Godzilla Rulers of Earth Issue #1 Review | Godzilla Island Archive

Note: This review was originally written back in 2013. Since then, Godzilla: Rulers of Earth went on to become the longest-running Godzilla comic series—and to this day, it remains my favorite comic series I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. I hope you enjoy this throwback review and see how I felt all those years ago experiencing Rulers of Earth for the first time.

I just finished reading Godzilla: Rulers of Earth Issue 1, and I have to say—I’m very impressed. Just look at the cover art, it’s absolutely badass! The artwork throughout is fantastic, full of little Easter eggs for fans, and it really sets the tone for what feels like a promising series.

This is actually the first Godzilla comic series I’ve read in full. I did own a few of the really old issues years ago, but I don’t remember much about them. This first issue, though, gives me high hopes for the run.

The story kicks off with a submarine detecting something massive on its radar, heading toward Hawaii at incredible speed. At first, they suspect it’s Godzilla—but quickly dismiss the idea, since it’s moving way too fast. Meanwhile, in the Grand Canyon, Gigan rises from underground, only to be confronted by Kumonga. The battle is fierce, and while Kumonga puts up a good fight, he’s ultimately crippled, allowing Gigan to escape.

Behind it all, we catch a glimpse of a mysterious alien race controlling Gigan—and hinting that they may have other monsters under their command.

The scene then shifts to a conference on the state of kaiju activity worldwide. But chaos erupts when Zilla attacks the city. Just as things are about to turn grim, Godzilla himself appears and blasts Zilla back, reminding everyone who the true King of the Monsters is.

(I’ll stop here to avoid spoiling too much, but that’s the general outline of the issue.)

Here are some easter eggs for the longtime fans, there are some fun Easter eggs tucked in:

• A toy model of the Gotengo (the super-submarine from Atragon).

• A Heisei Mechagodzilla Model as well

• A hotel room numbered 1954—a clear nod to the year the original Godzilla movie was released.

  
  

Overall, this first issue was a blast to read. I highly recommend picking it up and supporting the series. While reviews and fan reactions have been great, the sales unfortunately haven’t reflected the quality. If numbers don’t improve, Rulers of Earth could end as early as Issue 4 or 5.

Monsters That Appeared This Issue:

• Anguirus

• Battra

• Gigan

• Godzilla

• Hedorah

• Kumonga

• Mothra

• Rodan

• SpaceGodzilla

• Titanosaurus

• Zilla