CLASSIC COMICS: Godzilla King of the Monsters #7 "Target: Godzilla! Part 3"

Godzilla King of the Monsters #7
Dec. 1995
Publisher: Dark Horse
Cover: Arthur Adams, Kevin Maguire

"Target: Godzilla! (part 3)"
Writer: Arthur Adams
Pencils: Tatsuya Ishida
Inks: Daniel Rivera, Justin Bloomer, Jasen Rodriguez
Colors: Cary Porter, Perry McNamee

The alien archer fires his weapon at Godzilla while Col. Cameron and his troops, with Take’ and Kate in tow, seek to gain entrance to the space ship. The archer puts a dozen arrows into Godzilla, enraging him and causing the monster to chase the alien. The alien leads Godzilla into a trap set up by his fellows. Soon, a bolo gun is fired, binding Godzilla’s legs together.
At the space ship, Cameron’s men are unable to gain access to the ship and one of them is zapped dead by the ship’s forcefield, horrifying Take’ and Kate. The aliens throw an electrified net over Godzilla, stunning the downed monster. Another alien with a spear leaps onto Godzilla, impaling him with the weapon. Godzilla slams the alien into the ground and rolls on top of him, impaling the hunter on some of the arrows still imbedded in Godzilla’s body.

Back at the ship, another alien appears and threatens Cameron’s men, but the soldiers shock the alien into unconsciousness. Col. Cameron then reveals to Take’ and Kate that he and his troops are Simeons, the ape-like aliens from the Third Planet of the Black Hole and they are still planning to take over the Earth.

From Toho Kingdom,
The third, and arguably the best, comic in the Dianii story arc that also ends in one of the most memorable cliff hangers of the Godzilla comic franchise.

Arthur Adams, who helms the story elements once again, dives right into the fight between the Dianii and Godzilla, which he was developing in the previous issue. The action in this comic is pretty satisfying, as the Dianii utilize their hunting techniques against the King of the Monsters. This ranges from arrows, to nets and finally spears. Consequently, the traditionalistic tactics of the alien race make for a very interesting conflict that stands out from the Godzilla franchise as a whole. Adams also deserves a lot of credit for making sure this battle wasn't goofy, as it very easily could have been in less competent hands given the types of weapons being used. As for the dialogue, it's all right, even if the Colonel's lines before they enter the Dianii ship are very awkward; however, it could be argued that this is the affect Adams was looking for.

The artwork and coloring in this issue are top notch. Perhaps due to the increased staff working on it and dividing their efforts, Godzilla looks consistently good in each panel, a problem most of the issues in the Godzilla King of the Monsters series have had. The cover is, once again, impressive and is a favorite of some from the series. Arthur Adams and Kevin Maguire outdo themselves again with this one; the detail on Godzilla, in particular the dorsal fins, is awesome and it's a shame that this would be one of the last covers the duo would work on for the series.

Overall, one of the better comics that Dark Horse put out on the character and more than worth checking out. - Anthony Romero

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