Godzilla #11: A Stunning Yet Shaky Issue

The standout of this issue is the art by Hendry Prasetya and the colors by Francesco Segala. Prasetya and Segala make these kaiju look incredible. In particular, Godzilla himself is drawn as a terrifying mass of raw power. Prasetya’s linework makes the titular kaiju look unnatural and uncanny: like something that shouldn’t exist. There’s a scene in this story where Godzilla’s atomic breath is shown; Segala’s colorwork makes this scene so visually striking that readers will remember it long after closing the book. 

Surprisingly, a strength of this series is its characters. While nobody reads a Godzilla comic for a human subplot, author Tim Seeley gives these characters backstories that readers will find interesting. General Onishi, Dr. Chiba, and Jacen are uniquely designed characters with clearly outlined goals and motivations. Seely understands that the human characters don’t need to outshine the monsters in the book; rather, the human characters serve to make the reader care when the monsters do show up. 

The plot itself is just alright. At times, it gets a bit murky and difficult to follow. While the plot isn’t bad by any means, the issue is very predictable. A character is introduced to the plot, and an observant reader will immediately know this character’s motivations, removing any sense of intrigue or mystery. Expectations aren’t subverted; instead, they’re met. The story is visually ambitious, but the story itself prevents this issue from being the standout this series is capable of producing.