IDW and partners Toho International, Inc., have announced they are turning back the clock with new comic book miniseries Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons. Written by Frank Tieri and illustrated by Inaki Miranda, the creative team behind the DC Comics’ Old Lady Harley series, this five-part epic, beginning in June, takes readers back to an era of seafaring and superstition for a Godzilla adventure like no other.
In the 1500s, before humanity had successfully traveled the entire globe, it was believed that monsters ruled the oceans just beyond the horizon. “Here there be dragons…” was written on maps to denote the areas people dared not go. That is, until Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the seas, visiting foreign lands and collecting treasure. Or…at least that’s what history tells us. The truth is, tremendous beasts did lurk yonder, dwelling on an island that doesn’t appear on any map, even to this day. And among those monsters was the king of them all…Godzilla!
“I’ve been very fortunate in my career to have written for quite a few iconic franchises, but I have to admit, there’s something extra special about getting to work on Godzilla,” says Tieri. “Just writing this series I’m instantly a little kid again, watching him fight Rodan or the Smog Monster or whichever Monster of the Week. Needless to say, it’s been a thrill for me…but probably less so for my family, since I’ve been doing the Godzilla roar around the house pretty much nonstop.”
Tieri continues, “What could be cooler than a Godzilla tale with pirates? Here There Be Dragons is a lost voyage of Sir Francis Drake, told through the eyes of a crewman facing execution. The question is, is he telling the truth? Is there really a conspiracy to cover up what happened to Drake on that island and the existence of Godzilla? Or is this merely another pirate’s tall tale? Avast, ye Godzilla fans, and batten down the hatches at your local comic book shop!”
“Godzilla is one of those unique historic creations that is part pop-culture icon, part pure joy and entertainment, and also a metaphor of the ways of society hurting itself, with humans confronting the raw power of our own fears and missteps,” says Miranda. “I’m genuinely thankful to Toho and IDW for having me onboard to illustrate Godzilla smashing ships and fighting kaiju. Collaborating with my buddy Frank is always a pleasure. I enjoy every scene that he is writing, playing with the myths of the old world. It’s a sure recipe for fun, discovery, and fascination!”
“I love the way Here There Be Dragons combines classic mythology from the past with a truly modern legend, causing readers to look at both in new ways,” says IDW’s executive editorial director Jamie S. Rich. “It’s great to see Godzilla away from skyscrapers, taking on a foe that doesn’t have the technological weaponry to fight monsters from a great distance. And I do mean monsters. Godzilla is not alone out there, and I love reading every new issue to see what else Frank and Inaki have cooked up for Godzilla to fight.”
Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #1 will be available with multiple cover variants for retailers and fans to enjoy, including Cover A by series illustrator Inaki Miranda, Cover B by Tyler Kirkham, and two retailer incentive editions by Kirkham and Benjamin Dewey.
