Advance Review: Fire Power Vol 1
Of all the the various tropes that have been used more than a few times; the sensei and the student seems to be one of the more common ones. Whether it is Mr Miyagi and Daniel, Master Shifu and Po or even Ducard and Bruce (we will touch on this again later), there is a charm in these relationships, almost parental in many ways. This is the vibe that Robert Kirkman is looking to mine.
Owen Johnson has toured China, learning and moving from temple to temple, in search of the truth about his parents. Along the way, he becomes a master of many different disciplines and fighting styles. Finally, he comes across a hidden Shaolin temple and an engaging rather than enigmatic Master in the shape of Master Lun. That’s not to say that there are riddles that need solving; there are plenty as Owen becomes acquainted with friends and foes within the Temple, his level of belief rises and falls.
Robert Kirkman is synonymous with The Walking Dead for many people. Whilst his zombie tour-de-force gained worldwide recognition, Kirkman did borrow a number of sources from the aforementioned zombies, broken society and desolate future. Here, with the myriad of source material available, it is no surprise that Kirkman commandeer’s certain aspects. This though is not a carbon copy. Sure, you will recognise elements; the first interaction between Owen and Lun could’ve been taken from Batman Begins. If you are buying this book, you either like the trope or Kirkman’s writing. Either way, the resonance with that which has gone before will not detract from a bunch of interesting characters, be it the hero, the Master, the forbidden love or even the bully. The dialogue is fun with Master Lun chock full of surprises with his odd mix of old and new world knowledge. Who knew that Shaolin masters liked Radiohead and the Karate Kid?
Chris Samnee’s art always impresses me. I first saw his work on the Black Widow book written by Mark Waid and loved the almost Darwyn Cooke style. It is an easy going style that works because of its charm; Samnee is able to move the story through graceful movements that scream martial arts. Even the quiet parts of the story, and there are a few, are well paced with an echoing of the emotions of the dialogue. If there is any criticism to be had, it’s that bald headed characters can look the same, so you had best be on your toes during the latter part of the book. Colors are provided by Matt Wilson who gets to work in surprisingly different environments, all to great effect. The opening pages are glorious as are all the splash landscapes; Wilson uses a range of textures to add depth to the story. Letters are provided by Rus Wooton who wisely doesn’t cram the various word balloons, using a smaller font than you might expect. The sound effects also add a level of engagement for the characters,though I will admit, I was surprised to hear a swish effect on a basketball hoop with no net.
This book feels like a nostalgia trip; there are challenges for Owen to overcome, challenges of body, mind and spirit. Even though his journey may not be the most original one, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, told by two master creators, and look forward to volume two.
Writing – 5 Stars
Art- 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
Overall – 5 Stars
Co-created and written by; Robert Kirkman
Co-created and art by; Chris Samnee
Colors by; Matt Wilson
Letters by; Rus Wooton
Published by; Skybound Entertainment via Image Comics
Fire Power Volume 1 is due to hit shops on 1st July 2020.
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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