Audiences won't get the full glimpse of director Gareth Edwards' Godzilla until May 16, but Legendary Entertainment has announced that the King of Monsters will return slightly earlier in the Godzilla: Awakening original graphic novel set for release on May 7.

Set decades before the film, Godzilla: Awakening is co-written by Greg Borenstein and Godzilla screenwriter Max Borenstein and illustrated by Eric Battle, Yvel Guichet, Alan Quah and Lee Loughridge, with a cover by Art Adams.

"As we know, Godzilla is not just limited to films," director Gareth Edwards said in the graphic novel's announcement video (below). "There have been some cool comic books and manga over the years, and so I'm very excited to announce the official Godzilla graphic novel from Legendary Comics, which will pave the way for the film in May."

Clocking in at 72 pages, Godzilla: Awakening hits stores May 7 from Legendary Comics.