Monday, July 22, 2024

Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong Issue #1 Review

  

This is a "spoiler filled" review. I finished reading the comic, "Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong" and I want to talk about it. It was a seven issue series that crossed over the DC universe with the Godzilla Universe (Monsterverse?), and that's cool. I believe that this is one of those stories that falls into the category of an "elseworlds" story. If that term is even still being used. It refers to a story that exists independently of the regular comic book universe continuity and it just being told for fun. I like that. All comics should just be told for fun.

  
  

The story starts with Clark and Lois on the top of the Daily Planet building in Metropolis enjoying a romantic dinner. It is pretty clear that Clark is about to propose. (Establishing this as a story with its own continuity, because I am pretty sure Clark and Lois are already married in the established continuity. I may be wrong here. I have not read comic books regularly for many years. So, I may be out of touch.) Anyway, the pending proposal is cut short by the sudden appearance of Godzilla rising up out of Metropolis Bay.

  
  

Flashback to the Justice League answering an alarm call from the Fortress of Solitude. Supergirl is filling in for Supes because Clark informed all of his Justice League friends about his plans for the evening and asked that he not get interrupted. Supergirl and the League go to the Fortress to investigate the cause of the disturbance. It's the Legion of Doom. (Geeker joy! Yay!) They have broken into the Fortress to steal the device known as the Mother Box. The Mother Box is able to teleport anyone anywhere in the multiverse. Luthor wants to use it to banish the Justice League to the Phantom Zone.

  
  

The plan is messed up because Toyman sees something shiny that he wants and, in grabbing it, he sets off the alarm. It doesn't take long for the good guys to arrive and a battle to ensue. The battle ends in the Legion of Doom accidentally sending themselves gosh knows where courtesy of the aforementioned Mother Box. The Legion of Doom finds itself on Monster Island home of King Kong (or just Kong now?) and any number of other giant monsters.

  
  

There's a great moment in here where Grodd first sees Kong. Using the Legion of Doom for this story was genius. The group of villains argue and scheme and point fingers, mostly at Toyman whom they blame for their current predicament.

  
  

The Toyman in the meantime is not taking the abuse very well. He does try to spin the events to his advantage by pointing out that these monsters that they have discovered would make wonderful toys and fantastic tools to use against the Justice League. Unfortunately for Toyman, no one wants to listen to his ideas. On the other hand, remember that "shiny" that Toyman stole from the Fortress? It's something called a "Dreamstone" and has the power to grant wishes.

  
  

Toyman wishes the Legion of Doom and all the monsters of the Monsterverse back to their home dimension without actually meaning to. At least, I don't think he knew of the power that he had. He just thought that the stone was shiny, and wishing on it was dumb luck. That all feels like a bit of a stretch, and maybe the story would have been more believable if all of these events had just been part of Luthor's plan from the start. Anyway. that doesn't matter because now the stage is set for the next six issues of superhero vs giant monster mayhem. Which brings us up to date and back to Clark and Lois' date. That's how issue #1 ends.

  
  

PROS:

  • The Legion of Doom!
  • Grodd's reaction to Kong!
  • The engaging and witty story by Brian Buccellato!
  • The gorgeous art by Christian Duce!

CONS:

  • All the coincidences required for the set up are a bit much. If this had all just been a well executed evil plan, I would have found it more believable.

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