Anguirus tussles with the Showa Godzilla robot the way he did in the classic 1975 Terror of MechaGodzilla. As the display of the cybernetic kaiju’s power concludes, Anguirus lays hurt and the bidding for the machine to those countries looking for a good defense begins. Chavez and Lucy follow satellite heat signatures and find that Anguirus has emerged in a place he wouldn’t naturally be. They fly off to investigate as a familiar spiny back breaks the water just off the city where Woods and Allie meet for some coffee and life talk.

Chavez and his team use the Kiryu MechaGodzilla to collect Anguirus for the menagerie on Monster Island. While they set about helping the burrowing kaiju, the scary man behind the sale of the MechaGodzillas reveals a starling secret about himself. He also sets at least four of the robots to fight Godzilla.

I have observed on many past occasions that writer Chris Mowry has a tough job dealing with a licensed character. Part of his challenge comes from the inability to make permanent story alterations such as killing a monster or having one do something drastic. To sidestep that, Mowry needs to write company friendly plots. For a writer, this is the equivalent of plot handcuffs.

But Mowry does an admirable job as he does here by creating multiple monster threats (Showa MechaGodzilla) and the promise of the battle that will come in the next issue. The one main dilemma that the writer faces comes from the repeated formula that is being exhausted: What will the writer do when the scenario of setting Godzilla to fight his foes becomes rote?

While we readers wait to see how that plays out, we still get a good, entertaining read every month in Rulers of Earth. Additionally, IDW has not yet shifted the continuity on the book, so the familiarity is there. For now. As Mowry continues to develop this alien invasion story, we look for the progression that will have Godzilla facing his foes and blasting his atomic breath on any monster or alien that stands in his way.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Chris Mowry Artist: Jeff Zornow Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 7/23/14 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital