Kaijumax Season Two

“Ever watch a monster movie and wonder how Godzilla is feeling while he’s smashing all those buildings? Cannon certainly has, and this second installment of Kaijumax demonstrates the profound results. His world of giant robots versus giant monsters seems standard enough, but when the heroic robots stoop to profiling and brutality while the monsters fall victim to an unfair society and their own self-destructive culture, the audience can’t help but feel compassion and contempt for these characters living in a black-and-white world. Cannon’s critique in what clearly parallels today’s real-world problems with law enforcement and culture is as sharp as it is timely. His world building is equally impressive, from imaginative swear words to the literally nuclear-grade opiates that plague the streets—nearly every aspect and small detail of Kaijumax is all-too familiar. Though the artwork may seem unrefined, the richly colored panels and blocky figures exude a classic comics vibe that perfectly matches story and characters. This is poignant, modern critique of culture in an easily accessible and satirical package. Fans of brainy, incisive comics should look no further than Kaijumax.” - Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“The cartoony art is the ultimate sucker punch: Some of the creatures are cute and start to tug at your sympathies—despite their sometimes reprehensible actions.” - The New York Times

“Devoted single father Electrogor gets himself in a bind when he is accidentally shipped off to Kaijumax, a maximum security prison in the South Pacific for giant monsters. A relatively sweet monster, Electrogor thinks about nothing but escaping back to his children. Standing in his way is Gutpa, a corrupt security guard selling uranium on the side (which many of the monsters are addicted to) to pay his gambling debts. The second volume follows Electrogor and the Humongo who helped him escape as they go on the run and face not only hiding from the police but also other desperate thieves and people just trying to survive. Will Electrogor’s children remember him and forgive him for disappearing? Cannon’s world of Kaijumax is an intriguing one that combines elements of hit TV shows such as Orange Is the New Black, Prison Break, and The Sopranos. While the bright, psychedelic cutesy cartoon art might make these seem like an innocent tales, they subtly touch on a variety of tough topics, such as the horror of prison life, death, violence, greed, and corruption. Teens will be attracted by the idea of a jail for giant monsters and find themselves falling in love with, caring about, crying for, and wanting to kill some of the characters—both monster and human.” - School Library Journal

“The artwork’s incredible. It brings a lightness to the otherwise surprisingly heavy subject matter. If you’re a fan of Godzilla, Power Rangers, Ultraman, or any other Kaiju movie or show, you’ll see some familiar characters hidden throughout. This is one of the weirdest comics that I’ve read in a while, but I loved every minute of it. Give giant monsters a chance, and check this one out.” - Boing Boing

“Kaijumax does more to humanize real-life convicts than any recent piece of popular culture. Improbably, this absurd series is one of the most socially relevant and psychologically rich comics on the shelf... This comic is a unique and humane triumph.” - Salon.com

“Kaijumax lures you in with its incredible range of sci-fi creations powered by Zander’s encyclopedic knowledge of the genre. Cannon then tramples you with so much raw emotion that you’ll be thinking about this comic, and by extension the nature of prison, for days to come.” - The Observer

“This book is smart, gut-bustingly funny, delightfully bizarre, and at times surprisingly moving.”
- Syfy Wire

“If you like an insane mashup premise—such as Shirtless Bearfighter or Dr. McNinja—then this comic will fulfill your craving for bonkers. But if you like intellectual sequential art that tackles real-life issues in a strong—but non-preachy—way, you will adore this comic. Along with Lazarus, this might be the most relevant ongoing comic. Only a real monster wouldn’t give it a shot.” - Paste

“Kaijumax is a sweet, moving and beautifully put together comic that utilizes all the best parts of sequential storytelling to create something that feels really quite special.” - Women Write About Comics

“This is fantastic stuff.” - Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Watchmen)