Valiant Entertainment 2019
Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Ramon F. Bachs
Coloured by Stéphane Paitreau
Lettered by Dave Sharpe
In order to save a life, the lethal weapon Roku is going to have to kill a lot of people. In this issue is the first appearance of the Minister of Blades!
I love the idea of this book. With the addition of this little girl, who really needs a name, Roku is going to have to face some harsh facts while taking a look at her life. With the shot time they are together, thus far, she's already managed to get into her head and under her skin. This does two things it shows us a disturbing and disgusting thing has been done and it also makes the reader think. Think about what was said and trying to use their own thoughts and experiences in expanding on how we think she feels. There are clues all around and this engages the reader in some wondrous ways which we all know is important in becoming invested in the character and wanting to see more.
I am thoroughly enjoying the way that this story is being told. The story & plot development we see through the sequence of events unfolding before us and the way that the reader learns information is exceedingly well done. The character development we see is amazing as the way that the characters react to the situations they find themselves in keep them growing and evolving. Then of course there is the way that the characters are introduced or seen again and that has a great feel to it. The pacing here is great to see and how the twists and turns come at them help establish the ebb & flow to the book. There are some extraordinary moments in the storytelling that we see here and they add this depth to the book that adds to the mystique that surrounds Roku.
I am enjoying that we are seeing so much finesse in what Roku does and not so much as a blunt instrument. That she had the foresight to set up obstacles that those who wish to retrieve the girl have to face is a nice touch. While there are times I cannot help but make a comparison to Medusa what we see taking place here really puts some of that to rest. I mean the fact that what she does with her hair can be as blunt or as soft as it needs to be is smartly shown to the reader.
The interiors here are alright. I wish the linework was cleaner and tighter because, especially in the opening the faces all look so soft and generic and it makes Roku look like a teenage girl from some anime inspired all-ages fare. It just doesn't feel as special as I think it should. The soldier types in their great getting splattered all over the place there is better attention to detail there then seeing Roku full body like that it feels way amateurish and this all my opinion based on what I see. Also why whenever there is any sort of action do backgrounds disappear? Show how impressive she in this closed and confined space there is nothing dynamic to see like we would hope for. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a good eye for storytelling. Outside the men in their army gear seeing the Master of Blades was the best part. Now the colour work is gorgeous here. Right from the opening with the lights on the hotel we see what is in store for us and it's glorious. The hues and tones we see to create the shading and shadows is marvellous work. The explosions and the blood spray have this air about them that just resonates.
There is a reason Cullen is one of the best and brightest writers of an age and the fact that we see this as straightforward as we do and yet still full of layers within the story is bloody brilliant. The story at hand and how it's relayed to the reader is so damn good and the potential for what Cullen is doing is unlimited.