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IDW's Godzilla
Godzilla: The Half Century War
Introducing a new and exciting look at Godzilla's reign of destruction, courtesy of Orc Stain creator James Stokoe! The year is 1954 and Lieutnant Ota Murakami is on hand when Godzilla makes first landfall in Japan. Along with his pal Kentaro, Ota makes a desperate gamble to save lives... and in the process begins an obsession with the King of the Monsters that lasts fifty years!
124 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2013
126 people are currently reading
626 people want to read
About the author
James Stokoe
147 books85 followersJames Stokoe (born September 4, 1985) is a Canadian comic book artist who is known for his work on such titles as Wonton Soup, Orc Stain and Godzilla: The Half-Century War.
Along with Corey Lewis, Brandon Graham and Marley Zarcone, he's a part of a studio/collective called "Yosh Comics".
Along with Corey Lewis, Brandon Graham and Marley Zarcone, he's a part of a studio/collective called "Yosh Comics".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
October 29, 2016
A Japanese soldier called Ota Murakami reminisces on his 50 year relationship with the giant irradiated monster known as Godzilla - the time they went to Paris and Godzy proposed to him in front of the Eiffel Tower, getting their first house together, becoming grandparents… Just kidding! It’s Godzilla fighting one kaiju after another with this dude watching from afar.
Yup, it’s another Godzilla story which is framed by a boring human character because we can’t have Godzilla talking or inner-monologuing ever. Bah. Their first encounter in Japan was entertaining though with Ota in his tank trying to escape Godzilla as he smashed his way through a city. Though Ota’s years-long storyline of chasing a rogue American scientist who’s trying to sell a machine that attracts kaiju didn’t do anything for me.
I think we’re meant to be rooting for Ota in his Moby Dick-esque quest to finally kill Godzilla but James Stokoe didn’t win me over to his mission - I still liked Godzilla more than anyone else here and was cheering him on the most.
As always, Stokoe’s detailed artwork is fan-bloody-tastic - this is the main reason to pick up this comic! He does scale really well so Godzilla’s battles with his awesome rogues gallery - Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah and Mecha-Godzilla, to name a few - look spectacularly epic and the action is really fun. I like the little expressions he gives Godzilla too, showing the intelligence behind the King of the Monsters’ eyes.
I’ve seen a bunch of Godzilla movies and read a couple comics and I think I like the idea of Godzilla more than anything because I’ve never come across a truly amazing story featuring this dude. It’s always the same big monster action and destruction. To that end, though The Half-Century War has a typically shallow narrative, it’s probably one of the better Godzilla comics out there purely for Stokoe’s superb artwork making the kaiju battles look so good. If you’re a fan you’ll enjoy it but anyone else is going to find this very one-note and average at best.
Yup, it’s another Godzilla story which is framed by a boring human character because we can’t have Godzilla talking or inner-monologuing ever. Bah. Their first encounter in Japan was entertaining though with Ota in his tank trying to escape Godzilla as he smashed his way through a city. Though Ota’s years-long storyline of chasing a rogue American scientist who’s trying to sell a machine that attracts kaiju didn’t do anything for me.
I think we’re meant to be rooting for Ota in his Moby Dick-esque quest to finally kill Godzilla but James Stokoe didn’t win me over to his mission - I still liked Godzilla more than anyone else here and was cheering him on the most.
As always, Stokoe’s detailed artwork is fan-bloody-tastic - this is the main reason to pick up this comic! He does scale really well so Godzilla’s battles with his awesome rogues gallery - Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah and Mecha-Godzilla, to name a few - look spectacularly epic and the action is really fun. I like the little expressions he gives Godzilla too, showing the intelligence behind the King of the Monsters’ eyes.
I’ve seen a bunch of Godzilla movies and read a couple comics and I think I like the idea of Godzilla more than anything because I’ve never come across a truly amazing story featuring this dude. It’s always the same big monster action and destruction. To that end, though The Half-Century War has a typically shallow narrative, it’s probably one of the better Godzilla comics out there purely for Stokoe’s superb artwork making the kaiju battles look so good. If you’re a fan you’ll enjoy it but anyone else is going to find this very one-note and average at best.
October 16, 2016
For those who grew up watching monster movies will know that the true purpose of those stories is not how cool or scary the monster can be (although it is a benefit), but what they say about the human condition. The best example would be Japan’s giant atomic-breathing lizard Godzilla (or Gojira), which embodied the country’s fascination with nuclear destruction, given the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since his debut in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing on numerous media including video games, TV shows, etc. Amongst the many stories about the King of the Monsters, this IDW comic by writer/artist James Stokoe ranks as one of the best.
In the year 1954, Lieutenant Ota Murakami and his friend Kentaro are on hand when Godzilla makes his first attack in Japan, thus begins Ota’s obsession with the atomic threat that will last for half a century.
With its title and central premise of one man’s war against an animalistic giant, Stokoe’s story is Moby Dick-inspired and certainly carries Herman Melville’s message of not taking revenge on an animal… no matter how one like Godzilla can bring such death and destruction. Clearly a fan of Toho’s film series, which has been around for five decades, Stokoe uses it as a template for how this human protagonist sees Godzilla as the years go by and the world is always changing.
With each of the five issues depicting a certain decade and what Godzilla represents during each time frame, Stokoe doesn’t delve too deeply into the human politics or indeed the numerous characters that appear – despite an interesting subplot about mad scientists seeking to exploit the many monsters’ reigns of destruction for their own financial gain – the art is what will captivate readers. Reminiscent to the work of Katsuhiro Otomo, Stokoe’s stunning visuals are so highly detailed with large panels displaying Godzilla and his monstrous enemies showing off their destructive capabilities. As the monsters themselves, Gojira fans will get a great kick out of the artistic depictions of fan-favourites such as Mothra and Mechagodzilla.
For most of James Stokoe’s comic, it is Godzilla displaying his role as “King of the Monsters” by destroying everything that stands in his way whether it is man or nature, which is more than enough as this is visual storytelling at its finest.
In the year 1954, Lieutenant Ota Murakami and his friend Kentaro are on hand when Godzilla makes his first attack in Japan, thus begins Ota’s obsession with the atomic threat that will last for half a century.
With its title and central premise of one man’s war against an animalistic giant, Stokoe’s story is Moby Dick-inspired and certainly carries Herman Melville’s message of not taking revenge on an animal… no matter how one like Godzilla can bring such death and destruction. Clearly a fan of Toho’s film series, which has been around for five decades, Stokoe uses it as a template for how this human protagonist sees Godzilla as the years go by and the world is always changing.
With each of the five issues depicting a certain decade and what Godzilla represents during each time frame, Stokoe doesn’t delve too deeply into the human politics or indeed the numerous characters that appear – despite an interesting subplot about mad scientists seeking to exploit the many monsters’ reigns of destruction for their own financial gain – the art is what will captivate readers. Reminiscent to the work of Katsuhiro Otomo, Stokoe’s stunning visuals are so highly detailed with large panels displaying Godzilla and his monstrous enemies showing off their destructive capabilities. As the monsters themselves, Gojira fans will get a great kick out of the artistic depictions of fan-favourites such as Mothra and Mechagodzilla.
For most of James Stokoe’s comic, it is Godzilla displaying his role as “King of the Monsters” by destroying everything that stands in his way whether it is man or nature, which is more than enough as this is visual storytelling at its finest.
January 19, 2016
The hardcover edition of this series is probably a better way to appreciate something that is only appreciable on a ginormous scale, like Godzilla. A loving tribute to the classic Godzilla films, this is not at all like the laughably bad Marvel series back in the 70s where Godzilla met the Fantastic Four and pestered Nick Fury. This is the Godzilla who wrecks cities, who is an unstoppable force of nature that humans foolishly try to stop, yet sometimes winds up being an ally, when other monsters come to Earth.
The protagonist is a young lieutenant in the Japanese Self Defense Force in 1954 when Godzilla first comes ashore and flattens Tokyo. Mostly by virtue of having survived the experience, he is recruited by an American military officer into a new monster-stopping unit (called the Anti-Megalosaurus Force, or AMF).
Each issue (or chapter in the volume) shows our lieutenant getting older as decade after decade, Godzilla returns again and again, to Japan, Vietnam, India, East Africa, and so on, leaving death and destruction in his wake, with the AMF futilely trying to stop him. They field a variety of new superweapons (including Mechagodzilla!), none of which do more than annoy the big guy.
Nearly all the other monsters from decades of Godzilla movies make cameos as well... Hidora, Ghidra, Rhodan, Mothra, all your old favorites. Lt. Murakami gets older and more jaded as unstoppable kaiju continue wrecking the planet, until a final, apocalyptic showdown which is the sort of thing a movie would do nowadays if someone green-lit a Godzilla movie with the budget of the 2014 American version but featuring all the old-school cheesiness of the Showa films.
Great fun for Godzilla fans, but I admit 4 stars is generous; this story is not deep, but it's faithful Godzilla fanboying and the closest I've seen to representing a Godzilla movie on a comics page.
The protagonist is a young lieutenant in the Japanese Self Defense Force in 1954 when Godzilla first comes ashore and flattens Tokyo. Mostly by virtue of having survived the experience, he is recruited by an American military officer into a new monster-stopping unit (called the Anti-Megalosaurus Force, or AMF).
Each issue (or chapter in the volume) shows our lieutenant getting older as decade after decade, Godzilla returns again and again, to Japan, Vietnam, India, East Africa, and so on, leaving death and destruction in his wake, with the AMF futilely trying to stop him. They field a variety of new superweapons (including Mechagodzilla!), none of which do more than annoy the big guy.
Nearly all the other monsters from decades of Godzilla movies make cameos as well... Hidora, Ghidra, Rhodan, Mothra, all your old favorites. Lt. Murakami gets older and more jaded as unstoppable kaiju continue wrecking the planet, until a final, apocalyptic showdown which is the sort of thing a movie would do nowadays if someone green-lit a Godzilla movie with the budget of the 2014 American version but featuring all the old-school cheesiness of the Showa films.
Great fun for Godzilla fans, but I admit 4 stars is generous; this story is not deep, but it's faithful Godzilla fanboying and the closest I've seen to representing a Godzilla movie on a comics page.
February 2, 2016
My biscuit has been sufficiently buttered.
Thank you James Stokoe.
Thank you James Stokoe.
March 19, 2020
I think this is so far my favourite Godzilla comics. There is a completeness to the story which is really nice and refreshing. It is a kind of rise and fall of Godzilla and Ota. I wish I could read this for the first time again!
April 16, 2015
Let's be honest with ourselves here, everyone.
Godzilla movies suck.
No, really, separate yourself from that child who just wanted to see the glory of battling monsters, load up a few on Netflix, and you'll see movies where most of the runtime consists of dubbed Japanese people having bland conversations about Godzilla and his various monster foes and friends. There's never more than about 20 minutes of monster fighting in many of those movies.
This goes along with my childhood irritation with how many "action" shows and movies used to contain very little action. The Hulk was usually only appeared after the last commercial break, He-Man never cut so much as a damn slice of bread with that huge honkin' sword, and the Japanese always spent too damn much time talking about fighting rather than fighting.
The Half Century War represents the Godzilla of my imagination. Every chapter is full of action and massive set-pieces, all framed not around hapless victim, but a guy whose job is entirely Godzilla-related. The man hunts the damn thing. We get to see all the awesome monsters in a context that actually integrates the creatures into the politics and settings of different eras.
But mostly, it's just damn cool, and Stokoe's expressive art style helps sell it. This man loves his subject material, and it shows. It's never more than a few pages between huge monster fights or epic destruction. It's a Godzilla story packed full of actual Godzilla.
Highly recommended for anyone who was once a kid who got angry waiting for a kaiju fight to break out.
Godzilla movies suck.
No, really, separate yourself from that child who just wanted to see the glory of battling monsters, load up a few on Netflix, and you'll see movies where most of the runtime consists of dubbed Japanese people having bland conversations about Godzilla and his various monster foes and friends. There's never more than about 20 minutes of monster fighting in many of those movies.
This goes along with my childhood irritation with how many "action" shows and movies used to contain very little action. The Hulk was usually only appeared after the last commercial break, He-Man never cut so much as a damn slice of bread with that huge honkin' sword, and the Japanese always spent too damn much time talking about fighting rather than fighting.
The Half Century War represents the Godzilla of my imagination. Every chapter is full of action and massive set-pieces, all framed not around hapless victim, but a guy whose job is entirely Godzilla-related. The man hunts the damn thing. We get to see all the awesome monsters in a context that actually integrates the creatures into the politics and settings of different eras.
But mostly, it's just damn cool, and Stokoe's expressive art style helps sell it. This man loves his subject material, and it shows. It's never more than a few pages between huge monster fights or epic destruction. It's a Godzilla story packed full of actual Godzilla.
Highly recommended for anyone who was once a kid who got angry waiting for a kaiju fight to break out.
October 31, 2024
James Stokoe retells the Godzilla story from the perspective of one man tasked with taking down Godzilla over nearly 50 years from his first appearance. There's not a very strong narrative here, there is an antagonist that creates a beacon to attract monsters - and he tries to sell it as a weapon of mass destruction.
April 4, 2022
Godzilla has always been a limited instrument in my opinion. I will say I was surprised at how much I liked the comic. I think the ending is kind of dumb, but overall as a Moby Dick story it's good. The strongest element is the art and colouring. It's an absolutely gorgeous looking comic.
April 5, 2022
Great art.
July 17, 2019
This was part of my daily graphic novel series elsewhere on the internet (it was rec 328). One of the things I intend with this project is to present a breadth of good comics, whether they're necessarily my bag or not. Godzilla: The Half-Century War is a fantastic comic that just doesn't do much for me simply because kaiju don't really interest me. I was a big kaiju head back around 1980, but the affection didn't stick.
But man, if you watched Shin Godzilla or the new American Godzilla movies and loved them, do not sleep on this one. James Stoke draws the hell out of the book and it's got a ton of stuff for fans of the franchise.
The first chapter is an abbreviated retelling of the 1954 film from the perspective of a young soldier (and the book's protagonist), Ota Murakami. Stokoe then follows Ota through the next fifty years as part of a Godzilla task force, which expands its work as more and more kaiju emerge. Rodan, Mothra, Anguirus, Megalon, Hedorah, Ghidrah, and more.
It's a book high on action and visual splendor and feels strongly drawn from some of the high points of the Toho franchise.
But man, if you watched Shin Godzilla or the new American Godzilla movies and loved them, do not sleep on this one. James Stoke draws the hell out of the book and it's got a ton of stuff for fans of the franchise.
The first chapter is an abbreviated retelling of the 1954 film from the perspective of a young soldier (and the book's protagonist), Ota Murakami. Stokoe then follows Ota through the next fifty years as part of a Godzilla task force, which expands its work as more and more kaiju emerge. Rodan, Mothra, Anguirus, Megalon, Hedorah, Ghidrah, and more.
It's a book high on action and visual splendor and feels strongly drawn from some of the high points of the Toho franchise.
July 27, 2025
O traço de James Stokoe é incrível. Realmente ele é hiperdetalhista quando se trata de cenários, veículos e outros apetrechos inanimados. E dos monstros. Quando se trata de seres humanos parece que a arte é de outra pessoa. Neste quadrinho, o autor situa a guerra da humanidade com Godzilla como se tivesse transcorrido em um tempo real desde sua criação, nos anos 1950. Assim, a cada vinte anos, mais ou menos a guerra contra os kaijus acontece num lugar diferente do mundo. Uma boa sacada, mas a evolução da história se assemelha muito com a outra publicação de Godzilla que saiu no Brasil na mesma época pela editora Geektopia e por autores menos "autorais" por assim dizer. Mas para quem leu aquela história antes vai achar que esta é uma repetição e vice-versa. Na minha opinião a outra se saiu melhor porque o ritmo narrativo é mais lento, nesta aqui acontece tudo ao mesmo tempo agora em páginas com poucos quadros ou ainda em splash pages duplas. Isso faz sentido por se tratar de monstros gigantes, mas no final, ela gera pouca ligação com os personagens humanos principais, o que a outra publicação faz melhor.
April 1, 2022
I love the use of colour in this book. The land Godzilla touches becomes purple/orange/red as he bulldozes through causing destruction. The action that occurs in the story and Godzilla itself is so well illustrated. Godzilla's size and intimidation is felt throughout the story.
I also enjoyed the relationship between the main character and the monster. The book is kind of a love story. You see Ota becoming more and more fond of Godzilla. In the end he just wants to get closer to the monster that he's been captivated by over the years. It's like he wants Godzilla to see him.
I also enjoyed the relationship between the main character and the monster. The book is kind of a love story. You see Ota becoming more and more fond of Godzilla. In the end he just wants to get closer to the monster that he's been captivated by over the years. It's like he wants Godzilla to see him.
October 15, 2024
Caramba! Que leitura divertida, a história criada pelo james stokoe aliada às suas ilustrações deslumbrantes torna essa leitura muito interessante e te faz querer acompanhar a vida desse soldado que se tornou tão próxima a do Godzilla.
May 21, 2024
The story is fine. The real draw is Stokoe's unique, busy, highly detailed art work.
July 6, 2023
A fun read with a large amount of characters from the Godzilla movies. The plot and art is simple to follow allowing for a quick read.
July 2, 2024
Godzilla has become one of my hyper-fixations over the past year and so when a podcast I listen to (Podzilla) said they were going to cover this comic, I knew I had to jump on that. 'Godzilla: The Half Century War' had hands down some of the most beautiful art that I have ever seen inside of a comic or graphic novel. It was beautifully drawn.
The colours were stunning, it had the most gorgeous warm tones for most of the settings which showed Godzilla's path of radioactive destruction. This then contrasted with the cool blues and greys of the monster himself. Every page absolutely popped, the colours were amazing and I absolutely love Stokoe's art style. The humans and monsters were so stylised but pretty, often while reading comics I think some pages look too busy or just downright ugly but every page of this was perfect.
I thought the story itself was really cool too, following one man across fifty years in a world ravaged by Godzilla and other monsters. His job is to follow Godzilla around and try work out how to stop him and as you can imagine, his feelings about the kaiju change over the course of the half century that he knows him. It is a fascinating character study set against total worldwide destruction. We never go too deep into Ota's life but I still enjoyed following him and watching his perspective shift across the years.
Can't recommend this enough and will definitely, without a doubt be reading more stories by James Stokoe.
The colours were stunning, it had the most gorgeous warm tones for most of the settings which showed Godzilla's path of radioactive destruction. This then contrasted with the cool blues and greys of the monster himself. Every page absolutely popped, the colours were amazing and I absolutely love Stokoe's art style. The humans and monsters were so stylised but pretty, often while reading comics I think some pages look too busy or just downright ugly but every page of this was perfect.
I thought the story itself was really cool too, following one man across fifty years in a world ravaged by Godzilla and other monsters. His job is to follow Godzilla around and try work out how to stop him and as you can imagine, his feelings about the kaiju change over the course of the half century that he knows him. It is a fascinating character study set against total worldwide destruction. We never go too deep into Ota's life but I still enjoyed following him and watching his perspective shift across the years.
Can't recommend this enough and will definitely, without a doubt be reading more stories by James Stokoe.
March 10, 2013
I creamed my pants when I was given the ARC edition of James Stokoe's latest project. At least I would have, if I had pants on, but let's not go there. Stokoe is right up there with fellow pioneers in creator owned comics Paul Pope and Dave Sims and then some. I don't know them except from Wikipedia entries and the flash frozen postures at conventions and lectures. The story they tell me is, they're intense, slightly deranged (you would have to be, to work at such a high level like they do!) loners who pour themselves into their art. A division of identity would be futile, because they are their work, and their work defines them.
I first found Stokoe in Wonton Soup: A Space Trucker Opera. My God. My bones. My nerves. They were aflame. The sheer scope of creativity exploding from these pages... Hell's Kitchen's a cake walk compared to the world Stokoe has simmered from the recesses of his mind! I would say he was on drugs, if I didn't already know that tapping really interesting shit didn't require an illegal substance or another.
Then he had to follow Wonton Soup with a sequel, and, to boot, create a whole new series, Orc Stain. Orc Stain's slow going, and I see why now. Godzilla! Stokoe's body of work is so small because of the massive effort involved.
By God, I guarantee you that not once, not twice, not thrice has Stokoe regretted his decision to take on this project. But his dedication to his art shows. Hyper detailed scenes of devastation grace these pages as we follow two Japanese men across half a century of monster hunting. You can see their enthusiasm slide from youthful optimism to aged cynicism. Stokoe also introduces a mechanism for the monsters' appearances on earth. He also suggests that sometimes being bad can work for the good guys.
If you're a longtime Stokoe fan, you'll love this piece of art, and if you're just dropping by, you'll feel the same.
I first found Stokoe in Wonton Soup: A Space Trucker Opera. My God. My bones. My nerves. They were aflame. The sheer scope of creativity exploding from these pages... Hell's Kitchen's a cake walk compared to the world Stokoe has simmered from the recesses of his mind! I would say he was on drugs, if I didn't already know that tapping really interesting shit didn't require an illegal substance or another.
Then he had to follow Wonton Soup with a sequel, and, to boot, create a whole new series, Orc Stain. Orc Stain's slow going, and I see why now. Godzilla! Stokoe's body of work is so small because of the massive effort involved.
By God, I guarantee you that not once, not twice, not thrice has Stokoe regretted his decision to take on this project. But his dedication to his art shows. Hyper detailed scenes of devastation grace these pages as we follow two Japanese men across half a century of monster hunting. You can see their enthusiasm slide from youthful optimism to aged cynicism. Stokoe also introduces a mechanism for the monsters' appearances on earth. He also suggests that sometimes being bad can work for the good guys.
If you're a longtime Stokoe fan, you'll love this piece of art, and if you're just dropping by, you'll feel the same.
January 2, 2014
At this point I should probably call myself Stokoe super-fan. I think Orc Stain is one of the best comic series I've ever read, and The Half Century War falls right in line.
Things that are awesome about this volume and James Stokoe in general:
1) The most beautifully, meticulously detailed art, every. single. panel. You can spend hours just looking at hidden details.
2) Full and comprehensive character and world-building, every single time.
3) Great writing. Even some of my favorite comics suffer from cringe-worthy writing at times, but Stokoe is the exception. Clever, well-written dialogue and story telling are consistent through-out.
4) Dude LOVES his monsters. It's why he was a the perfect choice for the next Godzilla volume. If you're a D&D Monster Manual/ Bestiary lover, Stokoe is for you.
Things that are not necessarily awesome about this volume and/or Stokoe in general:
1) Super-Godzilla fans might not find this volume as exciting as I did, as my familiarity with Godzilla is limited to exactly 2 movies.
2) Stokoe's color work (which I had thought was specific style choice for Orc Stain, is obviously just his style. Non-realistic super-saturated red and purple every frame works beautifully, but it's definitely a strong style choice. I could see some readers finding it overwhelming or redundant. The signature style and coloring also naturally lead to cross-over with Orc Stain more than I wanted it to in my brain-- I'd ideally like to keep the two compartmentalized as two separate works and worlds. It's difficult to with his signature style and coloring.
Small potatoes though, compared to how great this volume is. I would definitely recommend picking it up. Those who are not familiar with Orc Stain, should pick up the first TPB first/as well.
Things that are awesome about this volume and James Stokoe in general:
1) The most beautifully, meticulously detailed art, every. single. panel. You can spend hours just looking at hidden details.
2) Full and comprehensive character and world-building, every single time.
3) Great writing. Even some of my favorite comics suffer from cringe-worthy writing at times, but Stokoe is the exception. Clever, well-written dialogue and story telling are consistent through-out.
4) Dude LOVES his monsters. It's why he was a the perfect choice for the next Godzilla volume. If you're a D&D Monster Manual/ Bestiary lover, Stokoe is for you.
Things that are not necessarily awesome about this volume and/or Stokoe in general:
1) Super-Godzilla fans might not find this volume as exciting as I did, as my familiarity with Godzilla is limited to exactly 2 movies.
2) Stokoe's color work (which I had thought was specific style choice for Orc Stain, is obviously just his style. Non-realistic super-saturated red and purple every frame works beautifully, but it's definitely a strong style choice. I could see some readers finding it overwhelming or redundant. The signature style and coloring also naturally lead to cross-over with Orc Stain more than I wanted it to in my brain-- I'd ideally like to keep the two compartmentalized as two separate works and worlds. It's difficult to with his signature style and coloring.
Small potatoes though, compared to how great this volume is. I would definitely recommend picking it up. Those who are not familiar with Orc Stain, should pick up the first TPB first/as well.
August 14, 2018
this could easily double for a great coffee table book if there was a large print edition. the art is just the tops, and it’s a brisk read. pure candy.
never really been a huge fan of godzilla per se, however, i am a big fan of a few south korean monster flicks and of course Pacific Rim. mech and monsters battling is just the bees knees for this guy. this is a big recommend for pure fun and escapism.
never really been a huge fan of godzilla per se, however, i am a big fan of a few south korean monster flicks and of course Pacific Rim. mech and monsters battling is just the bees knees for this guy. this is a big recommend for pure fun and escapism.
September 15, 2022
Brilliant. In stark contrast to World of Monsters this story is fantastic. It has Godzilla, and a lot of Godzilla. The human characters are written well and you can feel the weight of the years that go by. I highly recommend this for any fan of Godzilla!
July 19, 2016
3 1/2 stars
June 10, 2019
3.5 stars
Picked this up because I liked the Godzilla: King of the Monsters film that came out recently and wanted to know more about the universe. Great artwork with a so-so story.
Picked this up because I liked the Godzilla: King of the Monsters film that came out recently and wanted to know more about the universe. Great artwork with a so-so story.
February 3, 2022
I honestly surprised myself by wanting to read a Godzilla comic. I surprised myself even more by how much I liked it.
I'm someone who generally (and increasingly) prefers comics that are on the alternative side – things that are more cerebral or philosophical, or that lean into experimentalism or surrealism. I tend to be dismissive of mainstream comics and especially of corporate franchises. When I do read more mainstream work, I often criticize it for lacking depth or sophistication. I usually have especially limited patience for anything that features too much vacuous action. However, I can't say this Godzilla comic is very deep or complex – it consists almost entirely of action – and yet I loved it.
And to be clear, this isn't explained by some deep-rooted love or nostalgia for the franchise. As a kid I did love the 1998 Hollywood film and I vaguely recall watching a spin-off Saturday morning cartoon, but I haven’t rewatched either since I entered my teens almost two decades ago. A couple of years ago I watched the original 1954 film, but I can't say I enjoyed it in the slightest. I admit there is something about the kaiju genre that appeals to me on a base level, but I am by no definition a fanboy.
All of this is to say that I struggle to explain why I absolutely loved this comic. The obvious thing to point to is the art, which is stylish, dynamic, bursting with excitement and energy, and just truly excellent. James Stokoe is clearly a master of his craft, a million miles from the kind of hack you might typically expect on a licensed comic. However, it isn’t only the art that I enjoyed; the whole package just totally works for me. The story is basic, but completely engaging, and the tone strikes a perfect balance between zany and serious. There’s a human point-of-view character to ground the whole thing and bring some emotional grit, but this is never allowed to overshadow the main spectacle of kaiju battling it out and wreaking havoc.
Perhaps my biggest impression from this comic is that Stokoe clearly had a great time making it. His passion for the material shines from every page so hard that it’s impossible for it not to rub off on me. It’s no exaggeration to say that this is one of the most exciting and straight-up fun comics I’ve read. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of every moment.
I'm someone who generally (and increasingly) prefers comics that are on the alternative side – things that are more cerebral or philosophical, or that lean into experimentalism or surrealism. I tend to be dismissive of mainstream comics and especially of corporate franchises. When I do read more mainstream work, I often criticize it for lacking depth or sophistication. I usually have especially limited patience for anything that features too much vacuous action. However, I can't say this Godzilla comic is very deep or complex – it consists almost entirely of action – and yet I loved it.
And to be clear, this isn't explained by some deep-rooted love or nostalgia for the franchise. As a kid I did love the 1998 Hollywood film and I vaguely recall watching a spin-off Saturday morning cartoon, but I haven’t rewatched either since I entered my teens almost two decades ago. A couple of years ago I watched the original 1954 film, but I can't say I enjoyed it in the slightest. I admit there is something about the kaiju genre that appeals to me on a base level, but I am by no definition a fanboy.
All of this is to say that I struggle to explain why I absolutely loved this comic. The obvious thing to point to is the art, which is stylish, dynamic, bursting with excitement and energy, and just truly excellent. James Stokoe is clearly a master of his craft, a million miles from the kind of hack you might typically expect on a licensed comic. However, it isn’t only the art that I enjoyed; the whole package just totally works for me. The story is basic, but completely engaging, and the tone strikes a perfect balance between zany and serious. There’s a human point-of-view character to ground the whole thing and bring some emotional grit, but this is never allowed to overshadow the main spectacle of kaiju battling it out and wreaking havoc.
Perhaps my biggest impression from this comic is that Stokoe clearly had a great time making it. His passion for the material shines from every page so hard that it’s impossible for it not to rub off on me. It’s no exaggeration to say that this is one of the most exciting and straight-up fun comics I’ve read. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of every moment.
May 23, 2018
I was recommended this because I was keen on reading James Stokoe's Aliens: Dead Orbit. Said recommender wasn't wrong. The Half Century War shows what could be done with a story focusing on a human soldier following in the wake of Godzilla, with strong art that captures scale and devastation well, and a story line that spans the titular half-century and most of Godzilla's filmography, although it either plays fast and loose with the chronology or (more likely, given the monsters and designs featured) follows one of the non-Showa chronologies, with which I am less familiar. Or, more likely still, some combination of the two. So while you don't get to see a ton of anyone but Godzilla, you do get to see a lot of other monsters, however briefly.
The B-plot with the Anti Megalosaurus Force chasing after a rogue scientist is less well-developed, but the AMF themselves are pretty fun, and I want some of their kaiju patches. The soldiers in the beginning talk a lot like American soldiers in movies, but I don't know how Japanese soldiers would have talked in 1954, or, for that matter, how American soldiers actually talk in real life, so what do I know?
The B-plot with the Anti Megalosaurus Force chasing after a rogue scientist is less well-developed, but the AMF themselves are pretty fun, and I want some of their kaiju patches. The soldiers in the beginning talk a lot like American soldiers in movies, but I don't know how Japanese soldiers would have talked in 1954, or, for that matter, how American soldiers actually talk in real life, so what do I know?
March 26, 2021
So I haven't read many Godzilla comics, and one or two that I have read are excellent (like Godzilla in Hell), but this is my new defacto Godzilla comic. If someone wanted to know where to start (but like, were for some reason completely uninterested in the movies) I'd say start here.
This graphic novel is gorgeous, James Stokoe does great work. I loved his work on Aliens: Dead Orbit and after seeing he'd done a Godzilla is had to pick it up. And for good reason, the art is fantastic and the story is a lot of fun. Following a man through his life of tracking Godzilla for, wait for it, the best anti-Godzilla force I've heard for awhile.
A. M. F.
Anti-Megalosaurus Force. I love that.
This graphic novel is gorgeous, James Stokoe does great work. I loved his work on Aliens: Dead Orbit and after seeing he'd done a Godzilla is had to pick it up. And for good reason, the art is fantastic and the story is a lot of fun. Following a man through his life of tracking Godzilla for, wait for it, the best anti-Godzilla force I've heard for awhile.
A. M. F.
Anti-Megalosaurus Force. I love that.
July 17, 2024
This is great.
This continuity showcases the actual apocalypse that 10 plus unkillable monsters all awakening at once would cause.
And it's all through the Lense of one soldier, .and it ends with the final death of Godzilla.
It's all tied up in a neat bow, and honestly, I would love to see it as a film or series someday
This continuity showcases the actual apocalypse that 10 plus unkillable monsters all awakening at once would cause.
And it's all through the Lense of one soldier, .and it ends with the final death of Godzilla.
It's all tied up in a neat bow, and honestly, I would love to see it as a film or series someday
August 19, 2024
A fun story about a man battling Godzilla for 50 years, confronting the creature in various countries and time periods. However, the protagonist's motivation felt weak, and his obsession with Godzilla lacked impact. Given that it was only a short 5-issue run, a longer series might have addressed these issues, but it was enjoyable overall.
May 21, 2019
Completely badass story of one man's lifelong battle against Godzilla. Well-told and engrossing. The kaiju art was great, but the human art was a little cartoony for my taste. Overall it worked.
January 1, 2021
Story: ★★★½ – Art: ★★★★★
I read this on a tablet, and now I want a hardcover copy anyway just because James Stokoe's art in this is absolutely incredible!
I read this on a tablet, and now I want a hardcover copy anyway just because James Stokoe's art in this is absolutely incredible!
May 25, 2023
*Leído en la reciente edición de Moztros.
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