Godzilla: Valentine's Day Special (2024)
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Godzilla: Valentine's Day Special is a one-shot comic book from IDW Publishing, written by Zoe Tunnell and illustrated by Sebastián Piriz. It was released on February 7, 2024.[2]
Description
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Is there anything as romantic as seeing the world together? Hopping from country to country to take in the sights and splendor in the fleeting seconds before Godzilla smashes the skyline? Truly, there’s nothing like the thrill of an international game of cat and mouse between an intrepid amateur kaiju researcher and a global kaiju-response lieutenant. But when you’re up against Godzilla, it’s hard to have a bigger “CRUSH.”[1]
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Plot
Bored data-entry worker Piper Simmons finds her San Diego office abandoned as what she thinks is an earthquake strikes the city. Moving to the window, she is awed to see Godzilla instead, only to be knocked unconscious by falling debris moments later. Rescue workers find her after Godzilla leaves the city. After being discharged from the hospital, she is laid off by her company, which is undergoing restructuring in the wake of the destruction caused by Godzilla. Considering her options, she realizes that the last time she felt alive was when she was watching Godzilla. One year later, she's climbing a fire escape in Singapore for a better view of Godzilla's fight with Anguirus. Pondering why the monsters are fighting and the likelihood of Godzilla's victory, she fails to notice a piece of rubble flying towards her. Earth Defense Force (EDF) Captain Tam Sauveterre pushes her out of the way just in time, leaving her a bit dazzled as they stand over her. They explain that they spotted her from their helicopter as they help her up and urge her to evacuate. One of Tam's fellow soldiers recovers Piper's phone, and their mood sours as they realize she's been reporting about the battle online, asking if she's a monster tourist. She responds that she provides unbiased reporting about the creatures' attacks, including context like radiation leaks attracting them or the skyrocketing of military spending since Godzilla first appeared. When Tam defends the spending as a necessary response to the monsters, Tam retorts that it's produced few results. She refuses to leave, but nonetheless finds herself deposited on a beach in Malaysia. On the helicopter ride there, another soldier comments that Tam is usually sweet-natured and must really hate Piper. Afterwards, she reflects that she now has to be equally prepared to deal with the monsters and the EDF.
After Tam overhears locker-room chatter about a civilian burning through Kumonga's webbing using acid in a spray bottle, they begin to cross paths with Piper in city after city. During a Rodan attack, they spot her scaling a skyscraper; during a Godzilla raid, they handcuff her to a sink, only for her to escape as soon as they leave the room; and during a Hedorah incursion, she finds them coughing and tosses them a spare gas mask. Piper begins to suspect that Tam is more preoccupied with her than the monsters. While they're sheltering from King Ghidorah, Tam admits that the EDF at large doesn't consider Piper a priority, but they're worried she's going to get herself killed.
Four years after their first meeting in Singapore, Tam draws a stun pistol on Piper during a battle between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla in Barcelona. Piper is confident that they won't shoot, saying it'll cost them their job, but they're determined to show EDF what she does. At the same time, Godzilla and Mechagodzilla lock beams, and a stray shard of energy lands on a nearby tanker, destroying it. Mechagodzilla next attacks Godzilla with its Shock Anchors, but he grabs the cables, flips the machine, and stomps on it. Piper finds Tam pinned under debris and unable to walk; they ask her to leave them behind and save herself. Instead, she pulls off the hood of a nearby car and uses it to drag Tam along. To keep them conscious, she invites them to ask her questions. She explains that she's able to predict where the monsters will strike next with a greater degree of accuracy than the EDF based on factors like ocean currents, tectonic activity, and war. The EDF's moves proved much easier to anticipate, as she cracked their radio encryption years ago. After they find an EDF truck, she asks Tam again why they've been chasing her for years. They answer that as infuriating as they find her, they've been impressed with her skills and want to recruit her. Piper is taken aback, not wanting the EDF's resources. As Godzilla and Mechagodzilla trade rays, Tam defends their organization as focused on saving lives, but Piper responds that Godzilla only came to Barcelona because he sensed Mechagodzilla was there. She adds that while the EDF does save lives, it also endangers them by constantly trying to kill the monsters rather than accepting them as part of the world. She'd rather see the billions spent on superweapons diverted to research, warning systems, and deterrents. Something seems to click with Tam as Piper reaches for their hand.
Three years later, Piper and Tam are married and leading an organization based on Piper's vision for better monster attack prevention. Piper reports to Tam, who now uses a wheelchair, on the recent activities of Godzilla, Baragon, Megalon, Manda, and Rodan. After Tam doles out orders to the other members of their team, Piper reveals another crisis: they forgot to kiss her this morning. They do so, quipping that crises are their specialty.
Appearances
Monsters
Characters
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Weapons, vehicles, races, and organizations
Locations
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Gallery
Covers
Cover A by Dani Pendergast
Cover B by Valentine M. Smith
Retailer incentive cover by Fell Hound
Online exclusive cover by Paulina Ganucheau
Trivia
- This one-shot utilizes the same logo as the Godzilla Rivals series of one-shots, albeit without "Rivals" in the title.
- Artist Dani Pendergast was originally listed as the issue's interior artist in the comic's solicitation,[1] but had to step down for personal reasons;[3] Sebastián Piriz would later be named as her replacement.[2] Additionally, the issue was originally scheduled for January 31, 2024[1] before being delayed to February 7, one week before Valentine's Day.[2]
- The framed album covers in Piper's apartment are The Beatles' Abbey Road and Charly García's Clics modernos.
- A Weekly World News article from 1992, titled "Godzilla Ruined My Marriage, Says Fuming Bride!", can be partially seen on Piper's laptop following her first meeting with Tam.[4]
- The uniform worn by Mechagodzilla's pilot is modeled on the Kiryu pilot uniforms in Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002) and Godzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003).
References
This is a list of references for Godzilla: Valentine's Day Special. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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