This week in 1956, American audiences caught their first glimpse of
Godzilla in
Godzilla, King of the Monsters! The towering mutant dinosaur stormed onto the screen, quickly becoming a pop culture icon that has lasted through nearly 30 films, comic books, a television series and is even in production for a new
2012 movie release from
Legendary Pictures.
You can find this monster not only on screen, but also in books, video games, and comics from both
Marvel and
Dark Horse. With so many outlets for the franchise, it's no wonder
Godzilla is one of Japan's most recognizable creations, spawning some incredible action figures and collectibles over the decades. He's so popular, we gave
Godzilla his own
category on ToyWiz.com! (
Click here to take a look - Godzilla is always in demand)
From the cute & cuddly...
[caption id="attachment_894" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Awwww!"]
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To the ultra-realistic...
[caption id="attachment_895" align="alignnone" width="229" caption="A masterpiece, right down to the operator inside!"]
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To the classics...
[caption id="attachment_898" align="alignnone" width="232" caption="They just don't make mutant monster lizards like they did back in the 1960's."]
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We've even got some
extraordinarily rare Godzilla items for serious collectors, in stock and in mint condition. These items are sure to be in demand next year when the new movie comes out, generating a new wave of
Godzilla merchandise and captivating audiences yet again. The "augmented reality" production of the new film promises some amazing special effects, and we can't wait to see what
Legendary Pictures (
Inception, The Dark Knight) has in store for us this time around.
A little Godzilla trivia for your Monday morning:
- There is a dinosaur named for Godzilla: The Gojirasaurus quayi is a Triassic ceratosaur over five meters in length, making it one of the larger predators of it's period. (Gojira is the name for Godzilla in Japan)
- Blue Öyster Cult had a minor hit, "Godzilla," in 1977
- Godzilla starred in a Nike ad by playing basketball with Charles Barkley in 1992
- The original American release was significantly different from the Japanese original, but became a hit in both countries.
- Godzilla has been portrayed as both a hero and a villain/destroyer
YES it is Godzilla! I love this big guy - misunderstood mutant dinosaur, hero or villian, GZ is the king of monsters (really, who else?). Naturally, I'm eagerly watching for the film due out next year. David Goyer (Dark City, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Man of Steel, and The Dark Knight Rises) is writing the script for Legendary Pictures (source).
