Given that Los Angeles continues to grapple with the real-life destruction caused by the LA Fires, there are a lot of ways IDW’s upcoming anthology comic Godzilla Vs. America: Los Angeles could have gone wrong. Thankfully, instead, it gets everything right and serves as a celebration of what makes LA great as a city — not mere disaster porn that would thrive off the devastation of a city. And also thankfully — and laudably — the publisher has earmarked 100% of the proceeds of the book to benefit the Binc Foundation, a charity that is assisting LA comic and book stores impacted by the fires.
The issue, a follow-up to the recent sold-out Godzilla Vs. America: Chicago, includes stories by Gabriel Hardman, Jordan Morris & Nicole Goux, Dave Baker, and J. Gonzo. The first three were provided for review by IDW before the issue’s final order cutoff, and they run the gamut from an intense tale of the King of the Monsters attacking LA, to fascinatingly dense alt-history exploration of the LA subway.
What each of the teams smartly does is keep things focused on the people, not the monster. Like a lot of foreign tourists, the massive Kaiju is just visiting LA, so Hardman’s story instead includes the on-the-ground responders, specifically the press, who keep track of disasters in the LA area. It’s a powerfully told and drawn story that starts the anthology on a serious note that, while not specifically addressing the LA Fires, definitely calls to mind the terror and panic that ensued, and how it was partially offset by frequent distribution of information.
With the elephant in the room out of the way, the rest of the anthology is an absolute delight. Morris and Goux deliver a pun-filled tale that touches on both the cheesiness of the Universal Studios Hollywood tour and the vapid draw of Hollywood. And Baker’s tale is, as mentioned, a deliciously dense exploration of one of LA’s most frequently forgotten modes of transportation.
Overall, whether you’re a fan of Godzilla, or just want to throw a couple of bucks Binc’s way, this is another winner of a comic from IDW. Usually, you don’t want Godzilla to visit your city. In the case of this comic, we’re glad he did.
Godzilla Vs. America: Los Angeles hits FOC (Final Order Cutoff) today, March 24, 2025. The book hits stores on April 30, 2025.
Godzilla Vs. America: Los Angeles Rating:
Godzilla Vs. America: Los Angeles Official Synopsis:
Is the city of angels ready for a God… zilla?
Fresh off Godzilla’s destructive stop in Chicago, the King of the Monsters is headed for Hollywood! Join a superstar team of Los Angeles–based comics creators for four incredible stories all set in the filmmaking capital of the world. A terrified film crew does everything they can to trick our favorite kaiju, residents use a guide to LA’s transit system to escape the monsters’ attack, and much, much more in the second installment of Godzilla vs. America!
This issue includes stories by Gabriel Hardman (Green Lantern: Earth One, Batman: The Brave and the Bold), J. Gonzo (Image Comics’ La Mano del Destino, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Dave Baker (Mary Tyler Moorehawk, TMNT: Black, White & Green), and more!
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