Review: Justice League Vs Godzilla Vs Kong #6

Well, here we are at Justice League Vs Godzilla Vs Kong #6, the penultimate issue of this mini-series which started out like an avalance of fun but has subsequently become bogged down by too many plot line and too much 'over the top' moments. When I reviewed the first issue which were crisp and fun and reined in just a little, I described it like a guilty summer blockbuster movie. Now, it feels sort of like a Michael Bay movie, fun with all the explosions and nonsense for the first 45 minutes ... but then you're wondering how it will end.

It is a shame because writer Brian Buccellato is clearly a fan of both DC and the kaiju everyone is battling. There are still some crazy moments in this book to make me smile and cheer. This issue is basically the brawl we have been waiting for, complete with kaiju and mecha. But there is also a feeling of overdoing it. A few pixy stix candies are sweet and fun. A barrel of them are a tummy ache.

More importantly, it feels like there are too many plots happening in this book to keep my head on straight and invested in all of them. Superman dead. Supergirl and Kong brainwashed. Lex piloting mechagodzilla. Godzilla imprisoned in the ocean. Ra's Al Ghul with his own kaiju army about to waltz in. And oh yeah, Toyman using the dreamstone to make all this stuff happen. How are all of these going to be bundled up next issue? And maybe just maybe one or two of these could have been left for a sequel to tighten up this one. 

The art is again split by Christian Duce and Tom Derenick. I have to say, Derenick is basically becoming a sort of Neal Adams' surrogate. Many of his panels look so much like Adams' work I had to pause. Duce brings his fine line stellar art to the main battle sequence and brings the fun.

In the end, I will probably rate this book a success. The highs are pretty high. But it is a shame the last couple of issues have had a reach that exceeds its grasp.

On to the book.

The first few pages show a JLA trying to figure out how they will survive all the plot lines out there. Superman dead. Supegirl and Kong missing. Captain Marvel also missing. The three kaiju of Tiamet, Behemoth, and the giant crab spider are heading towards and evacuated Metropolis as is Luthor with Mechagodzilla. Godzilla remains trapped underwater by Nth metal chains. And no one knows where Toyman is. 

Batman vows the remaining team will be ready.

That is a ton of plot! Maybe too much?

Seriously though, look at these Derenick panels. They are just dripping with Neal Adams' style.

Luthor advises the Legion of Doom to join him in Metropolis. With Godzilla off the map, he will be the apex predator the other kaiju will bow down to.

One thing that is interesting is that Luthor says he has had nothing to do with the beacons being pinged to draw the monsters in. That has to be the work of the Toyman who most likely just wants to see the giant brawls we are being shown. Toyman is basically a kid wondering who would beat who in a fight.

It also makes it very easy for him to also use the Dreamstone to wish it all away.

Remember, I told you that there is so much Michael Bay insanity in this book that I was reeling.

Like Batman using his friends super-powers to super-speed build a giant robot to fight Luthor.

I know, I know ... if I can deal with giant monsters and flying aliens I should believe that Batman could design and build a giant robot like this. But ...

And the beat goes on.

The Green Lanterns sort of 'Voltron' themselves into a giant green energy robot. 

Wonder Woman and Donna Troy try to batter the giant mammoth. 

And Aquaman and Hawkgirl try to hold off Tiamet. 

Perhaps my favorite moment is when the remaining Bat-family come flying in with the Batwings only to find they can transform into a Veritech Guardian mode. Hooray Robotech!

But can I also believe that modifications like this could be done so quickly?

I know I know ... they are fighting a giant wooly mammoth. Shut up Anj.

Well, Grodd and the mind controlled Kong and Supergirl show up adding some new fighters to the mix! Re-roll initiative!

Now something like this should really matter. Guy Gardner is removed from the energy robot and before he can rejoin he is killed by Gorilla Grodd. 

Here is the thing though. So much has happened this issue that this is just one moment of too many moments. It doesn't carry the weight it should. 

Cinematically, it reminds me of Natalie Portman's suicide attempt in Michael Mann's Heat movie. By the time that rolled around I was so wrung out from all the other subplots, I was sort of numb to what should have been a gut punch of a moment.

With Kong on the board, Changeling becomes a giant green ape to have a fight we all have wondered about.

But Supergirl takes him out without much of a hassle. 

Luckily, Grodd's helmet is taken out and Supergirl and Kong realize they are on the wrong side and join the good guys.

For someone like me, a big Supergirl fan, this subplot of Kong and her being controlled was so brief and of relatively low consequence to the story, I don't know if it was needed. Supergirl was a superstar in this book before the dark turn.

But wait there's more!

Here comes the League of Assassins with their monsters. 

A new player?? This late in the game?

I'm full! I can't eat another bite.

But wait!

Somehow Superman is back alive. (Toyman's doing?)

And he seems like he is ready to brawl with Godzilla again. But my guess is he is going to free the King of Monsters and have them enter the fray and save the day like the Riders of Rohan at Helm's Deep.

Anyways, you can see how each of these moments might be a 'whoa' cool moment. We finally have the JL vs Godzilla Vs Kong throwdown we have been waiting for. But there are so many of them that I feel a bit over-stuffed. And I fear it's all going to be just erased by a wish. 

Beautiful art. Put Duce on a Supergirl book please!

Overall grade: B-