Godzilla vs Avengers #1 Dave Bardin Var

by David F. Walker

ROUND VS. THE NEW AVENGERS! The original New Avengers return to face an unstoppable enemy - GODZILLA! In the aftermath of a massive battle between Godzilla, Fin Fang Foom, the Avengers and Jet Jaguar, S.H.I.E.L.D. tries to make sense of what went down - but everyone's telling a different story! What really happened during that fateful clash? Find out when Earth's Mightiest Heroes take on Earth's Mightiest Kaiju! ROUND FIVE IN A SERIES OF SIX ONE-SHOT THROWDOWNS!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Action, Humor, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Fiction

32 pages, Comic

Published June 18, 2025

About the author

David F. Walker is a writer, filmmaker, and award-winning journalist. He teaches Writing For Comics at Portland State University.

Reviews

[Machiavelli · Rating 1 out of 5]

Godzilla vs. The Avengers #1 had all the ingredients for an epic showdown, but it never really delivered. For a one-shot, it leans heavily on dialogue and setup, with very little payoff in terms of action or spectacle.

The concept is fun, but the execution falls flat—especially when compared to Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong, which brought far more energy and kaiju chaos to the table. If you’re looking for big team-up mayhem, this one’s a miss.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun story. The artwork was pretty good throughout. I liked how it included elements from Godzilla vs. Megalon in the story, and I thought the story itself was told well.

Having Goro Ibuki's niece was a nice call-back to Goro Ibuki himself as he had built Jet Jaguar for research purposes and then the robot "grew" from there in the film (he became self-aware, altered his programming, and developed the ability to grow 15o+ feet in height).

I also liked how this issue reminded me in some ways of Avengers Vol 3 #56. In that issue, the story is told from the perspective of each member of the Avengers in their fight with the Elements of Doom. They have to give an accounting of what happened to the Maria Stark Foundation so that they as a team would continue to be funded. The layout of the story in this issue is similar enough to that issue from volume 3 that it felt like a kind of "callback" to that issue as well.

The quips, the humor, the camaraderie were fun to read in this story. On the one hand, it felt more like it should have been set in the 70s, but then again, the humor was also reminiscent of The Mighty Avengers penned by Brian Michael Bendis in the early 2007s, so perhaps this author was channeling that series? Luke wondering why he ever joined the Avengers was funny. Maria Hill having a bit of a "tantrum" while failing to maintain control and decorum of the "interrogation" was humorous - I could see that happening. Spider-Woman comparing Thor and the Hulk made me laugh. The heroes passing the head of Jet Jaguar back-and-forth and making comments while Maria was pacing back-and-forth was nicely done. The "headshots" of the heroes making comments about Fin Fang Foom was pretty hilarious, too. Wolverine "screaming" at Godzilla to "come back" 'cuz he wasn't done with the giant lizard yet followed by the comments between Spider-Woman and Luke made me laugh. Captain America chastising the teenagers for building a giant mech and then sending it into battle without testing it first and their calling him "Mister Captain America, Sir" was hilarious as well. Spider-Woman snapping at Cap along the lines of "how many times do I have to remind you that I don't do webs?!?" followed by Cap's "sorry! I forgot!" was beautiful (although I find it hard to believe that is something Cap would forget, considering how much time he puts into studying the strengths and weaknesses of his teammates).

The "best part" of the story, though, was finding out that the whole "fight" between Godzilla and Fin Fang Foom was over "bragging rights", over who got to be called "the King of the Monsters". That was priceless! Especially with Godzilla using his tail to slap Fin Fang Foom into submission before swimming away! That aspect of the fight reminded me of Luke Cage fighting the original "Power Man" (Erik Josten) in #21 of that series (where the two fought over who would be called "Power Man" and Luke won, crazily enough. What is ironic is that neither character uses that name, now, hahahah! In any case, the look on Godzilla's face before he slaps Fin Fang Foom into submission was hilarious, and I can see why FFF looked like he was going to cry considering how badly he was humiliated by Godzilla.

Speaking of Erik, it's too bad he can't catch a break. It might have been interesting to see him be on the Avengers during this time and have fought Godzilla as he has grown to 200 feet in height before.

I liked the variant issue cover that is a callback to issue #23 where the Avengers are saying it is up to Yellowjacket and the Wasp to save the day, similar to how Logan is saying the same about Fin Fang Foom being the one to defeat Godzilla. Cap has Thor's pose from the original issue whereas Iron Man is essentially the same (other than more advanced armor). Wolverine takes the place of the Vision, and Spider-Woman's pose is similar to Yellowjacket's (different part of the cover, however). It is a fun homage.

I am enjoying these issues, and I think this one is one of the better issues of this series because of its use of humor and changing the dynamics of the story (a mix of "what happened" with a "mission after report", if you will). It is not the Avengers actually battling Godzilla (especially as they do not have the "raw power" to do so unlike other iterations of the Avengers in the past might have had available); it is more they're trying to make the most of a bad situation and control and uncontrollable force. The two-page spread of their "driving Godzilla into the sea" is kinda corny but also fun. I freely admit my ranking it 4 stars could be influenced by a large chunk of nostalgia, but it doesn't change the fact I did enjoy the story and how it was told. It will be interesting how they bring this series to a close when Godzilla faces off against Thor.

[Jordison Francisco · Rating 1 out of 5]

Preguiça...

NOTA: 1/5 (HORRÍVEL)

Para quê, não é, gente? Para quê a Marvel ainda publica essas coisas? Em mais uma edição desta horrenda saga de ação intitulada Godzilla vs. Marvel, agora, com o lagartão atômico enfrentando os Vingadores (na verdade, os “Novos Vingadores”), temos um texto de David Walker que tenta inventar a roda em cima do “absurdo épico”, mas acaba tropeçando em escolhas que destroem qualquer potencial de impacto ou coerência. O time central de heróis em cena, aqui, é formado por Capitão América (Steve Rogers), Luke Cage, Mulher-Aranha, Wolverine, Homem-Aranha e Homem de Ferro, e tudo isso se passa na Terra-616, a Terra principal da Marvel. Na luta contra Godzilla e Fin Fang Foom, o grupo se perde em um tom cômico forçado e infantilizado que impede qualquer crença na gravidade do confronto, e a ideia de que Fin Fang Foom, um dragão milenar, age movido por ciúmes por não ser mais chamado de “rei dos monstros” é bizarra, transformando um conceito com potencial mitológico numa motivação risível.

Enquanto a narrativa se esforça para criar um ambiente de caos controlado, com a S.H.I.E.L.D. (leia-se: Maria Hill) tentando entender os eventos após a batalha, temos uma colcha de retalhos onde cada personagem (incluindo os jovens do Kaiju Chasers United e seu robô Jet Jaguar) parece contar uma versão diferente dos fatos, sem que isso gere qualquer suspense ou complexidade. É tudo em nome do ~humor~, sabem. O autor escolhe um caminho insistente, que tenta arrancar risadas com comentários sobre os danos causados à infraestrutura da cidade — algo que até poderia ser engraçado se o contexto e a sequência dos diálogos fossem escritos para cérebros com QI acima de zero. Essa tal “leveza forçada” contrasta com toda a ideia da série, fazendo os personagens trocarem farpas bobas que, novamente, seriam interessantes num contexto em que não existisse apenas isso.

A arte de Georges Jeanty, embora competente para o propósito geral da trama (há até uma ótima página bem diagramada e genuinamente engraçada, na entrevista final com Fin Fang Foom), não consegue subir tantos níveis acima da história a ponto de nos fazer esquecer a fragilidade da aventura. Tudo parece sufocado por um contexto burocrático que tenta ser engraçado o tempo todo. Pensar no legado de Godzilla no universo Marvel, onde ele já enfrentou vários times e personagens de peso, faz com que um troço como esta edição seja ainda mais enraivecedor. A falta de uma história que respeite a magnitude desses encontros, somada à escolha de um tom que trivializa tanto os heróis quanto os monstros, termina num trabalho que só desperdiça o tempo do leitor.

Sinceramente? Pra mim, já deu. O confronto aqui poderia ter sido uma celebração do glorioso absurdo dos quadrinhos, mas, em vez disso, se tornou um exercício de infantilização rasa, onde o desejo de ser engraçado e “hiper acessível às massas” sufocou qualquer chance de criar algo minimamente aceitável em seu conjunto. Talvez o maior desafio para obras assim seja encontrar um equilíbrio entre a irreverência e o respeito pelo peso de seus ícones, mas, neste caso, o resultado é um vazio narrativo que nos faz questionar o que ainda pode ser feito quando a criatividade se curva à necessidade de preencher páginas e páginas sem dizer nada de novo ou aproveitável.

[Michael Castillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 5th comic in the Godzilla VS The Marvel Universe run. It isn’t as good as the others and it feels like a filler episode waiting for the finale to come out. This team doesn’t feel like the Avengers and doesn’t show much teamwork like the X-Men did in the previous comic. It’s still a good read, but not as fun.

[Richard A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well the humorous Marvel heroes take on Godzilla summer continues and while I am enjoying this somewhat "silly" story I wonder what is the point? Just to compete with DC? Next up is Thor and yes I will read it as well. Hoping there is a "message" in these stories.

[David Dalton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd choice of heroes to fight Godzilla.
Pretty uneventful story. 3 stars is being generous.

[Kamen Rider Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

arte meh, historia malarda pero al menos me hizo reír, no me gusta el tratamiento que se le dió a Jet Jaguar eso sin duda es lo peor del comic

[Francisco Cesar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly thought I was going to hate this but Bendis' New Avengers team and a Jet Jaguar apperance is just a childhood team up i never could've imagined lmao i'm locked in!

[vk chompooming · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was greatly disappointed with this title.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jet Jaguar, what are you doing here? 🤩

[Sisi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Този брой бе по забавен, особено като завъртяха перспективата от страната на двете чудовища.

[Anna Reads Mysteries · Rating 3 out of 5]

so uhm, the best format so far, but it was a bit confusing - when in time are we?
what the fkc is happening?
what was that ending??
did I laugh? sure
but am I still thinking ' what the actual fkc' ... yep yep

[Eric Weir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels geared towards a younger Audience - which is fine for what it is. Nothing to particular to write home about. Been a long time Godzilla fan so it was great to see him and characters like jet jaguar come to life on the page. Overall a nice piece of a collection. But not likely to follow this series intently