Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #1
- Writer:
- Frank Tieri
- Artist:
- Inaki Miranda
- Letterer:
- Nathan Widick
- Cover Artist:
- Inaki Miranda
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2023-06-21
- Colorist:
- Eva De La Cruz
The world is a dangerous place, and nowhere is this more evident than the uncharted territories where none but kaiju dare to lurk. Godzilla began as an allegory for the atomic bomb, and over time, the titan has become synonymous with catastrophes, both man-made and natural. While most portrayals of these mammoth monsters have almost always been in the modern age, IDW Publishing's latest endeavor takes place in the Age of Discovery, a time of pirates and explorers. Written by Frank Tieri with artwork from Inaki Miranda and Eva de la Cruz and lettering from Jamie S. Rich and Zac Boone, Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #1 is a rum-infused tale of lost gold, and of course, Godzilla.
Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #1 goes back to the year 1357, almost two centuries prior to the main event of the book. The Sao Vicente sets sail for France with its hull overflowing with treasure. As fate would have it, pirates led by Martin Yanes attacked the ship, seizing its bountiful bounty. Yanes turns paranoid and braves the high seas to arrive at Monster Island. Centuries later, English explorer Francis Drake set out to find this lost treasure with a brave crew. But no sooner had they reached Monster Island than they looked up at the face of their doom: Godzilla.
In the old days, when the world still had pockets of unexplored areas, cartographers would write "here be dragons" in Latin to warn seafarers. Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #1 opens with one such warning from the narrator, "one-eyed" Henry Hull, who takes the readers for a ride through rising tides and gunpowder. From the get-go, writer Frank Tieri steeps the book in one exposition after another. Astoundingly, it is also the best aspect of the book, as the stakes keep escalating with each new adventure. The speech patterns of the characters give away their social status, a detail that makes their interactions feel genuine. Tieri keeps the suspense going, leaving behind clues to something sinister, while he patiently builds the story to stand on its own legs.
From the taste of salt in the seawater to the whiff of gunpowder in the air, Inaki Miranda's illustrations are immersive to the point that the reader becomes an inevitable part of the storytelling. His attention to detail makes the panels sway with the sea waves and captures Godzilla in his gigantic stature, bound to cause a shake in the knees. Colorist Eva de la Cruz's colors adapt to each situation in the book. If it is a scene in the gallows, the colors turn dark and create a somber atmosphere. Otherwise, her bright tones reflect the sun on the water and leave behind a shimmering aftereffect. Meanwhile, letterers Rich and Boone tackle plenty of dialogues, mostly narration, that roll with the pages, hyping up the king of the monsters.
Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #1 is, first and foremost, a tale of exploration and adventure. It starts with the search for pirate booty and soon devolves into bedlam once Godzilla rears his head from the ocean floor. The romanticism of the rain and storm, cannon fire and sword clashes fall short in front of the magnificence of the great beast.
As legendary figures from history become a vital part of the storytelling process, so do the kaiju, each of whom personifies the terrifying uncharted waters on the world map. Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #1 ends on a cliffhanger, further stroking the fires of intrigue as fans wait for the next issue to continue with the story.