Between the Fly, Blue Devil, and this; 1986 was a great year for practical special effects.

I don't think I loved this issue at first glance, but it might be winning me over. From 1986, The Thing #31, "Devil Dinosaur: the Movie!" Written by Mike Carlin, breakdowns by Ron Wilson, finishes by Kim DeMulder.

The Thing's sparring match with bald wrassler/copyright infringer Mr. Clean gets broken up, by an official from the National Safety Commission, who seems like an officious toad but has a point: Ben gets thrown into what would have been the crowd, and probably would've taken out several spectators. Still, the official says there's a workaround; a transparent shell, that they can set up in two weeks; which means Ben might have some time off. Troublingly, Ben has a dizzy spell, while taking some razzing from young Vance Astro (prior to his New Warriors days) as he packs to go visit Sharon Ventura, who was filming a movie out in the Pacific. Even Ben isn't sure what their relationship was, but she is happy to see him, and had several friends, so how bad could it be? Although, he might change his tune, when a dinosaur suddenly appears!

Ben punches out "Devil Dinosaur," and immediately realizes his error: it was a special effect for the movie! Ben is contrite, but Sharon is the one to get yelled at: although the FX guy claims it's like fifty grand worth of work, she brushes it off as a few hours work, whatever. Still, maybe Ben didn't have to leap into action for every little thing...The next day, Sharon is suited up ala "Moon Girl," and picked up by prop pterodactyls; and Ben rushes to save her from a fall--ruining a shot, as she would've hit a hidden airbag. Pouting on the beach, Sharon visits him to let him know it was okay, but Ben is momentarily distracted by something out in the water. Nah, couldn't be!

Later, the sets are mysteriously leveled, forcing the crew to pull an all-nighter to rebuild them: Ben thinks that should maybe be looked into, but his help isn't exactly welcome. The next day, as Sharon prepares for a shot, Ben sequesters himself in a trailer, hits the fridge, and resolves to ignore whatever was going on. Not even Godzilla himself was going to get him out there--hey, wait a minute! This was the Doctor Demonicus mutated Godzilla, that showed up a few times after his Marvel series. While Sharon and the other actresses flee, the FX guy sacrifices Devil, sending him by remote to interrupt the attacking not-Zilla, who loses interest and heads back into the ocean after smashing his foe. Regardless, the producers call it: they were pulling out, and they'll sell the footage to Ripley's to recoup their losses.

Sharon initially tells Ben it was nothing, but has to admit yeah, that was not business as usual today. Still, she isn't quite ready to start seeing Ben; which isn't surprising, since he brought up his fantasy girl Tarianna. "You look exactly like my fantasy girl" is a red flag, Ben!

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I need revenge on these mammoth forces of nature; so I'd better start with the smallest, cutest one.

Kinda like if Moby Dick had a couple chapters on trout fishing, working its way up to all that whaling jazz. From 2012, Godzilla #2, "Giant Monsters Are the Disease" Written by Duane Swierczynski, art by Simon Gane. 

The monsters have returned, and are up to their usual antics: this issue opens with a tattooed hipster in Pittsburgh getting some great pix before getting buried in rubble by Godzilla. A border patrol agent texts (while driving!) the need to deport Kumonga back to Mexico, although I'm pretty sure it wasn't a native there; and Edinburgh is getting smashed by Anguirus. Maybe these monsters hate burghs?

But after taking a second personal loss to Godzilla, former British Special Forces soldier Boxer has decided to not take this lying down, even if it means disregarding orders, laws, social mores...He's put together a crew of specialists, all of whom have lost somebody to the monsters, and stolen a ton of weapons both mundane and exotic. Boxer may not be entirely on the side of the angels, as he does make a call to the local government to extort seven billion pounds, although that could be start-up money for his Godzilla-killing enterprise. Anguirus doesn't just roll over either, though; knocking over their armored truck, and setting up next issue's fight...

I like Anguirus circa Destroy All Monsters, where he's like Godzilla's pal, brave and loyal. Was this the first Godzilla comic I've read with other monsters from the movies, as opposed to new homemade ones? Maybe!

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Hmm, I was just going to mention having the Essential Godzilla collection, but after looking up that price I almost think I saw it somewhere recently and should run out and grab it! In the meantime, let's check out a single issue: from 1978, Godzilla #13, "The Mega-Monsters From Beyond! Part II: Triax" Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Fred Kida.

In Japanese giant robot cartoons of the time, it was traditional as all get out for kids to pilot them; yet when that happens with Red Ronin and Rob Takiguchi in the Marvel universe, it feels like neglect somehow. Rob was too young to be a New Mutant or a Robin, though, maybe that's it. This month, as he and Ronin face a monster called Triax, Godzilla suddenly is teleported in, by aliens who want Big G to stop the giant monsters of their enemies, the Megans. Outside of Salt Lake City (which may or may not be drawn with any reference, I've never been there!) the Megans tag in two more monsters, Rhiahn and Krollar, with orders to destroy earth's champions and the city.

The alien Betans and Megans both wanted earth as a strategic point against the other, but have we seen the Megans before? Sort of? In green instead of red, and under the name "Meegan Alien," they would get an action figure in the 1997 Silver Surfer line! Somewhat inexplicably. Anyway, the Megans were going to use a booster, that would kill their monsters, but give them enough power to crush Zilla and Ronin; the Betans were going to be forced to expose their secret moon base to try and stop them.

Back on earth, Dum Dum Dugan takes charge of the defense forces, somewhat hindered since he doesn't want to open fire with Rob in harm's way. Jimmy Woo relays a message from Nick Fury, about the Betans' moon base, advising them to keep that secret; while Dum Dum wonders how he could be expected to keep (waves arms around) all this secret. The Betans launch a ship to stop the Megans, and damage it, but are themselves damaged and crash into their moon base, breaching the atmosphere dome. Before exploding, the Megans fire their booster ray, but it may not have been needed: under the advise of their telepathic master, Krollar uses his "anterior bio-blade" to decapitate Red Ronin. (Rob wasn't just Red Ronin's pilot, he considered the robot a friend, which explains the somewhat melodramatic "Noooooo!") It's down to Godzilla, against three juiced-up mega-monsters...to be continued!

More than a few plates spinning here, plotwise; hopefully Godzilla gets down to it next issue. If you can find the original, this also features the old Clark Bar Superhero Sweepstakes three-page ad, with Spidey, Cap, the Hulk, the Thing...and Red Sonja? Was she basically Marvel's biggest female lead at the time? Maybe. Conan also appears in the subscription ad; I do love when they--and Godzilla, among others--were de facto Marvel characters. Read more!

"The End" Week: Godzilla #24!

We've seen licensed titles like Star Trek here before, books based on properties that could be relaunched any number of times--and not just in comics. I've long since lost track of how many times Godzilla has had his own comic book, but here's one of the earliest: from 1979, Godzilla #24, "And Lo, A Child Shall Lead Them" Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Dan Green.

Over the course of his two-year run, Godzilla had fought various giant mega-monsters, the colossal mecha Red Ronin, the forces of S.H.I.E.L.D. led by Dum Dum Dugan, gotten shrunk by Pym particles, traveled in time to meet Devil Dinosaur, and only recently returned to the present and his normal size. So it's somewhat understandable that Big G is going to town on New York City, with the Fantastic Four and Avengers trying to minimize the damage and stop the rampage. The collected heroes are reluctant to kill Godzilla, although Thor wonders if the monster won't force the issue, as he fights to keep Godzilla from toppling the Empire State Building!

Young Rob Takiguchi, grandson of the inventor of Red Ronin, and playing the young boy role so prevalent in Godzilla (or Gamera!) movies; convinces Godzilla to leave. Although heartbroken to see his "friend" go, Rob turns a full-blown disaster into a mere skirmish. Spidey makes a brief appearance before the end, managing to get at least one pic for Jolly Jonah Jameson.

Not unlike other licensed titles like ROM or Master of Kung-Fu or the Micronauts, even with the license lapsing, some characters would still find a home in the Marvel Universe. Red Ronin is probably best known for his appearance in Avengers #198-199. The monster-making villain Dr. Demonicus would go on to another licensed book written by Doug Moench, Shogun Warriors, before facing Iron Man and the West Coast Avengers. In fact, it's implied that Demonicus captured and mutated Godzilla into an almost-unrecognizable form, that may still be kicking around the Marvel Universe to this day...!
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