More like “rage of the jilted fanboy”, really.
Godzilla #8
Marvel Comics (March, 1978)
“Titan Times Two!” WRITER: Doug Moench PENCILER: Herb Trimpe INKER: Fred Kida COLORIST: Phil Rache (sorry I can’t judge your work again) LETTERER: Denise Wohl EDITOR: Archie Goodwin For some reason some of the credits were missing in the book. Like it would say “inker” but no credit next to it. I’m going by the Grand Comics Database on this one.Rob, using Red Ronin, attempts to get Godzilla away from the nukes, as well as San Francisco, without hurting him, even going so far as to attack the SHIELD Behemoth to keep them away. He also wants to make friends with Godzilla, which is not an easy task.
What they got right: Even after studying the plans for Red Ronin, Rob still doesn’t know how to work everything and has to try learn the controls for the various weapons and jets manually, with the telepathic control helmet being the only reason he can operate the robot at all. In your typical Japanese production, Rob would already be operating it better than the guys who were trained to use it. While part of me likes that in those productions, in the Marvel universe that would be too silly, especially since “Little Rob” is supposed to be 12.
What they got wrong: Although he looks older, like 15. Maybe that’s why even I, defender of characters like Scott Tracker and Daniel Witwicky, is getting tired of his Godzilla fanboy attitude. Okay, Godzilla isn’t evil, but he isn’t the hero of the movies, either. He’s fighting because something’s in his way and he needs to protect his turf, which happens to be wherever Godzilla is. You don’t get to be King Of The Monsters without fighting other monsters. Meanwhile, Rob keeps reminding me of the kid from the first and third classic Gamera movies, and I couldn’t help but riff on that kid, too. Go read the second sentence in this paragraph again.
Recommendation: Red Ronin will be an interesting addition to the comic if done right. The story itself isn’t bad…it’s Godzilla fighting a giant robot! How could it be? It’s worth checking out.
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