Godzilla: Awakening Graphic Novel Tie-In Burns You With Its Front Cover

By Nick Venable | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

godzilla awakening coverWhile the exciting IDW series Godzilla: Rulers of the Earth is releasing its tenth issue this week, our eyes are turned to another illustrated version of the biggest baddie of them all. As with most of their recent blockbusters, Legendary and Warner Bros. are releasing a graphic novel tie-in to accompany Gareth Edwards’ rabidly anticipated Godzilla, which is somehow still two months away. And now we know a few details about it and what the cover looks like, as drawn by artist Arthur Adams. It’s no surprise that the entire thing is taken up by the King of the Monsters and a bunch of fire and smoke. This guy’s definitely got a gimmick.

Set to release the week before the reboot, on May 7, Godzilla: Awakening is a prequel to the film, and is set “at the dawn of the atomic age,” around which time scientists somehow bring the massive beast into existence, though not just him. The press release refers to “life forms beyond imagination” and “monumental forces of nature.” We know by now that the multi-legged Muto monsters are part of this universe, and that more surprises await, so maybe we’ll get to see some badass imagery in these pages.

Penned by Godzilla screenwriter Max Borenstein and Greg Borenstein, this prequel features 80 pages of large-scale art illustrated by comic vets Eric Battle, Yvel Guichet, and Lee Loughridge. No telling if these artists get their own mini-stories or if all of their talents are incorporated into the issue as a whole. Either way, I’m fired up about it, but in a good way.

The graphic novel’s plot is hinted at in the trailers, as Ken Watanabe’s Daisuke Serizawa makes mention of nuclear tests in the 1940s and 1950s not being tests at all, but rather attempts to destroy the monsters that science unleashed on the world. I’m game to see explosions a-plenty, hopefully with Godzilla’s shadowy figure seen behind the mushroom cloud. The tattoo gods are calling.

Oh, and speaking of the Muto creature, toy manufacturer Bandai recently released a slew of images featuring the dastardly-looking bastard. Check out a couple of the pics below, followed by a video that really gives an in-depth look at the upcoming toy line.

muto

muto

Godzilla hits theaters on May 16.