Posted in: Comics, IDW | Tagged: godzilla, Kai-Sei

The Horror Of Godzilla – A New Kai-Sei Era Origin For The Kaiju

The Horror Of Godzilla - a new Kai-Sei Era origin for the kaiju from IDW Publishing in May 2026

IDW Publishing is making the most of its Godzilla license (shared with Legendary, DC, Marvel and Titan right now, it seems) with The Horror Of Godzilla by Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan and Tristan Jones, published in May, which probably means there will be a collection for Hallowe'en. And it looks like it will very much be playing up the post Hiroshima/Nagasaki realities in Japan… and it doesn't get more horrific than that. Set in 1954, the date of the original Godzilla movie's release in Japan, it's a new beginning for the mighty monster in the new Kai-Sei shared universe continuity.

"The shocking fear and astonishing devastation behind Godzilla's first attack on humanity will be unleashed this summer. Smashing into comics shops this July is the debut issue of the most spine-chilling kaiju comic book event you'll ever experience: THE HORROR OF GODZILLA from Eisner-nominated co-writers Ethan S. Parker & Griffin Sheridan (Marvel Zombies: Red Band, GODZILLA: ESCAPE THE DEADZONE) and acclaimed horror artist Tristan Jones (EVENT HORIZON: DARK DESCENT, Aliens: Defiance). Set in 1954 Japan, witness the sheer terror behind Godzilla's first horrifying onslaught on the human race and how the power behind its Kai-Sei energy has a frightening and transformative impact on humans exposed to the grim blasts."

"THE HORROR OF GODZILLA is for fans of Godzilla Minus One, Shin Godzilla, and Godzilla '54," said editor Jake Williams. "It's a terrifying look at the Kai-Sei era's first Godzilla attack. It grabs the reader and places them on the ground in the middle of the most petrifying night in human history… the arrival of Godzilla. Through the power of Tristan Jones' visceral art style, this is the first Godzilla comic we've released that goes 100% in on horror. It very well might become the best Godzilla comic ever made… it's certainly the scariest."

"Godzilla's been such a huge part of my life as far back as I can remember, and as someone that had Godzilla 1985 on near permanent loan from our local video store, and hounding my local bootlegger every day on the walk home from high school for the original Japanese cut, I'm genuinely hard-pressed to think of anything I've been this excited about in my career," commented Jones. "As a storyteller that's become something of a fixture in the horror genre, it's a genuine honor and a thrill to work with Griffin and Ethan (and our incredible editor Jake) on a Godzilla story that leans so hard into my favourite visuals and even harder into things I always wished the films would. It's a huge departure from what I've been known for so far, and everyone's given me incredible space to both try new things and bring visuals to comics I'd never had a proper chance to before."

"The first year of the Kai-Sei Era found us in a world — a galaxy, even — steeped in kaiju, as we felt that was the best starting point for this universe," stated Parker & Sheridan. "But now is the perfect moment to go back to the narrative bedrock, the genesis of our tale: humanity's very first meeting with Godzilla. To not only be asked to tell this crucial chapter of the Kai-Sei saga, but also to make it as wild and horrific as possible… Oh, and Tristan Jones is going to draw it?! We're beyond honored and cannot wait to share this one with readers."

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!