REVIEW: Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong 2 #1
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2 #1 continues the blockbuster Monsterverse/DC Comics crossover series that fans enjoyed. Fans on both sides have spoken, and they want more of the crazy action that a crossover like this can result in. They were wise to have spoken because Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2 #1 gets done what the first three issues of the first series managed to do and then some.
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong artist Christian Duce returns for the sequel starting with the front cover. The Trinity of DC holding strong against the duality of the Monsterverse. Colors are by Luis Guerrero and the dark red hue is a great signature tone.
Fan of Dan Mora will rejoice with his variant cover. We get the Suicide Squad and the monster cast of 2019’s Godzilla King of The Monsters – King Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra. Their appearances here bode extremely well since they did appear in the prequel. Mora absolutely nails their designs as well as a solid Suicide Squad roster inspired by the films.
You can never have enough Superman vs. Godzilla covers and Kevin Maguire gets it with his variant. You have everything that makes them great – Superman looking defiant but much smaller compared to Godzilla with his red juxtaposing to his atomic blue.
Several more variants are available from Alan Quah, Gabriel Hardman, John Giang, and Carlos D’Anda.
It’s been a year since the Titan incursion on the DC Universe orchestrated by the Legion of Doom and Lex Luthor, and wedding bells are ringing. But it’s not Clark and Lois’, it’s Barry and Iris’! While the Justice League celebrates, Amanda Waller has not been happy. The Titan threat manages to scare here even more than metahumans. She assembles the Suicide Squad as she starts her own quest to develop Titans of her own to defend against the new threat.
The Suicide Squad goes after the imprisoned Lex Luthor for the technology that brought the Titans here in the first place – an interdimensional portal. Combine that with Enchantress’ magic, then Waller has a rudimentary way of creating her own Titans. The Justice League intervene just as the Suicide Squad activates the machine and transforms King Shark into a vicious Titan, but the machine displaces the League on the Monsterverse Earth at Skull Island and once again brings Godzilla to DC’s Earth, giving what could be the fight of King Shark’s life. At the same time, something else is brewing within the Suicide Squad that even Waller didn’t see coming.
Brian Buccellato resumes his story set in a younger DC Universe where it looks like some of our heroes are beginning to embrace their love lives – first Superman and then The Flash. There is some allusion to Green Arrow and Black Canary being next. It’s all very charming and as a Flash writer, Buccellato had to love it. With the Legion of Doom out of commission, that leaves Task Force X as the next DC antagonist. Meanwhile, the Monsterverse seems be set between Godzilla vs. King and New Empire. Still, there are some monster cameos from the newer movie. Superman and Lois do get some good page time after so much build up in the last story, but the focus may be on The Flash for this story. Letters are by Tyle Smith.
Artist Christian Duce and colourist Luis Guerrero returns to illustrate world crossing action with an incredible Godzilla vs. King Shark scene that was teased. Fans had no idea that it would happen this early in the story, but it’s a very welcome and speedier start to the series than the prequel offered. His Justice League sequences feel like a Valentine’s Day special with The Flash’ wedding as the backdrop. The Suicide Squad naturally adds a more political thriller aspect to the story – something that the kaiju genre could use more of. Heroes that weren’t featured as heavily in the last one also get more time in the spotlight like Green Arrow and Black Canary. Godzilla fans also will rejoice as the King of the Monsters comes out swinging with no ifs, ands, or buts.
(8/10) Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2 #1 kicks off the sequel to a blockbuster series with a suicide mission of a Titan battle and a speedy return to Legendary Earth. Though much more titans seem abound in this adventure.
