Comics
Review: ‘Samurai Jack’ #1
What’s better than a samurai combating the forces of evil with a magic sword? This of course is the premise of “Samurai Jack”, a hit animated series that lit up the Cartoon Networks air waves somewhere around a decade ago. When I picked up my issue of “Samurai Jack and the Threads of Time” the euphoric sense of nostalgia coursed through my veins, this mysterious god of war has once again been brought back into my life. This is one of the few times I looked forward to a TV to comic adaptation. Many of these ventures can be hit or miss, and this issue shows that there is some potential for “Samurai Jack” to be a great comic.
WRITTEN BY: Jim Zub
ART BY: Andy Suriano
PUBLISHER: IDW Publishing
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: October 24, 2013
Long ago, a samurai named Jack, wielding a magic sword, battled an evil demon named Aku who was attempting to seize control of the world. Before Good was able to triumph over Evil, Aku used his time travel magic to throw Jack far into the future where he was supreme leader. Now Jack endeavours to get back to his proper timeline to end the future he currently finds himself in… The first arc of this new ongoing series has Jack looking for Threads of Time, by combining the threads he can make a Rope and be able to return to the past. Of course the closest Thread is a short hike away but book wouldn’t be a proper adaptation without some good ol’ fashion sword play.
One doesn’t have to be familiar with the old series to comprehend what’s going on, making this a good starting point for any would-be fans. Immediately the book takes on the characteristic feel of any episode of Samurai Jack, the task to return to his own time is outlined and that will be the predominant plot of the story but there are always catches and twists that make it a much more difficult task. Jim Zub does an excellent job of bringing the feel of the animated series to the paper. Though this is the first issue, there’s lots of action. Even if one doesn’t know the story, after the first page you’re already up to speed, allowing you to submerse yourself in the tale.
Now, the age in which the show was catered to was that of a younger crowd. At the time I was between the ages of 10 and 11, which was probably on the older side of the age group this show was geared to. I say this because it’s a prevalent draw back to this issue; specifically the other “warriors” Jack is forced to battle because their names are ridiculously silly. I’m interested to see if this will be a common thread throughout the story or if there will be an overall maturity to the plot with small references to the classic show like this.
I could not ask for anything more when it comes to Andy Suriano’s art. An authentic Samurai Jack look that is slightly tailored to reflect the change in medium. The art is on the cartoon side of the spectrum, but this doesn’t diminish it whatsoever. His line work is strong, and the colors are gorgeous.
“Jack” fans have waited a long time for the return of their beloved samurai, and the creative team offers a solid start. At this point, it’s hard to say if the series could sustain itself as an ongoing, but time will tell.
3/5 Skulls
Reveiwed by – GreenBasterd
IDW Dark and Paramount recently joined forces to launch limited comic book tales set in the worlds of Smile and A Quiet Place, and we’ve learned today that they’ll continue hanging around in those franchise universes with two brand new limited series tales.
Entertainment Weekly has exclusively revealed this afternoon that IDW Dark’s Any Given Smile debuts in September, while A Quiet Place: Rising Tides arrives in November.
First up, from writer Stephanie Williams and artist Pablo Collar, Any Given Smile puts a football-themed twist on Parker Finn’s successful Smile movie franchise.
The five-part limited series is “set in January 1995, during the American Arena League football championship game in St. Augustine, Florida. The rising superstar of the Sharks, backup quarterback Dupree, is feeling the pressure from his teammates, the fans, and also the city’s gambling underworld, to whom he owes a considerable debt. Meanwhile, a sports journalist investigates a string of suicides that may be connected to the big game. At the very least, they are connected to a sinister entity that preys on the minds of its victims.”
From writer Declan Shalvey and artist Luke Sparrow, A Quiet Place: Rising Tides will also be a five-issue limited story. The comic book tale “brings the creatures to the Florida Keys, where a father-daughter duo attempt to survive on water in a houseboat.”
EW further details, “This tense family reunion coincides with the arrival of the vicious creatures that hunt through sound. Grace and her dad find safety on the open ocean, but she’ll have to make landfall sooner or later; the father’s oxygen tank and their supplies are running low, while a hurricane swiftly approaches.”
Learn more about both comic books over on Entertainment Weekly.
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