Godzilla may be 71 years old, but the world’s greatest giant lizard is still making really big moves. As we told you last month, IDW is launching a new era for Godzilla, referred to as Kai-Sei, that’s set to begin later this summer. Beat that, Mothra.
The Kai-Sei “campaign” kicks off with three all-new titles:
- From the duo of writer Tim Seeley and artist Nikola Čižmešija, Godzilla #1 takes place after the Kai-Sei energy source has “awakened Godzilla and a host of immortal kaiju.” With America the only nation willing to still fight off the King of Monsters, they employ Jacen, a youngster who can “harness the mysterious Kai-Sei in the same vein” as Godzilla and will either “save the world…or bring about its doom.”
- Meanwhile, writers Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan have joined up with artist Pablo Tunica for Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone #1,. Here, the world thinks the Deadzone (a walled-off section of the Pacific Northwest devastated by Godzilla) is lost forever. However, a mysterious “half kaiju, half man” creature may be the key to the harrowing truth of the Deadzone.
- And, lastly, Chris Gooch and Oliver Ono take our large lizard off Earth with Starship Godzilla #1. The story follows a “crew of misfits [embarking] on high-risk, high-reward, kaiju-based missions with a secret that could impact the whole universe.” More than that, though, the story will “bridge the gap between the various alien races” of the “Toho canon.”
To get a better idea of Godzilla’s exciting new era and all three launch titles, we caught up recently with IDW editor Jake Williams via email. There, we discussed the goals of Kai-Sei, the tone and themes of each title, the ins and outs of crafting a shared universe, and why Godzilla is having a cultural moment right now, among other topics and tidbits.
Godzilla hits shelves on July 23 (FOC is Monday, June 9); Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone breaks free on August 6 (FOC is Monday, June 30); and Starship Godzilla blasts off on October 1 (FOC is Monday, August 25).
Designs by Nikola Čižmešija. Courtesy of IDW.
AIPT: What ideas or sentiments rest at the heart of this Kai-Sei Era? Is it about accessibility, redefining Godzilla in 2025, bringing people back into the Godzilla fold, etc.?
Jake Williams: The Kai-Sei Era is about building a new universe for Godzilla that plays to the strengths of the comic book medium. When you translate Godzilla to a comic book page, you lose some of the spectacle and grandeur of going to the movies —but you gain so much when you use the medium correctly.
Everyone goes to see a new Godzilla movie, but typically the comics (as was the case for most licensed comics for years) were viewed as material for only the most diehard of fans. The Kai-Sei Era aims to change that by telling wildly original Godzilla stories that you can’t get anywhere else–that are, at the end of the day, simply really good comics.
AIPT: How does this shared universe differ from what folks might already know about Godzilla? Is it daunting to tackle such a massive figure like this (literally and figuratively) and give them new life or a new direction somehow?
JW: Our universe differs from most Godzilla stories by taking place about 70-years after a typical Godzilla film. Godzilla movies generally feature a fairly standard version of our world having its first (or first few) interactions with kaiju. The world of the Kai-Sei Era has been entirely shaped by these encounters with kaiju over the decades. They have different technology, a different geopolitical situation, and, well…humans that have been physically altered by these interactions.
I don’t find this endeavor daunting for two reasons: 1) I deeply trust the creators I put on these titles, and they’re already delivering exceptional stories and 2) Everything we’re doing is a natural progression for the character.
Cover by Nikola Čižmešija. Courtesy of IDW.
AIPT: There’s three core titles leading the way: Godzilla #1, Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone #1, and Starship Godzilla #1. Briefly enough, what can we expect from each in terms of their feel/vibes, aesthetics, end goals, storylines, etc.?
JW: The Godzilla ongoing series is all about the American G-Force attempting to eradicate Godzilla. It’s a unique blend of a modern American superhero comic (like the original Ultimates) and a shonen fight comic (like My Hero Academia). It’s a thriller that’s going to twist and turn in all sorts of crazy directions.
Escape the Deadzone is our take on a wandering ronin story. It has the vibes of Lone Wolf and Cub, Sweet Tooth, Mad Max, and Over the Garden Wall. It also surprised me by being really damn funny. I think it’s our most early Vertigo-esque title. This book gets very, very weird.
Starship Godzilla feels like renting an ’80s space anime from the video store. You’re definitely gonna pick up on some Cowboy Bebop, some Firefly, stories of that nature. But it’s unique in that every planet they visit is going to be shaped by their interactions with kaiju in one way or another. I like to say this one starts off as Star Trek, with our characters having various episodic stories across the galaxy, but becomes Star Wars as they get involved in a galactic power struggle.
AIPT: What was your own relationship to Godzilla like before this, and what pillars or ideas do you try to maintain in “architecting” this universe?
JW: I would describe myself as having the standard relationship with Godzilla. That is to say, I, like most of the world, went out to see every new Godzilla film — but didn’t really check out the backlog of films, or dive into the world of Godzilla in other media.
Cover by Pablo Tunica. Courtesy of IDW.
It was important to us to maintain the original idea that Godzilla is a reckoning for humanity. A monster born out of humankind’s inability to stop meddling with the natural order, and going to war with one another.
After diving into the Godzilla canon, I found myself really loving the Heisei Era. Those films strike a great balance between keeping Godzilla monstrous, while allowing the world to be fantastical in key ways. We’re going to take that ball and run with it.
AIPT: The recent slate of films have helped a ton, but I also think Godzilla is just having a moment right now. Why is the big guy seemingly even more massive than ever?
JW: Not to make this too much of a bummer, but Godzilla is a product of global unrest. Born in the Cold War, when tensions were high, Godzilla was a way to give a face to the unexplainable and terrifying new weapons the nations of the world were pointing at each other. Looking at where we’re at right now, it’s hard not to see certain parallels.
But, to shine a more fun light on it, Godzilla works really well when it feels real, and advances in technology have paved the way for some really incredible Godzilla films. The Monsterverse and Godzilla: Minus One are both incredible technological displays that force the viewer to really consider what it would be like if such a creature existed. It’s no wonder those films have sparked a new wave of kaiju fandom and imagination.
Cover by Oliver Ono. Courtesy of IDW.
AIPT: What other tidbits or things can we expect for the future of this universe? Ultimately, where would you like to see Kai-Sei Godzilla go?
JW: I want the ongoing to run for 100-plus issues, and I want each new arc to feel as shocking and innovative as our launch does. But our ability to do so is going to come down to sales, so if readers want to see hundreds of incredible kaiju comics — they have to call their local shops and pre-order!
I don’t want to spoil anything — but I have visions of terrifying new forms that Kai-Sei Godzilla can take, horrific new kaiju to enter the fray, and next level mutations for Jacen (our protagonist, the boy with the fire of Godzilla) and the other characters.
AIPT: Is there anything else we should know about Godzilla, this universe, kaiju, IDW, etc.?
JW: The TMNT relaunch and the Kai-Sei Era are the quality of books you can expect from IDW moving forward. We’re in the business of taking big creative swings with incredible artists.
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