Godzilla Movie News: 3 Godzilla movie related stories from this past week

Here I discuss 3 Godzilla movie related stories from this past week: 1) David Goyer's newest project and how it affects this latest Godzilla movie; 2) former Godzilla director Roland Emmerich's newest movie being downsized, and 3) speculation on whether Biollante will be the villain in this newest Godzilla movie.

Updated news on the Godzilla Criterion Edition DVD/Blu-Ray

There's some very important updated news when it comes to the Godzilla Criterion edition soon to be released on DVD/Blu-Ray.

We now know that BOTH the Japanese and American versions will be included within this edition.

This is momentous because to many Godzilla fans out there, it's nearly impossible to get both versions within the same purchase.

For whatever reason previous DVD and Blu-Ray releases (at least the regular versions) of the 1954 movie always separated those two films.

In America particularly, such a move left the Japanese version as a buried treasure that one had to find on their own.

To this day many still state that the Japanese version is superior due to the added exposition scenes between the main characters.

Such fans now get to enjoy their film (and the American version) in beautiful Blu-Ray quality no less!

Great news.

Godzilla IDW publisher to release Mars Attacks!

While I know this isn't exactly Godzilla-related news, this is still so exciting I just had to share it.

Cebrating it's triumphant 50 year anniversary, IDW is going to publish new "Mars Attacks!" comics in 2012!

Coming sometime during the summer season, details of the series are still a very scarce.

But no doubt it will involve the classic toilet-humor and gore that the franchise is most famous for.

Anyone who's seen the Topps edition comic books/cards knows what I'm talking about. This franchise is like ET meets National Lampoons, and I've always loved its crazy nonsense.

Even the movie was outstanding, which has garnered an almost cult-like status now considering its dark comedy.

And with IDW being the publisher, we may even get another crossover event involving other IDW comic book series', maybe even Godzilla himself!

For further info about this visit comicbookresources.com, with their direct link being here:

comicbookresources.com: Mars Attacks! IDW in 2012

Godzilla has health insurance?

At least according to this video, he does.

It's a commercial for a health insurance broker-of-sorts called reallycheaphealthinsurance.com.

(With a name like that it has to be good no).

In any case the commercial is pretty funny. I just love the way Godzilla is drawn here. He looks so lovable and cute.

It instantly reminded me of the adobe/computer drawn series known as "Home Movies". It has that same style of animation and humor, which I always had a blast watching.  Those that have seen the show know what I'm talking about.

So all in all this was one commercial that was a pretty good watch, and I highly recommend everyone to take a look.

Brutal review of the Godzilla Kingdom of Monsters series

It's no secret that I haven't been too fond of the Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters series.

I had such high hopes.

The first new Godzilla comic book since the days of Dark Horse and it was being made by IDW, who have previously taken great care of their licensed properties.

So what a letdown it was to read each issue and continue to be disappointed.

The writing is the most frustrating part, as full blame lies on Eric Powell's inability to keep things serious.

He just has to keep placing political, stereotypical and social jabs, which completely take one out of context.  It's a Godzilla series, not "The Onion".

Speaking of which, WHERE'S GODZILLA?

For a comic book named after Godzilla, one would think he'd be front and center within each issue doing what he does best.

But going into several issues now he's only come out a few pages, in some issues only a few panels.

Crazy stuff.

In any case the the article I found agrees with many of my previous points, and decides to take it a whole other level!

This reviewer "Gfan" is seriously angry about this series and does not hold back on anything.

Take a look if you have a chance and see if you agree/disagree with what he has to say:

comicbookmovies.com: IDW Godzilla Kingdom of Monsters review

David Goyer adding yet another project to his workload

This could potentially be bad news on the Godzilla front, at least when it comes to its delayed release.

Godzilla screenwriter David Goyer (famous for all of those Batman and Blade movies) is adding yet another project to his enormous workload, this time chronicling the young adventures of Leonardo Da Vinci.

Yeah I know, sounds weird to me too.

But the underlying message is that such a new project denotes that David may be shifting other priorities aside, particularly Godzilla.

It's no secret now that the Godzilla movie by Gareth Edwards is seriously delayed.

Despite all of the mentions from Edwards that things are moving forward...everyone involved sure has a strange way of showcasing it.

There was already the previous news of Edwards starting work on another sci-fi project.

Now David Goyer, who is already super busy with writing the "Man of Steel" picture, adapting an updated version of "The Invisible Man", and working on a "100 Bullets" project, is incorporating this new project...and we're expected to believe he's still focusing his primary duties on Godzilla?

All of this adds credence to the thought that it's now coming out in 2014, something that short of any official announcement will continue to be pure speculation.

In any case it's just my thoughts on the matter, and here's the original link for further reference:

blogs.indiewire.com: David Goyer penning Da Vinci's Demons for Starz

Godzilla Artist Matt Frank to appear at a Heroes and Fantasies event

If you're in San Antonio this weekend, popular Godzilla artist Matt Frank will be there for an event on the 30th.

As part of the "Women of Wonder Day" campaign, Matt will be providing free sketches and signatures at the "Heroes and Fantasies" comic book store.

There one will also find other artists and comic book guests, and the event will include several cool auctions (of hand-drawn and celebrity pieces) all geared towards raising money for Domestic Violence Prevention programs.

Ben Dunn of Antartic Press and Nick Pitarra of Red Wing comics will also be there.

Sounds like it's going to be a blast, and it's all for a good cause!

You can find more details about the event at the following link:

heroesandfantasies.com: 2011 Women of Wonder Day Event

Retro Video Game Review: Godzilla (NES)

The Associated Content has a pretty good article talking about the NES Godzilla Game "Godzilla Monsters of Monsters!
".

For reference I've discussed this game myself on one of my YouTube videos (seen here), and found it to be both promising and a bit of a let-down.

Promising in that it incorporates many of the great Toho monsters we all know and love (as opposed to Nintendo cheaping out and making their own monster), so the fights are that much more intense.

A let-down in that much of the gameplay is very repetitive.

You basically scroll forward and keep hitting the "A" and "B" buttons until the level is over.

The author of this article seems to find that same tone, but overall gives it a higher review.

I will have to admit that the game remains a memorable milestone within the Godzilla franchise, if not for the fact that it was the first one ever.

In any case here's the original article for further review:
associatedcontent.com: Retro Video Game Review Godzilla NES

Godzilla Image of the Day

Made by artist Ulises Farinas, this nice fan art depicts an all out battle between the forces of good and evil.

On the good side are G.I. Joe and the Rocketeer.

On the evil side are COBRA and Godzilla (with some other Kaiju in the background).

I don't care how good G.I. Joe and the Rocketeer are, my money's on Godzilla...ALWAYS.

When a 300 foot tall monster can simply scorch everything with the effort of a single breath, how on Earth do the good guys have a chance.

I especially liked the COBRA symbol on Godzilla. It looks really cool on him, the notion that he's showing solidarity with a team.

Who knows, such an image may even inspire IDW since they always seem to license so many characters.

Terror of Godzilla motion comic...part 5

Here's part 5 of the great motion comic that YouTube user "metalmonkey666" made.

Godzilla is BACK and ready to take on the Super X, and he's taking no prisoners!

In what I consider to be one of the BEST action sequences within any Godzilla film, it's Godzilla vs the Super X with all guns blazing.

And the way Godzilla ultimately destroys the Super X is both incredible and frightening.

Never have I seen Godzilla look so menacing before, and now everything seems lost.

For reference again this is all based on the Dark Horse Godzilla 1985 comic.

There's a one-man Godzilla play currently playing in Alaska

David Haynes (pictured above) is apparently playing "Godzilla
" in a one-man play currently running in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Titled "The Big Guy", it's an introspective look into "Godzilla's" thoughts as he muses about his daily activities.

Such a sample inner dialogue includes Haynes, again acting as Godzilla, saying "Hell, it's downright neurotic. I should be decimating everything in my path, and I'm caught in a moral dilemma."

Written by former news correspondent Tom Moran, the play tries to find the right mix of comedy and inner struggle, as his Godzilla character is apparently attempting to run away from his past.

Okay.

I don't really know how to gauge this because it can either work really well or fail miserably.

If you've never seen a one-man play before, essentially it's one person standing in front of a mock stage doing all of the characters involved.

No sound effects (in most cases), no music, no other actors.

Same concept here. It's just one person playing to an entire audience with no special costumes even. You have to basically imagine that Godzilla is in front of you.

I've seen such one-man works play fantastically in the past, with great examples stemming from Chazz Palmenteri's with "A Bronx Tale" and John Leguizamo's "Freak".

You literally get swept into their performance so much one completely forgets it's just one person doing everything.

So I'm not going to completely discount this one-man "Godzilla" because again it could work out really well.

If I was near or around Alaska I would be happy to visit it, as such homely performances (especially in small stages with only 100 seats or less) always feel far more intimate.

You can see a glimpse of what this play looks like, along with more info about it, by following this link: ktva.com: Fairbanks Playwright Bursts into the Spotlight Across the State

EXCLUSIVE Interview: Matt Frank, artist for the Godzilla Kingdom of Monsters series!

Hello everybody this is Fernando for Godzilla Movie News.

I'm proud to announce that I was able to obtain an exclusive interview with super-popular Godzilla artist Matt Frank.

Matt Frank of course is cover artist for the hot-selling "Godzilla Kingdom of Monsters" series, creating all of those beautiful variant comic book covers for each issue.

(He had even set a record of sorts with creating no less than 80 to 100 different variant covers for the first issue).

Matt is definitely somebody shooting up the ranks when it comes to the comic book world, doing conventions and illustrating other comic book works out there, so it was great to be able to land him for this interview.

I've included copies of his work as reference throughout the interview.

Enjoy!:

Every comic book artist/illustrator usually has that moment or inspiration that led them to a path in artwork. What first prompted you to start drawing?
MF: It was actually more of a "deciding moment." I always loved to draw, and at one point during high school, my mother asked of me "What do you want to do for a living?" I simply replied "I just want to draw."

Who is your favorite illustrator?
MF: I don't think any artist has just ONE favorite illustrator. I'm a big fan of the work of William Stout, Joe Mad and Bob Eggleton, just to name a few.

I can remember the first time I ever saw Godzilla, and that was through a VHS copy of "Godzilla vs Megalon". How was Godzilla first introduced into your life?
MF: It was a birthday card I received when I was VERY young...it had this weird, green, bipedal dinosaur on it, marching through a city. I had no idea what it was, but I knew I loved dinosaurs. My parents explained, much later to their regret, that it was "Godzilla," and I didn't see him in full glorious life until I caught GODZILLA 1985 on cable.

What is your favorite Godzilla movie?
MF: Probably MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA (1964) though GMK (2001) comes in strong second.

I've followed the sales figures for IDW's Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters series. Each issue is enjoying phenomenal success, so literally thousands and thousands of people are seeing your great cover art on a monthly basis. How did you first begin drawing for IDW?
MF: My first job for IDW was in 2007 or 2008, working on the BEAST WARS SOURCEBOOK. I simply shot them an email, included some of my art, and it was just good timing that Chris Ryall put me on that book. Godzilla didn't come until much later, when I began badgering Chris about it almost as soon as the comic was announced, along the lines of "Hey Chris, remember what I big Godzilla fan I am?"

Is there anything else you have coming up from them or anybody else?
MF: Aside from the first issue of GODZILLA: LEGENDS, which I provided interiors for and co-wrote, I'm currently just doing covers, though I'm pitching a few other things. I've got a one-shot through Fun Publications for the Transformers Collector's Club coming out next year, as well as a few other projects cooking, though I can't say what's coming out exactly when!

There are many people out there reading this who also like to draw and may choose to make it their career. What is the best advice you can offer to those potential illustrators?
MF: Number 1: Practice every day, and not just monsters. Draw all SORTS of stuff! Number 2 - Take criticism positively, especially from other artists. Most are just trying to help you.

Random question: Who is your favorite celebrity encounter?
MF: Admittedly, I've met a few celebrities, such as Don Frye, Haruo Nakajima, and Akira Takarada, but one of my favorite memories has to be when I was standing at a table during G-Fest, looking over the products from Chibi Goji Toys. Linda Conrad, who I know and love, was running the table, and she looked up next to me and said "Oh my God! Bob Eggleton's at my table!"
I turned, and Bob was standing next to me. I said "Oh my God, I'm standing next to Bob Eggleton!" He replied "Oh my God, I'm standing next to Matt Frank!" Like I'm anywhere near his level!








There you go everybody!

Again huge thanks to Matt for taking time out of his busy scheduling for this interview. From all Godzilla fans out there we definitely appreciate it.

If you'd like to go visit his website to see more of his work and upcoming projects, please visit mattfrankart.com

If you haven't secured your copy of his upcoming work in "Godzilla: Legends" be sure to do so at your local comic book store.

I've already done it and can't wait to read this issue, of which I'll chronicle later on within this website.