The showdown between the World’s Finest and the Titans of the MonsterVerse is here, and packs some fun surprises, great action, and leaves us off with a cliffhanger for the ages. After a great tease at San Diego Comic-Con by writer Brian Buccellato, kaiju fans finally get to see the rematch between Superman and Godzilla that they’ve been clamoring for, and it truly delivers in every regard and more, while still honoring the powerset and abilities of both beloved characters. Power-scalers will definitely have a
field day with this battle, but at the end of the day, it’s still incredibly entertaining.
In Issue 4, we spend the most time with the Justice League, led by Superman and Green Lantern, as they attempt to meet Kong and get him on their side, to no avail. Their plans are then thrown more out the window when Godzilla shows up, looking to pick another fight with the Man of Tomorrow. After brutally beating up Superman, Godzilla’s about to take him out, but the rest of the League arrives in time to inject him with Titan serum, turning him into a gigantic, monstrous version of the Man of Steel. Can this kaiju-ized Superman defeat the King of the Monsters? Guess you’ll have to find out.
MONSTERVERSE ©Legendary
Godzilla TM & ©Toho Co., Ltd.
The book delivers phenomenally on what kaiju fans have come to expect from the premise of such a crossover – the pure, unrelenting action. Each punch laid out by Superman or Godzilla is felt with great weight as their duel splashes across multiple pages. The art by Christian Duce is grandiose, epic, and stylish, with some of the small details making this book even better, such as Superman’s changed appearance in his Titan form. Even the more mundane moments, such as Mister Terrific discussing the climactic battle and actively seeking a solution to help Superman, is drawn dynamically and with weight.
Brian Buccellato’s writing is also a highlight, with each character’s personalities being honored faithfully and with great respect. Despite their ill-fated interaction in the predecessor series, Superman still attempts to communicate with Godzilla and get the creature to reason with him, which is the most Superman thing ever. Mister Terrific and Batman speaking back and forth is phenomenally written, with their technical jargon not losing readers one bit. Of course, this issue focuses primarily on the action, but the small character beats are still present and are appreciated greatly.
Overall, for those fans looking for a great rematch between the Man of Steel and Godzilla, you’re going to get that here and be very satisfied. The book is packing lots of action, an intense, visceral battle, and showcases why these metahumans are in trouble when the King of the Monsters makes landfall. It’s got less story to tell than previous issues and spends far less time developing any characters, but we’re in the middle of the climax, so focusing primarily on the fight scenes is exactly what this book needs. Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong II Issue #4 absolutely follows through on said action, providing a showdown that will be talked about for years to come, and is a must read for any fan of either franchise looking for an epic showdown between Gods and Monsters.
Overall Score: 8/10
‘Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong II’ Issue #4 delivers exactly what we want – a
rematch between the Man of Steel and Godzilla – providing readers with a visceral,
brutal, and heavy-hitting clash for the ages.
