Godzilla: Rulers of Earth Issue 13 Review | Godzilla Island Archive

Note: This review was first published on Godzilla Island in 2014. The views and information may have changed or be out of date.

This issue kicks off on Monster Island, four years after the events of issue #12. We learn there hasn’t been a Godzilla sighting in all that time. Monster Island is now a full Kaiju sanctuary, running surprisingly well with only a few incidents. Zilla has been spotted off the shore, but hasn’t yet made the island his home.

Meanwhile, the world’s governments have lost interest in funding Kaiju research. Believing Godzilla to be dead, they’ve cut off the Monster Island program—choosing instead to spend those funds elsewhere. But as one unlucky seal hunter in the Arctic discovers, they were wrong. Godzilla lives.

The story then shifts to the introduction of a new defense plan: cheaper, mass-produced Mechagodzillas. The new model resembles the classic Showa Mechagodzilla design, and during a demonstration, it disguises itself as Godzilla—just like in the 1974 film Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. When Anguirus appears, Mechagodzilla makes short work of him, forcing the spiky kaiju to retreat. The demonstration ends with the creators urging every government to purchase their own Mechagodzilla unit.

This issue marks the start of a brand-new story arc, which is awesome news for longtime readers. I love seeing my favorite Mechagodzilla design return, and the whole Monster Island sanctuary setup feels like a perfect nod to Destroy All Monsters. There’s even a fun reference to Rodan feeding on a whale! The Anguirus vs. Mechagodzilla battle is pure Showa nostalgia.

I can’t wait to see where this Mechagodzilla storyline goes—imagine an army of them facing off against Godzilla and the Kaiju of Monster Island! If you haven’t checked this series out yet, you can request Godzilla: Rulers of Earth at your local comic shop or pre-order it from TFAW.