I could lie and say that a reader (maybe we’ll have one some day) wrote in and asked for this, but that what would be wrong. I just spend my time thinking about a world where the Justice League had to be replaced by kaiju to defend the earth. Here’s the team I’ve thought long and hard about.

Superman - Gamera: This new kaiju team is going to need a moral compass, and (generally speaking) giant monsters don’t usually care about others. Typically they’re reluctant heroes or they help out when their interests coincide with the rest of the world’s. Gamera is different. Even in his first appearance, when most monsters are just destroying things mindlessly, Gamera saved a kid from falling from a lighthouse. For every movie of the original series, Gamera was the protector of children, and then in the 90s movies he was billed as the “guardian of the universe.” Certainly the guardian of the universe could fill in for Superman? Superman is also the strongest member of his team, and Gamera is no slouch in the power department. He’s super strong, capable of flight, blows fire, and his shell provides a great deal of protection. This giant turtle is someone we can all believe in.

Wonder Woman - Mothra: While Mothra is one of the few monsters to be depicted as female, that fact was not the real impetus behind the decision to make her the Wonder Woman replacement. Just like Wonder Woman lives on the secluded Paradise Island with the rest of her Amazons, Mothra lives on the uncharted Infant Island with fairies and tribesmen. What’s more is that Mothra is considered a divine creature because it can be reborn as a larva (or two) when it dies. In a similar way, Wonder Woman is inextricably linked to the gods of ancient Greece, sometimes even having her origin be that she is their offspring. Batman - Fin Fang Foom: It was a little difficult to find a giant monster that relied on smarts and training rather than strength, but Fin Fang Foom is kind of perfect. Initially conceived as just another monster for Marvel Comics (although he could talk), he didn’t become the perfect Batman until 2005 when he was shrunken down and de-powered to be integrated into society. Before being shrunken down he knew kung-fu and was extremely smart, but the event made him far more like the dark knight than any other kaiju could hope to be. What’s more dangerous than a giant kaiju (he got big again recently) who really appreciates his massive power and knows how to use it? The Flash - Rodan: Rodan’s fast, right? I mean most kaiju lumber around, so even being a little quick is enough. Most of the time Rodan attacks by flying quickly and knocking is opponent over, using his speed to his advantage. In addition, they’re both know to sacrifice their lives to help their allies. In Crisis on Infinite Earths Flash (Barry Allen) sacrificed his life to save the multiverse. Similarly, at the end of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Rodan sacrifices his life and gives his power to Godzilla so he can beat Mechagodzilla. These two guys are team players.

Green Lantern - Galactus: Most monsters stay firmly planted on earth, and the few that don’t really can’t capture the cosmic essence of a Green Lantern. Galactus, however, has been traveling the universe devouring planets for millennia, and, to the benefit of this list, he’s HUGE. While he may not have the power of a super advanced green ring, he does have the power cosmic, which is basically carte blanche for writers to let him do anything. A Green Lantern serves as the Justice League’s liaison to space, and you couldn’t do better than to have Galactus be your guide to the galaxies (he might stop for a bite to eat every so often, though).

Cyborg - Mechagodzilla: This may seem a bit on the nose, but if you’ve watched Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. or Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla you’ll know that Mechagodzilla is far more than a robot, vehicle, or alien device. Mechagodzilla IS a cyborg. In the millennium series of Godzilla movies, Mechagodzilla was created by building a mechanical body around the bones of the original Godzilla from the 1954 film (it’s a little complicated). When the cyborg was completed, it ignored it’s human pilots and channeled the soul of the original Godzilla. Cyborg serves as the Justice League’s connection to the grid, and Mechagodzilla is the perfect monster to connect with technological infrastructure we’ve set up.

Aquaman - Godzilla: I know, I know, you probably thought Godzilla was going to be Superman, but hear me out. Godzilla fits as the perfect Aquaman because they have so much in common. They both live in the sea. They’re both kings–Aquaman is king of the seven seas and Godzilla is king of the monsters. Finally, they both have tumultuous relationships with the surface world. Aquaman has planned war with the surface world before, and Godzilla has fought with the people above the waves more times than not. In addition, They both help the surface world sometimes (Aquaman a lot, Godzilla sometimes). The age of Aquaman being a joke is over, and Godzilla is the perfect fill-in for him.

If you’ve got problems with this list, let us know! Thanks for reading!

–Will