06.15.2014: Meeting Godzilla at Big Wow!

Rachel, Bryan & Kyle talk about the Big Wow Comic Fest and some of the many releases related to the new Godzilla. Because our Godzilla (2014) coverage was so exhaustive, we never really got to cover a couple of important topics: the Big Wow Comic Fest held in San Jose last month and the official movie-related merchandise and releases to the new film. Bryan and Rachel joined my for this episode (#113) to tackle these important issues like the awesome kaiju fans they are. Big Wow Comic Fest was held from May 17th and 18th in San Jose, California and above the standard Comic con-style events, featured the Famous Monsters of Filmland Pavilion. A special über-booth that not only sold the magazines, t-shirts and posters, but also housed both their guests from the land of the rising sun, Kenpachiro Satsuma (Godzilla suit-actor from 1984-1995), Bin Buruya (Ultraman suit actor in 1966), Daisuke Ban (Kikaida & Inazuman), US-based kaiju artist and painter extraordinaire Bob Eggleton and author & kaiju guru August Ragone. It was a fantastic weekend and I really hope that the convention decides to bring some Japanese guests again, because I was quite impressed with the show. In addition to the Comic Fest, I specifically wanted to talk about some of the official merchandise from the new Godzilla movie, so we discuss in detail the film’s soundtrack by Alexadre Desplat, the mobile game Godzilla Smash, the prequel comic, Godzilla: Awakening and the “art of” book entitled Godzilla: The Art Of Destruction. If you’ve been on the fence about picking up any of these releases, perhaps we can sway you one way or the other. MONSTROUS MUSIC: 1. Main Title by Akira Ifukube from Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1993) 2. MUTO Hatch by Alexandre Desplat from Godzilla (2014) 3. Main Title by Akira Ifukube from King Kong Escapes (1967) 4. What Fun, The Moon World by Tak Izumi from The X From Outer Space (1967) SUGGESTED READING: Legendary attempts to have lawsuit thrown out of court Toho’s Godzilla mural unveiling with Akira Takarada & Gareth Edwards Scifi JapanTV Episode 17 “Godz-Illustrator Yuji Kaida” Godzilla The IDW Era Preview on Scifi Japan Another unmade American Godzilla project: Godzilla Reborn NECA 12″ tall Godzilla Figure NECA 20″ tall Knifehead Figure Sideshow Godzilla Contest Mechagodzilla Bottle Opener from Diamond Select Toys Titans of Toho: An Unauthorized Guide to the Godzilla Series & the Rest of Toho’s Giant Monster Films by Brian Clutter The Art of Japanese Monsters by Sean Linkenback CATASTROPHIC EVENTS: 6/28 – Godzilla Night III in San Leandro, CA [BAFE on Facebook] [Great Godzilla Raffle] 7/11 – 7/13 – G-Fest XXI in Chicago, IL 9/12 – 9/14 – Son of Monsterpalooza in Burbank, CA 9/20 – 9/21 – Rose City Comic Con in Portland, OR DAIKAIJU DISCUSSION: Don’t forget that our Daikaiju Discussion will focus on The X From Outer Space (1967). If you’d like to have your thoughts, questions & reviews included in the next discussion episode, send in your “homework” before Sunday, June 22nd!