IDW Publishing has partnered with Toho for over a decade to tell tales of Godzilla in American comics. This week, the two companies committed to continuing their partnership through 2029, announcing they have agreed to push the King of the Monsters to new heights with a shared comic book universe.
Also known as the Kai-Sei Era, this Godzilla Universe will spin new stories featuring the King of all Monsters. However, the line will extend beyond traditional kaiju comics. To that end, IDW has announced three series to establish the new setting. Each title will have a drastically different tone and utilize a different genre.
Godzilla series explained
The first book, Godzilla, is planned to be released in July 2025 and will be the first regular monthly comic starring the King of all Monsters in a decade. It will be written by Tim Seeley and feature art by Nikola Čižmešija. The story will be set in modern times, but offer a decidedly different take on the classic timeline.
In 1954, Godzilla and other kaiju were awakened by a mysterious energy source called Kai-Sei. Japan treats these attacks like any other natural disaster, whereas the United States establishes G-Force to combat the monsters. As the series opens, G-Force has discovered a boy who somehow has the power to command Godzilla. It remains to be seen, however, if he will save humanity or doom it.
Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone explained
Scheduled for release in August 2025, Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone will be a more mature tale. Set in the titular post-apocalyptic space, this series will explore the biggest mysteries of the new shared setting. It will also introduce the first human/kaiju hybrid in the history of the franchise. Escape the Deadzone will be co-written by Eisner nominees Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan and feature art by Pablo Tunica.
Starship Godzilla explained
Launching in October 2025, Starship Godzilla will present a cosmic adventure set in the future of the Toho canon. Various alien races have visited Earth before, but now the people of Earth are exploring the stars. Utilizing Mechagodzilla as a spaceship, a crew of misfits will embark on risky missions with great rewards. However, they will also accidentally uncover a secret that could threaten the universe. The series will be written by Chris Gooch, with art by Oliver Ono.
