For decades, Godzilla has been Japan’s problem, terrorizing Tokyo across various movies and stories. But that doesn’t mean the world’s most famous kaiju hasn’t graced other cities with his massive presences and in the Godzilla Vs. America anthology from IDW, the United States is his latest destination with the first issue, Godzilla Vs. Chicago, bringing ‘Zilla to the Windy City. The issue features four different stories, each offering their own take on what would happen if Godzilla decided to pop by for some deep dish — or, rather, some mayhem. While most of the stories have more of a humorous tone than one might expect for a Godzilla story, they each operate as less a Godzilla adventure and more a loving ode to Chicago and the people who call the city home, offering not only a new spin on the kaiju, but delivering a bit of fun in the process.
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The first story, “Godzilla Does Chicago” from Mike Costa with art by Ryan Browne, might be the funniest of the set. It follows a “fan man” named Fangoolie (a nod to Svengoolie) who goes from hero to villain after his antics accidentally causes the Chicago Bears to lose a major game — and any Bears fan will tell you, that right there is a real tragedy. A social pariah, Fangoolie concocts a scheme to use the city’s Mechagodzilla to get back into the city’s good graces but it all goes awry when Godzilla himself shows up. It’s a hilarious turn of events with Godzilla ending up the real hero of the story that, at its heart, celebrates the city and its passionate citizens.
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The second story, “Blue Line Sign” from Tim Seeley, is romance with Godzilla playing unlikely matchmaker when his surprise attack on the city leads a woman obsessed with signs and finding the “right” moment to finally make her move — and save the day, too. Godzilla takes a supporting role in the fourth story as well, “Godzilla Versus Chicago” by Caroline Cash. That story sees a woman step up as Chicago’s hero when an energy drink turns her into a giant just in time to defend Chicago from the kaiju. They’re both good stuff. It’s the third story, however, that may actually be the most interesting. “Chi Godzilla” by Ezra C. Daniels is less about Godzilla and more about the people. In the story, a politician attempts to capitalize on an impending Godzilla arrival by offering his ward up as a sacrifice — so he can quietly profit from selling to developers after. But his plan is foiled and Godzilla ends up unwittingly being a helper of the common man when a clever redirect sees the rich get their comeuppance, kaiju-style.
While the four stories in Godzilla Vs. America: Chicago #1 may not be exactly what Godzilla fans expect from the kaiju, it’s a lot of fun to see him arrive on our shores and fill various roles — most of them heroic, if not destructive — through the eyes of different creators. By making each story very rooted in the culture of Chicago, the issue sets a strong tone for the next installments so it will be very interesting to see how things play out when Godzilla attacks Los Angeles and Boston next. it all makes for a must-read for Godzilla fans — and maybe even just Chicago fans, too.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Published by IDW
On February 26, 2025
Written by Mike Costa, Tim Seeley, Ezra C. Daniels, and Caroline Cash
Art by Ryan Browne, Tim Seeley, Ezra C. Daniels, and Caroline Cash
Colors by Ryan Brown, Kevin Knipsten, and Heather Beckel
Letters by Brian Kolek
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