After an exceptional opening chapter, Godzilla: Rage Across Time continues with a new era in history and a different creative team. Is it good?
Godzilla: Rage Across Time #2 (IDW Publishing)
Observations
- Oof. Now I remember why Greek mythology would sometimes get on my nerves. The gods are colossal douchebags.
- Except Aphrodite, of course. She’s always been cool (relatively speaking).
- Zeus should probably know not to send his version of Aquaman to fix anything.
- FINALLY! Some kaiju fighting action!
- …or not.
- Doesn’t matter which 3-headed monster he’s facing; Big G always wins.
- Hmmmm…
Now shut up and go fetch another barrel of Axe Body Spray!
Is It Good?
While I appreciate how writers Chris Mowry and Kahlil Schweitzer nail the bickering and social dynamic of Greek Gods, it made for a frustrating read.
Except for a few gorgeous pages of action (drawn by Tadd Galusha), the narrative is suffocated by Zeus. Much of the narrative is simply him ranting to the others like a petulant child. When the action scenes do finally come, they’re still overshadowed by even more celestial sniping that happens on top of it.
It’s actually a very smart framework from a meta point of view. That Gods were notoriously self-centered and oblivious to the point of their own destruction. Unfortunately, it also makes Godzilla: Rage Across Time #2 a chore to read.
All that being said, I did really like the way Mowry/Schweitzer tied in one of history’s greatest natural disasters into the story. And the last page of the issue is poster-worthy. I wasn’t familiar with Galusha’s previous work, but I’d love to see more of it—especially on this franchise.
But overall, this issue is a steep drop in quality from the last one. Let’s hope next month’s trip to the middle ages provides a bit less monologuing and a lot more Godzilla.
Like what we do here at AIPT? Consider supporting us and independent comics journalism by becoming a patron today! In addition to our sincere thanks, you can browse AIPT ad-free, gain access to our vibrant Discord community of patrons and staff members, get trade paperbacks sent to your house every month, and a lot more. Click the button below to get started!
