While a fan of Godzilla, it’s always nice to jump into a fresh new series featuring kaiju without having to include the King of the Monsters. No Gods, No Masters by creative duo Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo is a wonderful blend of a horrifying monster invasion and timely social commentary that goes beyond your typical kaiju story.
Felipe is still getting accustomed to life in New York City, and when a kaiju ravages Manhattan, he’ll need the help of two of his classmates to rescue his mom from a wrecked subway station.
You know when Anta and Salcedo team-up on a project we are in for a stellar ride both in story and illustration. These two know each other’s ebbs and flows in ways it’s hard to explain which makes for some outstanding storytelling. This goes the same for No Gods, No Masters.
When opening up a kaiju story, you are expecting bombastic battles featuring giant monsters…which we get in this debut issue…but it’s the emotional and relevant core that strikes a chord. Anta takes a tale fleeing a torn up homeland to New York City from a homeland and blends it seamlessly into this monster invasion story.
This kaiju tale is an emotional coming-of-age journey that is more human than monster. The characters are relatable and while the focus is on those who have fled and immigrated to the United States, something can be said about those who just have been through some shit only to have more pile on top. Already impacted once by this phenomenon, Felipe now has to deal with it all over again. This time with an unlikely band of friends.
We can see this series is going to focus on those personally affected by the kaiju itself and the destruction left its path more and those communities in its wake. The monsters are a vessel to tell the real emotional story behind the humans and those who make up our country, no matter your background. A monster story with heart.
Salcedo has a knack for illustrating amazing young adult stories, both alongside Anta as well as with other creative partners. Jacoby’s style is edging while also playful allowing for nasty kaiju’s to terrifying as well as the more intimate moments of a coming-of-age story and the humans on the ground. You feel for those affected with each and every line of illustration.
No Gods, No Masters is proof that some of the best kaiju stories aren’t those solely about giant monsters tearing apart cities, but the ones about the people who are left in the aftermath. Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo have created an emotional, timely series that balances large scale destruction with heart. No Gods, No Masters is a monster story with tale that stands above the giants who have attacked the city.
No Gods, No Masters #1 hits local comic shops on September 2, 2026 (FOC: July 27) from BOOM! Studios!
No Gods, No Masters #1 Covers
