Following the events of Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe, Gerry Duggan and Javier Garron return to their story this week in Godzilla: Infinity Roar. The giant lizard story has moved off Earth and into space, as Knull has taken charge of the monster to help take over the universe. With the stakes even higher and Marvel’s new go-to for villainy in Knull taking center stage, can this series outdo the last?
Godzilla: Infinity Roar #1 is a decent setup for all the players in this five-issue miniseries. The story opens in the Galactic Senate, which wants to get rid of Earth due to its contribution of Godzilla to the universe. This sets the stage for an informative look at what Godzilla is up to now, serving as a kind of atom bomb for Knull. Unable to truly control the lizard, Knull sends it to planets covered in symbiotes so as to conquer entire planets. A fairly smart plan, even if Godzilla is unaware he’s being used.
The first planet attacked is the capital city of the intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, a heavy hitter in the universe. With the attack taking up the first half of the issue, Duggan makes it clear that Knull’s plan is effective and formidable. That includes an ineffective attack from Black Bolt, further showing even the most powerful of superheroes can’t stop Knull’s plan.
Godzilla is being used like a atom bomb.
Credit: Marvel
The second half of the issue adequately sets up other players in this grand battle, from the Avengers to the Guardians of the Galaxy. Asgard and the Fantastic Four are also established, though both don’t have a lot to do. The Guardians end up having a bigger role in this issue, with a direct assault on Knull’s ship. Given the power levels of Knull, it seems a bit foolish that this ragtag team even thought they had a chance here, making their assault anticlimactic.
Joining Garron on art is Ig Guara, who keeps up with Garron for the most part. The Guardians attack scene is a little uninteresting to follow, but it is effective in making Knull scary and ultra-powerful. Meanwhile, Garron delivers on the big blockbuster bits of this story, like Godzilla taking out the Wakandan planet, and in the closing pages, setting up a supervillain with Kirby gadgetry and a good sense of scale.
Godzilla: Infinity Roar #1 does exactly what a first issue needs to do by establishing stakes, defining the threat, and lining up the pieces for something much bigger. Gerry Duggan frames Knull as an unstoppable cosmic force by turning Godzilla into a living superweapon, while Garron’s art sells the destruction on a massive scale. While the issue leans heavily on setup and occasionally spreads itself too thin, the foundations are solid enough to promise a more explosive payoff as the miniseries unfolds.
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