Legendary has produced graphic novels that connect to the Monsterverse franchise. In this case of course, Kingdom Kong, for Godzilla vs. Kong! The graphic novel features a cover by Arthur Adams, he was known for Godzilla artwork, with Kong in a power pose with battle wounds; patches of missing fur and a claw mark on his chest, on a Skull Island beach. Writer, Marie Anello, is a singer and actress. ZID has worked on the previously Monsterverse title, Skull Island: Birth of Kong (2017), it was collected into a graphic novel. The story dealt with the son of Houston Brooks, the character from Kong: Skull Island (2017) Aaron traveling to the island of Kong. It opens at Camp Pendleton South, the southwest part of the Marine base, 2019. I think this is about the same time as Godzilla: King of the Monsters. ZID’s artwork has an almost photo realistic, painterly quality. Audrey Burns is there with fellow pilot, Tam Nassar, and we get on her locker, a photo of the two graduating.
This shifts to the current day with Audrey staring at the photo in “International Airspace.” Captain Burns is meeting with fellow pilots; Gibson, Diggs, Zuniga, and Nomura. They all look like distinctive likenesses of actors. The conversation goes to Audrey having flown in two years, the earlier time may have dark consquences. Colonel Johanna Edwards arrives and briefs the group on the Skull Island mission. She explains the intraterrestrial exploration into the Hollow Earth, the birth place of the Titans. Edwards turns over the briefing to Houston Brooks who explains that a Hollow Earth entrance was sealed in 2012. Brooks brings up the Gravitational Inversion Boundary (G.I.B.) which was shown in Godzilla vs. Kong. This suddenly shifts to Skull Island, no approach, no plan on how to deal with Kong. Two groups of soldiers, Delgado who sees the coming of a storm, and Wallace who sees a spectral form come from it. Out comes a giant, luminous tiger with antlers(?), the Spirit Tiger.
Cooper tries to shoot the massive Spirit Tiger, but it does not end well. Wallace tries to escape as Houston in the helicopter tries to reach him. He says a prayer and as the Spirit Tiger is about to pounce - he is snatched up a giant, furred paw. King Kong, much larger than he was in Kong: Skull Island, roars and defeats the beast! The helicopter has landed and Houston watches Kong, ruler of Skull Island. Edwards on crutches checks on Audrey. She says that the scientists think that Skull Island’s geography is like the Hollow Earth. I’m not certain why the other Titans are not drawn to the island. Audrey is separated from the other members and Edwards brings up Captain Nassar. We can see that her closeness with Tam also has a pain with her friend in a coma. Audrey is about to attacked by some cat-like beastie, but it is shot by Gibson. Covered in the creature’s saliva, Audrey is shell shocked, flashing back to Tam’s jet crash. The team continues, but Audrey sees overhead the Mother Longlegs that was in Kong: Skull Island. She unloads her rifle at the underbelly of the giant spider and it crashes down exterminated!
Houston argues with the base that they need more time. We move back to Kong and he is chewing tentacles from a Mire Squid, another inhabitant of Kong: Skull Island, then he lifts a tree trunk from a tiny Sker Buffalo also from the Kong movie. My favorite from these movies, just a strange kaiju that is a gentle herbivore. It is nice that we have a simliar eco system, the Spirit Tiger with glowing skin, seems like a strange addition. The helicopter encounters swarms of psychovultures, every beastie is classified by Monarch. Kong takes on the psychovultures, a tree branch is set on fire (not certain how) and Kong uses it to bash the bat-like creatures. Houston has seen enough and has the helicopter return to base. There, we get Audrey asleep and flashes back to the nightmare encounter with the jets and what happened to Tam Nassar. Over a burning city, Tam is hunting the kaiju that caused the destruction. It reveals itself, a demonic, bat-like Titan, the Camazotz. This is a beastie from Mayan mythology, also in cryptozoology, it’s name is translated as “death bat.” Tam crashes after engaging the Camazotz. This is the rival that Audrey and Kong have to face. Audrey has to pilot a drone to test the G.I.B. There is a brief intro to Jia, the lil’ girl in Godzilla vs. Kong! Kingdom Kong fills in the gaps to what King Kong was up to since the last movie, also details the Monsterverse world, and while some things are a little confusing, there is plenty of kaiju battles!
Three G.I.B. Drones out of Five!
#KingdomKong, #MarieAnello, #Zid, #AudreyBurns, #HoustonBrooks.
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