ECTYRON V ROJO GALLO
CANDLE LIGHT PRESS/Warning Comics
STORY: Carter Allen
SCRIPT: John Ira Thomas
ART: Carter Allen
COLORS: Carter Allen
LETTERS: John Ira Thomas
COVER: Carter Allen
BACK COVER: Will Grant
32pp, Color, $5.00 U.S. (2025)
Comic book writer-artist and graphic novelist, Carter Allen, has been publishing a series of comic books and graphic novels featuring a “kaiju” character known as “Ectyron! The Radioactive Chicken!” Candle Light Press and Allen's Warning Comics have previously published several Ectyron comic books: Ectyron Against Lagaxtu (2017), Ectyron: Rise of Nemehiss (2018), and Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula (2019), the Ectyron Omnibus Vol. 1 (2022), and Ectyron vs. Des Moines (2023).
Ectyron is back on the attack in the recently released comic book, Ectyron v Rojo Gallo. It is written by Allen (story) and John Ira Thomas (script); drawn and colored by Allen; and lettered by Thomas. Ectyron comics employ particular elements of various Japanese science fiction sub-genres, in particular “Kaiju.” This is a term used to describe the giant monsters and the fiction in which they appear. Godzilla is an example of a kaiju, and Ectyron, a giant-sized chicken, is also a kaiju.
Ectyron v Rojo Gallo opens somewhere Iowa. There, the sinister forces of Lord Gar-Lahk have summoned the monstrous rooster and demonic kaiju, “Rojo Gallo.” With the Parademon-like “Tactighouls” right behind, Rojo Gallo begins a brutal campaign built on fear, pain, and terror that affects the entire regions. Now, Madam Madamn (of “Sustenatione Stabilitas”) and that wonder of science, “AtomI.K.E.,” add their power to the might and majesty of Ectyron. But can our heroes save the locals who seem to have invited this campaign of fear and hate on their own town?
THE LOWDOWN: I have been receiving review copies of Carter Allen's comic books and graphic novels for almost two decades. He always sends me review copies of his Ectyron titles, including Ectyron v Rojo Gallo. We also collaborated on the 2024 original graphic novel, The Wrath of Karapace: A Big Spirits Epic.
Once again, Allen uses lush watercolors to produce his art and storytelling. That gives Ectyron v Rojo Gallo an almost surreal sensibility. The story is literally a firestorm, a raging inferno that rides the winds of prejudice and bigotry to the point where no one is safe from the sh*t they started. Allen's art is really graphical storytelling, wild and crazy, full of big panels that recall classic “Silver Age” monster comics and “Space Age” monster movies. Reading the story is like entering a fun madhouse of perfectly weird comic book ideas
I have to admit that I was surprised that Carter and his co-conspirator, writer John Ira Thomas, offers some sharp political and social commentary in this comic book. There is not a lot of it, but what appears is merciless and timely. I don't want to spoil Allen and Thomas' savory barbs, but yes, some of you did not vote for this, but then again, you kinda did... In Ectyron v. Rojo Gallo, the citizenry reaps what it sowed, and as always, now they want the people whom they tried to own to help them.
Ectyron v Rojo Gallo is a double-bladed delight. Find the Candle Light Press gang at a convention and snag a copy.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of kaiju and of Carter Allen's kaiju comic books will want Ectyron v Rojo Gallo.
A+
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
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