brought global sensation Godzilla to life, began an exciting new collaboration that resulted in a hit Godzilla variant cover program and long-awaited reprints and collections of Godzilla’s original Marvel comic series.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time Godzilla graced the pages of Marvel Comics. “The 1970s Godzilla: Killing of the Monsters series by Marvel was 100% out-of-control comic book fun!” said Editor Mark Paaniccia. “Anything went! The creative teams approached these one-shots with that same wildly imaginative spirit, and I guarantee you’ll see things you never thought possible with Godzilla OR Marvel! Ryan North and Johnny Romita Jr. are a dream team in GODZILLA VS. FANTASTIC FOUR, depicting the kind of senses-shattering battle you’d expect when characters from Marvel and Toho collide!”
Marvel icons like the FF, Spider-Man, Hulk, the X-Men, and Thor will apparently face off against what is often called “the king of monsters!” Creators involved with these books include Ryan North, John Romita Jr., Jason Aaron, Fabian Nicieza, Joe Kelly, Gerry Duggan, Aaron Kuder, and Guiseppe Camincoli. It sounds like long-time Godzilla foe King Ghidorah will arrive on the Earth, and he’s got the Power Cosmic as Galactus’ latest herald. The FF team up with the Silver Surfer to try and stop the world’s destruction.
Of course, the word is that Marvel has been negotiating with Toho International, the owners of Godzilla’s rights, for quite a while. In fact, they have been working on reprinting older Marvel/Toho books in the coming months.
It does intrigue me that Toho has apparently had the ability to do what few others have accomplished… having both Marvel and DC create comics featuring the “King of Monsters” at almost the exact same time. What a big deal!
Now, I did read the first Justice League series meeting Godzilla and Kong, and I really enjoyed it. I’m already looking forward to the follow-up books.
The question that nags at me is: Will fans be okay with buying the monsters when they appear in comics from both companies… at the same time? Monsters used to be big business in the comics industry, with many issues focusing on humans desperately trying not to get squashed by the big guys! There are several fans I know who still love Fin Fang Foom, one of Marvel’s dragon-like aliens. Put him on a cover, and those guys all will be sure to buy that issue!
With Marvel and DC working together to re-release the Amalgam event recently, I can’t help but wonder if that might have cracked the door open just a bit between the two companies. I have always enjoyed it when those two actually work together. I realize that the relations between them is frigid at best, but could Godzilla bump into both Marvel and DC characters at the same time? Or will the frosty relationship between the two end up being nothing more than a competition between them, making them try to see who can sell the most comics with Godzilla in them. (Based on current sales numbers, it looks like the House of Ideas would win that battle.)
On the other hand, if you are Toho and want to get the most bang for your buck, if you can get the two to lower their shields enough to attract fans of both stripes, well, you could get a lot of attention and hopefully big sales as a result.
What if Spider-Man joined Batman to fight Godzilla and Kong?
Hey, I’d buy it!
Then, too, if Godzilla returns to the big screen around that time, it could really mean big business for everyone involved. That wouldn’t be a bad thing for everybody, frankly!
Naturally, the way to make these people even begin to consider making something like this happen is to buy every issue featuring the King of Monsters with both Marvel and DC. The smell of working cash registers can overcome a lot of hard feelings!
What do you think? Are you more interested in Godzilla appearing in Marvel or DC? Or are you a monster fan that only cares that he gets time in the limelight? Are there other monsters, like the aforementioned Fin Fang Foom, who should make an appearance with Kong and Godzilla? Feel free to share your opinions below! I hope you are wrapping up a happy holiday season!
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Wayne Hall creates the Wayne's Comics Podcast. He’s interviewed Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, John Layman, Kyle Higgins, Phil Hester, Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray, David Petersen, Christos Gage, Mike Grell, and Matt Kindt. On this site each week, he writes his "Comics Portal" column (general comics comments and previews) and reviews comics.