Crusade, $2.95
Short Review: Cooler than you might imagine.
Okay, the cover, and the ads inside, scream the message that Shi is a basic cool ninja thing. I wouldn't particularly know, since I've missed the regular series. This three part retelling of the 36 maxims of Japanese war, however, is well written, and illustrated by 12 fine artists. Since the art for each maxim is derived separately from the accompanying text, much is made of their ability to tell a story in one panel. Many of them do well, with Geof Darrow and Paris Cullins managing a greater than average density of story, and Jim Lee and Jimmy Palmiotti compensating by drawing generic fight scenes. All told, a worthwhile book, if even only for the stories. This should not be taken as an endorsement for the proper series, though, which is written by someone else. Go Figure.
Andrew These reviews are copyright the authors