Godzilla is the King of Monsters and has been starring in awesome comics for decades. We’ve been getting a lot of cool Godzilla books from IDW, including the excellent new series Godzilla vs. America, which was four issues taking Japan’s most beloved kaiju across the United States. Of course, there was more fun to have in seeing ‘Zilla trashing America and there’s one state that could, perhaps, challenge the monster: Texas. Well, IDW decided to go for broke and show what happens when the king goes up against Texans in Godzilla vs America: Texas #1. This 46-page one-shot includes four stories from some of the greats of the indie comics scene – Devin Kraft, Joe Eisma, Matt Frank, and Josh Lucas – and is some of the most fun you can have with a comic.
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While this isn’t going to get confused for one of the greatest Godzilla stories ever, it has everything you could love from a story starring Japan’s most allegorical monster in a state that is known for being over the top and arrogant. If you buy into the myth of Texas, then this comic may not be for you. However, if you’re willing to see the world’s biggest lizard used to mock (and appreciate) some of the state’s most well-known exports, then you’ve come to the right place.
Rating: 5 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
| Each story is pitch perfect Godzilla storytelling, using the monster to point out what’s great and not so great about Texas | |
| Gorgeous indie-style art captures just the right tone for each story and gives readers some excellent visuals | |
| The book is both a love letter to Texas as well as not being shy about calling out the state |
Godzilla in Texas Is a Match Made in Heaven
Godzilla has always had more nuance than some fans realize, especially in the modern day. The entire point of the monster was to take the suffering caused by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and give it a physical form. There was an instant depth to the character, one that often has been lost on American audiences who don’t dig into the character’s history; to us, he’s just a fun monster that fights other monsters. Using Godzilla as a form of protest has always been one of the most valid uses for the character and in 2026 in the United States, there’s a lot to protest about, especially in Texas.
The book’s first two stories do that. It opens with a story about an Alex Jones-alike trying to deny the existence of this massive monster destroying his state. It openly lampoons the conservative idea of “alternative facts”, mocking those conspiracy theorists who ignore the evidence of their eyes and come up with a boogeyman to scare people into agreeing with them. The next story talks about the oil industry in Texas and ends with two very wealthy tycoons getting their just desserts. These two stories are obviously political, which is honestly a big part of the point of Godzilla. The last two stories are more light-hearted – the third sees him battle Tex-Mech in Dallas, a massive cowboy robot, in a fun fight story and the last is a love letter to old school Austin, Texas before it became so corporate. It all fits together seamlessly, though, which is part of what makes this such a great read.
Sensational Art Makes Each Story Pop
Godzilla starting out as a movie gave fans a certain expectation of what a Godzila story should look like and comics can’t always reach that level. Not every Godzilla comic looks great, but this one’s visuals sing almost as loudly as the writing does. Each story has a slightly different style, and each of them works for the tones of the various stories (the review copy I read didn’t have a credit page, so I don’t really know who did what, other than Josh Lucas doing the last story).
For my money, the first and the last stories have my favorite art. The art in these stories has the most detail and character, with the Godzilla of the first story looking especially good. The character acting carries the art of the first story, and the last story really captures the love of old Austin that Lucas has. The middle two stories are very different from the others stylistically – the first and last story look more “superhero comic” and the middle two look more “indie comic” – with a more cartoony style to them. However, even with that, the art in these two stories perfectly captures the tone of each one. I love Tex-Mech forever now because of this comic.
Godzilla vs America: Texas #1 honestly had no right to be as fun as it was. The four stories do a fantastic job of reminding readers of the good and bad of the Lonestar State, all while delivering the kind of Godzilla action that fans of the monster love. Right now, there are a lot of Godzilla to choose from, but you won’t go wrong giving this one a chance; it’s the most fun you can have on a Wednesday.
Godzilla vs. America: Texas #1 is on sale now.
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