‘Godzilla Vs. Spider-Man’ Review: Retro Destruction & Symbiote Fun

My favorite era of Spider-Man… heck, my favorite era of Marvel is the 80s-90s symbiote Spider-Man arc followed by the popular solo story that Venom got as an anti-hero afterwards. When I heard Godzilla was going to go up against Spider-Man in the big GODZILLA/MARVEL crossover I didn’t think much of it, until I found out that it was the symbiote suit Spidey specifically that the King of the Monsters would face off against.

This comic opens directly after 1985’s Secret Wars ends, and Spidey is finally getting back to street level crime fighting after being off-world for so long. The writing is lovably corny and feels just like those retro Spider-Man comics. The quips are great and the comic establishes where Peter is in life during this comic, perfect for making someone care about him even as a newcomer! We get some references to the wider marvel universe as well (Eddie Brock gets a mention!), and it cements that these Godzilla crossovers are all connected, as the events of Godzilla vs Hulk are specifically called out by Spider-Man himself. 

Eventually (like three pages in), Godzilla shows up! Peter’s whole day shifts and he goes on distraction patrol. Godzilla is so perfectly characterized here in this book, and interestingly, is specifically referred to as “it” like Toho prefers. The characterization is strong with an intensive willpower, pure rage, and even a little bit of a softer side that shows up at the end. Godzilla isn’t just a wall of terror, but an actual character in this book, and you feel for him when things get crazy, and boy do things get crazy! I won’t spoil anything, but this comic had one of my absolute most wanted things ever happen and I cannot get over how happy I am with this. The ending is an amazing tease for more that I hope gets payoff in later installments of the big crossover! 

Overall, Godzilla vs Spider-Man is a wonderful time that harkens back to the 80s for both Godzilla and Spidey. This comic feels like it was written in that time period and the context it provides for that era is delivered in such a fun and unique way, with the usual asterisks and side notes that those comics came with. If you like Spider-Man, Venom or Godzilla I think this is worth a read. It’s nothing groundbreaking; it’s just a fun little trek into old school street level Marvel, but with Godzilla involved! If that’s an era of Marvel you love, you will have a great time with this read.