Honor And Curse #1 Haunted Shinobi Slices Deep | 10/10 rating stands tall for this innovative new look into feudal Japan and the strange powers of an orphan turned ninja.
The tale of Genshi is an intriguing new take on a genre.
The team from Mad Cave Studios, Inc. has done a remarkable job with this debut issue from their series Honor And Curse:
MARK LONDON WRITER | NICOLÁS SALAMANCA ARTIST|CoVER | TEKINO COLORs|Cover | GIOVANNA T. OROZCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | MIGUEL ÁNGEL ZAPATA LOGO & LETTERS
London’s writing is tight, there are warm feelings to the characters, and some starkly funny lines where you least expect it, and the story grabs the reader from the get-go and does not relent.
Salamanca’s art is a sharp and refreshing style that combines a vivid sense of imagery, with poignant details and gorgeous landscapes that, along with Tekino’s brilliant colors, reflects the mood of the scene and the situation.
The following review of Honor And Curse #1 contains *SPOILERS.
The thrilling tale opens outside Iga, a snowy village in 14th century Japan where ninjas chase the protagonist Genshi.
He is clearly talking to some invisible force from within his head and is at odds with it.
The voice calls him an “ungrateful shinobi” as he stabs himself with his katanna.
The dramatic panel bottoming the page goes totally white with he, his blood splatter, and his sword becoming one big red silhouette.
He stabbed himself.
The book goes back in time.
Genshi dreams of his parents’ murder, and then an extremely entertaining sequence of his training to become a shinobi – eventually their leader – takes place.
While this training portion is a fun staple of many ninja and samurai stories, this one differs in the failures it focuses on, as well as a secret love affair between the town leader’s daughter and Genshi.
I particularly love the scene where the training shinobis must stand in their kicking pose atop wooden platforms in a waterfall, while freezing water is pouring onto them.
There is even a great wise-crack there that catches the reader off guard for a hearty laugh (read the book to see it).
The nightmares start to take a toll on Genshi in his waking moments costing him a firm grasp on his sanity.
A demonic-like figure appears to have partially possessed him, while also empowers him to recover from a near fatal blow to pass his final shinobi test.
Genshi is a torn figure inside and yet outside is a top notch ninja put in charge of the graduates.
Yet the town leader reveals to the shinobi teacher, their master, at the close of the book that Genshi must die.
The riveting tale packs quite a punch visually and story-telling-wise!
POWKABAM Score For Honor And Curse #1 = 10/10
- Writing: 10
- Art: 10
- Dialogue: 10
- Innovation: 10
- Intrigue: 10