Darby Pop Publishing/Magnetic Press 2016
Written by Adam Beechen
Penciled by Brandon McKinney
Inked by Brandon McKinney & Michael Montenat
Coloured by Zac Atkinson
Lettered by Troy Peteri
Bruce Lee never died; he’s been held captive for 40+ years in a state of suspended animation. But by whom? And why? Bruce’s old pal Joe Toomey helps investigate, but the Bad Guys remain elusive. And the warehouse-cum-prison Bruce and Joe leveled has been “magically” restored. Meanwhile, Bruce’s unofficial guardianship of Jax and Wren might help him navigate this “strange new world” of smartphones and streaming, but it brings its own mysteries; the Teens haven’t seen their Father in months. Is there a connection? And when will Katya step out of the shadows that appear to follow her everywhere?
Last issue the kids were almost caught and ran to hide and we pick up there in the opening. I liked this because it shows just how resourceful these two really are. For all their bravado they are actually more well adjusted and able to think on their feet really well. While Bruce and Joe may not let them tag along for the action they are pretty instrumental in gathering the intel they need while they have their chats.
I like that we are still seeing Shen. He may have been fired but she didn’t kill him and she may come to regret that as he’s highly trained and from what I can gather has a grudge on his side. His fight scene was great and that he was able to pick out the one man who watched, gauged and didn’t participate until he more knowledge then recruited him gives hope that the enemy of my enemy….
The writing here from Adam has been really strong. The premise alone is fantastic as it combines science fiction with martial arts action not to mention so shadowy organization with dreams of grandeur and world domination. The characterization here has been exceptional and results in some fantastic dialogue. Adam has been fleshing out all the characters not just our “heroes” and that’s something often overlooked. Though our mysterious woman in the shadows still remains a mystery as she well she should.
I’m having fun with this as Bruce is running around, blind and out of time, stumbling around while trying to play catch-up and is able to stay out of her way. That we only have bits and pieces of what she’s doing and what her goals are only strengthen the story as we keep wanting more and more ensuring us coming back.
Brandon’s eye for storytelling gets stronger and stronger each time out. He’s really blooming into a great talent before our eyes and he’s drawing from all his past work and the attention to detail, the use of pages, panels and backgrounds showcase that. I really think this style perfectly suits the story as well.
This is a surprisingly fun and intriguing series that pays tribute to a man who left this world all too early.