Big in Japan: An Indie Kaiju Sensation
Josh B.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s never been a better time to be a Kaiju, or “giant monster” fan. Between all the blockbuster films, video game representation in GigaBash and Dave the Diver, and other phenomenal promotions, it can be hard to know where to start, and things can get lost in the shuffle. Independent creators in the Kaiju space are often overlooked, and that’s all too unfortunate. And so, I’d like to introduce you to an independent Kaiju title to take a look at – Timothy Price’s Big in Japan.
Big in Japan is an illustrated novel series written by Timothy Price, musician, author and pastor. It features artwork by Alan Barnes, Tim’s art instructor and friend of two decades running. Big in Japan tells the tale of a man named Tommy Lynn Taylor, a struggling rock star who suddenly finds himself entangled in a world of Kaiju after one suddenly attacks the gig that he and his band F-Bomb are playing in Japan. Tommy and his band mate, Nathan, are soon recruited by the secret agency known as the Earth Intelligence Organization (EIO) and made to command a giant cowboy robot called “The Duke” to protect humanity from the giant monsters being set upon us by Oko Rikoku, an ancient Yokai (Japanese Evil Spirit) witch bent on bringing the world to its knees.
Tim Price
As you can see, there’s a lot going on in Big in Japan, but even with all that said, there’s a lot more to this story. The EIO as an organization have functioned for decades, having musicians double as secret agents, from Milli Vanilli to Justin Bieber! Not only that, but the conflict on earth has drawn the attention of other planets, with two representatives from an alien race joining the fight against Rikoku. My point in saying all this here is: if you love the wild, over-the-top and out-there plots of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s Godzilla flicks, you’ll really get a kick out of Big in Japan!
The tone and content aren’t the only ties to Godzilla that Big in Japan has. Timothy Price himself actually got permission from several actors from that franchise to be a part of his! Robert Scott Field, who played the android M11 in Godzilla VS. King Ghidorah, lends his likeness to the character of SCOTT, a friendly automaton who works for the EIO, even sharing speech patterns and affectations with his 1991 inspiration. Additionally, one of the biggest Godzilla stars, Akira Takarada (RIP), who has been in Godzilla films since the 1954 original, lent his likeness to the character Dr. Takarada, the creator of The Duke giant robot. Having this extra connection to the greater Kaiju media space is a real treat for longtime fans of the genre!
As you can see, Big in Japan has a lot of big ideas for shaking up the Kaiju space, for both fans and newcomers to the genre! It’s definitely one you don’t want to miss out on, and can find it available now on Amazon, and Timothy Price’s personal website. It’s also available as an audiobook, which is notable for its phenomenal soundtrack, performed by the author as he reads the book! For my money, that is the definitive way to experience this story, as a radio drama with some excellent illustrations!
Tim Price (L) with Illustrator, Alan Barnes
Finally, as a special treat for our readers, I have here an exclusive interview with series creator Timothy Price! This interview was originally conducted at G-Fest XXVIII in 2023, and has been transcribed below, along with information from the Big in Japan Panel that happened at that same convention:
JOSHUA BRAFMAN (JB): So, how exactly did Big in Japan get started?
TIMOTHY PRICE (TP): The idea of it really began back in 2009. I created this album all about classic horror monsters called The Silver Screen Spookshow. We had a song on there about Godzilla called “The Atomic Stomp,” and on that track, I say, “My band is really big in Japan!” and that’s what got the idea going.
JB: Inspiration really does come from anywhere! [laughs] So, how did you go from that line to this series?
TP: I brought the initial idea to Alan [Barnes], and it began life as an eight-page comic. But as we kept talking, the thing ballooned and wound up to be WAY bigger than we thought it would be, so we shifted gears and changed it into a novel.
JB: So, what else can you tell me about Big in Japan?
TP: Big in Japan is the story of Tommy Lynn Taylor, who befriends this sentient robot called The Duke in order to stop these giant monsters from destroying the world. Now, Tommy Lynn Taylor comes from Timmy Lynn Taylor, my stage name from back when I was a rock and roll musician. Tommy as a character is very personal for me; he struggles with a chemical addiction in these books, and that’s because as a recovering addict myself, I wanted to put that journey in my books.
JB: Wow! That’s really inspiring. So, how did the Godzilla connections come about for Big in Japan?
TP: G-Fest allowed for the connection! Alan and I brought the original comic to G-Fest back in 2012, and we were able to speak with both Robert Scott Field and Takarada-san because they were guests at the convention.
JB: Wild! So, what’s next for Big in Japan?
TP: We’ve got a lot cooking! Next year (2024) is the ten-year anniversary of Big in Japan, and so, Alan and I are releasing a remastered, hardcover edition of book one, with all-new artwork, under Alan’s new publishing company, InkSpatter Press. Through that, we’ve also got a crossover coming with Matthew Dennion’s Atomic Rex series, that’s coming end of this year, early next. (2023/2024) Right now there’s two books out in the Big in Japan series, and we’re working on Book 3 – Big in Japan: Annihilator. That’s a bit further off though, about 2 years (2025), since I’ll be travelling as a pastor to help folks around the nation who are struggling with addiction.
As you can see, the team of Timothy Price and Alan Barnes are a multitalented, magnanimous duo. Big in Japan is a multi-layered odyssey for those new to the Kaiju genre, and an endearing, heartfelt love letter to all the long-time fans. Whether experienced on paper through the book itself, or on the audiobook, I believe they’ve created something truly special here. Price’s narrative, combined with Barnes’ artwork which is peppered throughout the book, (much like a light novel, for those of you in the anime scene) makes for an engaging read any Kaiju fan would be glad to jam out with. Check it out – you won’t regret it.
