Comics Roundup #38: Assassin Nation, Django/Zorro, Prodigy

I rediscovered my Comixology account a couple weeks ago and was so happy about it that I downloaded the app and binged on a couple comics because I received free access to them for about five days or so.

I read popular comics I’ve always heard about and whatever else caught my attention, which is why I tried these three. Assassin Nation has “assassin” in the title, so that immediately caught my interest. Django/Zorro has the names of two intriguing characters in its title, and Prodigy has a Black dude on the cover, so of course I wanted to read it.

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Assassin Nation, #1 by Kyle Starks, illus. by Erica Henderson

Genre:

Thriller, Humor

Series:

Assassin Nation, issue 1

Pubbed:

2019

Goodreads summary:

The World’s Former Greatest Hitman hires the 20 best assassins in the world to be his bodyguards. These mean-as-hell hired guns and murderers must work together to keep the new crime boss safe while attempting to solve the mystery of who’s trying to off him. (Goodreads)

My thoughts:

It was entertaining. I didn’t know what to expect, so I went in with an open mind. Basically a dude who was the world’s best hitman rounds up the 20 best assassins in the world for a soiree to ask them to become his bodyguards because someone’s trying to kill him.

I didn’t care much for the plot, but I liked the idea of having the best assassins in the same room and having them check out each other and wonder why someone is ranked higher than another. I also liked that one of the younger ones, called Dave, is starstruck by being around all the high-ranking assassins and tries to get their autographs. It’s entertaining.

Art style:

It’s not a style that appeals to me, but it’s okay. I like the vibrant colors used for the action scenes and the typography of the action words.

Overall: ★★☆☆☆

An entertaining action comic book about the world’s top assassins. It’s okay for the first issue. I might continue with it.

Buy | Borrow | Bypass

It’s worth checking out for something entertaining.

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Django/Zorro, #1 by Quentin Tarantino & Matt Wagner, illus. by Esteve Polls with colors by Brennan Wagner

Genre:

Western

Series:

Django/Zorro, issue 1

Pubbed:

2014

Goodreads summary:

The official sequel to Django Unchained in the first-ever comic book sequel ever done of a Tarantino film! Set several years after the events of Django Unchained, Django/Zorro #1 finds Django again pursuing the evil that men do in his role as a bounty hunter. Since there’s a warrant on his head back east, he’s mainly been plying his trade in the western states.

After safely settling his wife, Broomhilda, near Chicago, he’s again taken to the road, sending her funds whenever he completes a job. It’s by sheer chance that he encounters the aged and sophisticated Diego de la Vega – the famed Zorro – and soon finds himself fascinated by this unusual character, the first wealthy white man he’s ever met who seems totally unconcerned with the color of Django’s skin… and who can hold his own in a fight. He hires on as Diego’s “bodyguard” for one adventure and is soon drawn into a fight to free the local indigenous people from a brutal servitude, discovering that slavery isn’t exclusive to black folks. In the course of this adventure, he learns much from the older man (much like King Schultz) and, on several occasions, even dons the mask and the whip… of The Fox! (Goodreads)

My thoughts:

I’ve yet to watch the entire Django Unchained. For some reason, I either catch it in the middle or close to the end, and whenever I try to watch it from the beginning, I’m interrupted; so I was drawn to this story because I’m more familiar with Zorro and was wondering how the two legendary figures meet up. And that’s really all that the story is about. We (or maybe just me) don’t realize who the Zorro figure is until the end when he leaves his signature mark on the palms of some baddies.

I thought the story was okay. It didn’t greatly appeal to me since this is the first issue and it’s setting up for what’s to come later. I like that the two men meet by chance and seem to get along. The story hints that it gets more interesting later, but it’s not my jam, so most likely I won’t continue with it.

Art style:

I feel tricked by the cover. I love the cover and assumed that’s the illustration style that would be used inside, but I was wrong. I’m not a fan of the style used for the story. I just don’t like the line work. I prefer when they are thin and crisp. But, my preference aside, the illustrations here aren’t bad, and it’s easy to understand what’s going in the panels.

Overall: ★★☆☆☆ ½

Pairing up the two legendary figures, Django and Zorro, is sure to attract readers, but this isn’t the kind of story that appeals to me.

Buy | Borrow | Bypass

I think it’s worth checking out.

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Prodigy, #1 by Mark Millar, illus. by Rafael Albuquerque

Genre:

Sci-fi

Series:

Prodigy, issue 1

Pubbed:

2018

Goodreads summary:

Edison Crane’s not content being the world’s smartest man and most successful businessman—his brilliant mind needs to be constantly challenged. He’s a Nobel Prize-winning scientist, genius composer, Olympic athlete, an expert in the occult, and now international governments are calling on him to fix problems they just can’t handle. (Goodreads)

My thoughts:

I decided to read this one because of the cover. I why the dude is thinking so hard while holding a gun in his hand. The story is about an uber-genius Black guy who’s the best at everything and so smart that he helps various governments solve their problems. He’s also a bit of a daredevil, it seems. However, the end of this issue hints that his help may be needed for more difficult, extraordinary problems.

I wanted to like this, but I didn’t. The story did not appeal to me at all. I think it’s because of the protagonist, Edison Crane. He’s just too effortlessly good at everything, brilliant and also a good person. No flaws, which should be appealing to me but isn’t. (I’m too hard to please 😦 .) Of course, this is just the first issue, so all this might change as the story progresses and Edison might gain some depth. For now, I’m not sure if I’ll continue with it.

Art style:

I love it! I love the illustration style, especially how expressive the faces of the characters are. But what I love the most are the colors. They are bright but not overpowering, and the action scenes are great as well.

Overall: ★★★☆☆

An interesting beginning to a story about a brilliant, young Black man that has great illustrations, but I’m not sure if I’ll continue with it.

Buy | Borrow | Bypass

It’s worth trying.

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