"An enormous beast wreaking havoc on a city – what an incredible concept!" The King of Monsters unleashes destruction in Godzilla vs. America: Chicago.

Godzilla has battled many foes in its time, from Kong to Mechagodzilla to Mothra, and more (including the Avengers last year). Now the King of the Monsters is set to take on an entire country!

"Godzilla vs. America" is a limited series of four issues published by IDW, where the iconic giant monster wreaks havoc in four major U.S. cities. The inaugural issue features the colossal creature causing destruction in Chicago, showcasing three fresh tales crafted by Tim Seeley, Mike Costa, Ryan Browne, and Ezra Claytan Daniels. 

Newsarama spoke with Chicago residents Seeley, Costa, and Browne to delve deeper into their new comic and explore the experience of unleashing the legendary creature in their city...

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Newsarama: To start, can you share what Godzilla represents for each of you and what it feels like to be working on a Godzilla comic?

Tim Seeley: I grew up on Godzilla movies in the '80s. They were some of the first easy-to-find VHS videos. When I moved out on my own (and was totally broke) I used my first video store membership to rent and watch all the movies I hadn't seen. So, I think, Godzilla is a comfort character for me. No matter what mood I'm in, I can watch one of the films... any of the films.

Mike Costa & Ryan Browne: Well, Godzilla's a cultural icon, probably next to Dracula and Frankenstien as the most recognizable monsters of all time. Grant Morrison talked in an interview once about how the legacy of Superman is like a vast cave painting, and they were just proud to smudge their little thumbprint on it, and that's exactly how we feel. Our tiny contribution to the great Cultural Record.

Could you share a sneak peek of your stories featured in this special issue dedicated to Chicago?

Seeley: A college student, trying to talk herself into asking out a guy she likes, is on the Chicago L, waiting for a sign to act. Unfortunately that sign is an attack by Godzilla.

Costa & Browne: Like the first – and all the best – Godzilla stories, our story isn't actually about Godzilla. Godzilla exists as a terrible consequence of human arrogance and hubris. We're just focusing on a specifically Chicago-centric form of hubris. Which is not in short supply in that wonderful city. Especially around their sports teams.

Most people likely have their own vision of what a Godzilla narrative entails, but this comic demonstrates that there’s ample opportunity for diverse tones and genres to coexist within that framework. What contributes to the versatility of this character as a storytelling device?

Seeley: Well, Godzilla isn't a character per se. It's a force of nature with a cool face. All the best Godzilla stories are about people stuck in Godzilla's way, and how they deal with inevitability and catastrophe. I took inspiration from Godzilla '54 and Minus One – plus a little touch of '80s rom-com.

Costa & Browne: Godzilla has always been such an elastic character. He's been a wrathful judgement on human civilization. He's been a defender of that very same civilization. He's been a big mindless Roland Emmerich egg-laying lizard, and he's been a compassionate friend to children. But monsters are elastic. That's why we invent them – they can be whatever the moment