2025 is a big year for Godzilla in the world of comics. He’s getting a new line of series at IDW with the Kai-Sei era, challenging nearly every hero in the Marvel Universe, and now Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2 #1 once again pits the King of the Monsters and his frenemy Kong against the DC Universe. But this time, there’s a twist; not willing to see the world fall to the Titans, Amanda Waller deploys the Suicide Squad to try and take care of Godzilla before he strikes again. This draws the attention of the Justice League, who teleports to Skull Island – and encounters a raging Kong!
It should be noted that it takes a little time for Godzilla and Kong to appear; this issue feels a bit more on the DC side. That’s not a knock on Brian Buccellato, who sets up plot points with surprising speed. In a matter of minutes, we get the Squad’s confrontation against Godzilla and the League’s travel to Skull Island. The fact that another scene focuses on the Flash’s wedding is fitting; like the Fastest Man Alive, Buccellato moves with great speed and great purpose.
This leads to a surprising appearance from a character in the Monsterverse, who doesn’t just fit the story but enhances it with their presence. I know that the human characters tend to be hit and miss, but thankfully Buccellato went with a hit. It also begs the question: will we see more of the Monsterverse in this crossover? Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong saw a criss-cross between dimensions so maybe that’ll escalate in future issues.
DC
Returning for art duties is Christian Duce, who gets the chance to draw even more of the DC Universe. In particular, his take on the Suicide Squad is a nice mix of current DC and New 52 aesthetics, and members. Black Manta’s obsidian armor is a nice contrast to Cheetah’s light brown fur, while Harley Quinn and Peacemaker are hard to miss due to the vibrant red in their outfits. Luis Guerrero deserves credit for his use of colors, too. He uses dim green lighting to highlight the grim conditions of Belle Reve, which is a stark contrast to the lush vegetation of Skull Island and the pristine conditions of the wedding scene.
Duce also makes sure Godzilla and Kong feel like the Titans they are, dedicating a full page to their appearance – and the appropriately massive scale it takes to capture them. But that’s not the coolest part. The coolest part comes when King Shark gets a transformation that turns him into a Kaiju, making him feral; his fins multiply and his teeth grow to the size of airplane wings. It’s only topped by a modification Batman makes to the Batplane, but that would be a spoiler.
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2 #1 is a solid start to another battle between Titans, heroes and antiheroes, with more than a few twists to keep things interesting. If you want more Godzilla in your comics, pick this one up.
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