"Big" In Japan...
The Goods
Leading on from the previous issue, there is still much chaos abound. It's Hand ninja verses Yazuka gangsters in a guts-for-glory fight to the bitter end!
As with last time, the ish is divided up into 'chapters.' The first chapter of this ish allows the book to get off to a running start with artwork and the occasional dialect greatly complimenting each other.
Move onto chapter's 9 & 10 and there's a notable shift in the artwork. This chapter commences by formally introducing the new Silver Samurai seen up to mischief in the last ish. I wasn't as moved by this section of the book, as I am not as fond of Sander's art. The book is also slightly weaker here, as the Silver Samurai is revealed to be a bit of an upstart and partly fulfilling of a much overused cliché hero/villain. Our short and tough protagonist also has his cliché moments, but it is only briefly.
Progressing onwards, I am pleased to see that the title's artwork returns to the awesome duo of Tan & Keith, who I feel should be doing the artwork for this book the whole way through. Chapter 11 contains a humorous miniature story -- a ninja feigning comatose, and later on, cue the mother of all stare off's! -- that helps pave the way for the 12th and final chapter, with the last page picturing a familiar pair of Wolverine villains, surrounded by new ones. (well, it's the first time I saw those guys, anyway!)
The Verdict
If you wish to have a peek at the ol' Canuck's misadventures in the far east, severely outnumbered and embroiled in a battle of massive proportions waged between some classic fractions of enemies abundant to the region, then I recommend you at least have a read through this latest instalment. Though the book's quality stumbles mid-way through in my opinion, it's still worth a glance or two. Boasting a few age old rouges from Wolverine's gallery, albeit for brief intervals, combined with new contenders and action and humour that delivers with each and every turn of a page, this is fastly becoming a tale worthy joining the ranks of Wolverine's classic Japan & Madripoor misadventures at the start of the '90ies. And besides, who doesn't want to see Yazuka goons riding motor bikes go crazy with chainsaws?!
3.5//5.0 Stars.
