shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,353
|
Post by shaxper on Aug 7, 2020 19:22:30 GMT -5
 Published: June 2019 Synopsis: Usagi takes in a bunraku puppet show then encounters his ally Sasuke, who is once again on the trail of a mystical threat - and it appears to be tied to the puppet show. Notes: First issue for IDW, published with three different retail covers and 23 variant covers. Discuss the issue and/or post full reviews below! |
|
|
|
Post by thwhtguardian on Aug 8, 2020 16:10:36 GMT -5
Though the span of time between stories was no greater a time than it has been in the past it none the less feels great to have a new copy of Usagi in my hands and from a new publisher to boot! It's still a little strange to see the IDW logo on the cover as Stan had been at Dark Horse the entire time I'd been reading Usagi, but it's not the first publisher change the book has been through and it does nothing to lessen the quality if the book as we have another fantastic start to a story here. Though I tend to like the more down to earth, cultural Usagi stories the best as a lover of horror I do have a soft spot for Stan's supernatural tales as well and Sasuke is a fantastic character so I'm glad to be in this neck of the woods again. However, although I do enjoy Sasuke, there have been times in the past where he made Usagi feel like a minor character in his own book and while I don't mind Stan exploring other characters(in fact some of those stories where Usagi barely appears are some of my favorites) if it goes on for too long it does wear on me a bit so I'm hoping this is more of a short but sweet appearance rather than a longer stay.
Crucify me as a heretic now before it's too late and you've read any further but...
I think it was a mistake artistically to make the puppets look so life like. Sure, it made the revelation that we were actually watching a puppet show an amusing twist but after that I think there should have been something graphically to set the puppets off from the living characters as by not doing so it really tipped the story's hand on the bigger reveal at the end of the issue.
|
|
|
|
Post by brutalis on Nov 28, 2020 19:36:17 GMT -5
The puppets were a pet peeve of mine as well for being too "realistic" (I know, in an anthropomorphic talking animal comic book I'm talking realistic) which for me automatically set them up as the demonic element. Also took me a bit in adjusting to colorized Usagi. I so like and feel the black/white format suits the series so well that color distracts rather than enhances. Credit to Tom Luth for NOT going overly bright or colorful and using softer and subtler tones that well suited the darker storyline.
|
|
shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,353
|
Post by shaxper on May 6, 2021 9:48:29 GMT -5
Well it took me two years to catch up, but now that I've devoured my copy of Saga #9, I'm on to the IDW material! BOY have I been impatient to read these and be able to weigh in! although I do enjoy Sasuke, there have been times in the past where he made Usagi feel like a minor character in his own book and while I don't mind Stan exploring other characters(in fact some of those stories where Usagi barely appears are some of my favorites) if it goes on for too long it does wear on me a bit so I'm hoping this is more of a short but sweet appearance rather than a longer stay. I was utterly thrilled to see this new volume begin with Sasuke. He truly is a character who steals the show. I've decided just recently that one of my favorite things about Usagi is how humble he is. A better swordsman shows up? He gets over it. A more knowledgeable or powerful ally appears? He steps aside. Since Stan is only one man and can't maintain multiple titles, Usagi sometimes has to step aside and let another character who FULLY deserves their own franchise to shine. However, doing that in the first storyline of a new volume might be an interesting choice. Still, if Stan retired Usagi tomorrow and decided to commit the rest of his career to writing Sasuke, I wouldn't complain one bit. I actually adored this decision and had no problem with the clear foreshadowing of where this story was going. Sometimes theater comes alive and allows your imagination to take over. Stan captured that beautifully while also hinting the sinister truth about this troupe at the same time. Stan is such an accomplished visual storyteller; it's exciting to see him trying new things (the subjective vs. the objective) even after all this time. I thought this was an amazing first issue. It combines my favorite Usagi guest character with one of my favorite kinds of Usagi stories (where we learn about something historical), and it did it so thoroughly well. I now truly want to sit through a full day Bunraku performance even more than Stan made me want to bang on a Taiko drum, sip authentic Japanese soy sauce, or watch a sword being folded. |
|
