Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #13

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Godzilla: Rulers of Earth
Issue #12
Issue #13
Issue #14
"Changing of the Guard"
Retailer incentive cover for issue #13 by Jeff Zornow
Story by Chris Mowry, Matt Frank
Written by Chris Mowry
Art by Jeff Zornow
Colors by Priscilla Tramontano
Letters by Shawn Lee
Edits by Bobby Curnow
Sales 6,980[1]
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Godzilla: Rulers of Earth
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"Changing of the Guard" is the thirteenth issue of Godzilla: Rulers of Earth. It was released on June 25, 2014.

Description

While Godzilla's disappearance has brought calm to the planet, a threat from the past is set to resurface and take back the world they once had control over. No monster is safe and no future is certain as one of Godzilla's greatest enemies prepares to return in a way nobody saw coming!

Plot

During a roller skating competition, in which Lucy Casprell wins under the name "Kaiju Cutie", the building is crumbled from above as the audience leaves in a panic. Lucy wonders going on as a bystander tells her that "he's back". She asks who's back, only to have her answer in the form of Godzilla, who proceeds to demolish the city and destroy several tanks firing at him. Lucy tries to escape, but the King of Monsters chases her down and blasts her with his atomic breath. Suddenly, Lucy jolts awake in her bedroom as it's revealed that the attack was only a nightmare. She checks what time it is and laments that the "mid-watches are killing her". Working all night until the sun rises, trying to sleep, and hoping everything stays calm on the Monster Islands. It's revealed that four years have passed since Godzilla's disappearance after he was buried underwater with the Devonian civilization, and the Monster Islands are now filled with various kaiju. As Lucy looks out the window of her room on a patrolling CKR ship, Rodan is seen with a whale in his beak, Gaira is swimming in the nearby bay, and Kumonga is tussling with Sanda and Baragon. Lucy meets up Chavez in the Monster Islands HQ as the soldier asks why she's here so early. Lucy tells him about the dream she had with Godzilla at the roller derby, saying that he was "scary as hell" in it. Chavez jokes that Lucy always thought Godzilla was cute before bringing her topside to see Zilla swimming near the islands. He reveals that they picked him up that morning and they tracked him to where he was at that moment, stating that this was the closest he's been to the islands. Lucy asks why he hasn't made set foot on the islands yet, with Chavez replying that maybe he wasn't welcome. Lucy retorts that maybe Zilla will be welcome in time before the soldier states that they'll get a boat and drone to survey him as Lucy turns her attention to Kristina Sumres and Jason Ford, who are checking on one of their cameras. Chavez tells her not to be "so obvious", with Lucy stating that she's just worried and that there are hazards to this job. Chavez suggests pranking them with Godzilla's roar and Lucy jokingly chastises him, stating that Gaira will go nuts if he hears that. Chavez jokes that "she's no fun" and tells her that it's lunch time, "or breakfast time for her".

Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., Steven Woods is asked if he's no longer with the CKR teams by Senator Payne. Woods confirms this and explains his shoulder injury from Destoroyah. Payne asks if this took place on the Monster Islands or somewhere like Las Vegas or San Diego and that Woods was declared deceased, with was "clearly a mistake". Woods angrily retorts that it was Dr. Allison who was killed and his injury was from the Monster Islands before accusing the senator of not reading his briefings. Payne says that they all have before asking him that with Godzilla not being seen in four years and monster activity significantly dropping since then, why he's seeking continued funding for the CKR. Woods tells the senator that he knows Godzilla is still alive before reminding him that they stopped looking for the monster two years ago. Payne sternly tells him that they stopped looking for Jet Jaguar before assuring that Godzilla is dead despite what CKR has to say. Woods angrily tells Payne that two years ago, a Japanese cargo ship went missing. The report stated that it was a rogue wave, but some of the cargo ended up near the Arctic Circle and tested positive for high amounts of radiation. Only one monster puts off a reading like that. However, he overextends himself and hurts his shoulder before Payne states that the CKR will receive no funding, and that funding be restricted only to the operations on the Monster Islands. He tells Woods that he will not convince the panel to fund for more operations that could destroy more cities or for new giant robots. They already found someone to do that for them and for a lot cheaper. Payne adjourns the meeting and warns Woods that if he still "wants a fight", he's not on "solid ground".

In the Arctic Circle, a group of poachers on the Bloodthirsty Rose are out to club a colony of seals before they can get caught. They find the colony and kill several seals. One poacher corners a pup, but before he can finish the baby seal off, a giant eye opens within the ice; Godzilla's eye. Godzilla bursts from the ice, killing the poachers and destroying their ship. One day later in Moscow, a Russian warmonger named Dyachenko states to his audience of national representatives that the world has had a tragic history when it comes to giant monsters. Despite some areas being defended by massive robots or even Godzilla himself, most countries were left unprotected and they paid a terrible price for being unprepared. Attacks like those in Rome and New York were allowed to happen while the nations that controlled Jet Jaguar, MOGUERA, and Mechagodzilla did nothing to help. Even Baragon, despite being restrained and captured, almost destroyed Paris. Dyachenko concludes that they shouldn't rely on "phoning the police" if that police doesn't seem to care. However, he offers a solution: A "policeman" of one's very own. Although Godzilla's gone, it's only a matter of time before the other monsters escape the Monster Islands and wreak havoc. The Russian tells his audience to witness a demonstration made possible by U.S. Senator Payne. In a remote part of Alaska, Anguirus emerges from the earth after hiding for several years. The curious monster investigates a "Godzilla scarecrow" before Dyachenko sheds its disguise, revealing a new Mechagodzilla. Dyachenko states that this Mechagodzilla is not only cheaper, but just as deadly. The robot unloads a salvo of its Finger Missiles on Anguirus before before stomping him to the ground, blasting him into the air with another missile salvo, shooting him down with its Space Beam, and unleashing all of its weapons on the spiked monster. Dyachenko considers this test a success and offers one to each country. Flight capabilities, arsenals "equal to ten army divisions", unmatched mobility, this new Mechagodzilla has it all. He asks the representatives if they're ready to purchase one, or if they need to be "persuaded" by his assistants, Minette and Mallory. He suggests that they order soon "before it's too late" as Godzilla is seen swimming in the ocean.

Appearances

Monsters

Weapons, vehicles, and races

Characters

Locations

Gallery

Inked pages

Covers

Scans

Trivia

  • In Lucy's nightmare sequence, the number on her jersey is "54," in reference to the year 1954, when the original Godzilla was released.
  • The version of Godzilla that appears in Lucy's nightmare closely resembles his MireGoji design, in contrast to the KiryuGoji design normally seen in the series. Matt Frank's notes at the end of the Godzilla: Rulers of Earth Volume 4 collection reveal that he originally intended Burning Godzilla to appear in Lucy's nightmare.
  • A statue of Godzilla's skeleton can be seen on Lucy's desk.
  • Lucy and Chavez discuss the fact that Zilla has yet to set foot on the islands because he may not be welcome, though Lucy assures Chavez that the other monsters will eventually come to accept him. This is most likely an inside joke relating to how the Godzilla fanbase has been slow to accept Zilla as an honorary kaiju.
  • Godzilla's return in this issue, in which he is inexplicably trapped in an iceberg after having been buried beneath the Devonian capital at the bottom of the ocean in the previous issue, goes unexplained within the series itself. Chris Mowry revealed that Godzilla was supposed to burrow beneath the Devonian capital and encounter Megalon underground. While battling beneath the surface, Godzilla was to eventually defeat Megalon but wind up frozen in the Arctic circle after their battle had taken them there. Mowry expressed regret over not being able to provide a proper explanation for Godzilla's relocation in-universe.[2]
  • Godzilla emerging from an iceberg may be a reference to his first appearance in King Kong vs. Godzilla.
  • Anguirus being attacked by Mechagodzilla, who is initially disguised as Godzilla, is no doubt a reference to the monsters' encounter in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.
    • Mechagodzilla's Fake Godzilla disguise is based on a Godzilla figure produced by Bullmark in 1970.[3]

References

This is a list of references for Godzilla: Rulers of Earth issue 13. 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]

External links

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