Showing posts with label Josh Burcham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Josh Burcham. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

I Reads You Review: SAMURAI JACK #20

SAMURAI JACK #20
IDW PUBLISHING with Cartoon Network – @IDWPublishing and @cartoonnetwork

WRITER: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ARTIST: Andy Suriano
COLORS: Josh Burcham
LETTERS: Shawn Lee
COVER A: Andy Suriano
VARIANT COVER: Andy Suriano
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (May 2015)

Samurai Jack created by Genndy Tartakovsky

“Mako the Scribe”

"Samurai Jack" is an animated series that was originally broadcast on Cartoon Network from 2001 to 2004 for a total of 52 episodes.  This television series tells the story of a legendary samurai, known as “Jack,” who is transported to a dystopian, futuristic Earth ruled by the tyrannical, shape-shifting, demonic wizard, Aku.  Jack wanders this future, trying to find a method by which he can travel back in time to the era in which he belongs, Feudal Japan, where he plans to defeat Aku, another denizen of Japan’s past.

In the Fall of 2013, IDW Publishing brought Samurai Jack back to life as a new five-issue comic book miniseries written by Jim Zub and drawn by Andy Suriano.  [IDW had begun a partnership with Cartoon Network (CN) to produce original comic books based on CN’s animated properties.]

Zub and Suriano's Samurai Jack comic book was not merely an adaptation of the original animated series; that comic book WAS Samurai Jack.  The initial five-issue run was well-received enough that IDW made it an ongoing comic book series.  Now, however, Samurai Jack the comic book is ending with the publication of its twentieth issue.

Samurai Jack #20 (“Mako the Scribe”) opens in an indeterminate future of the future into which Aku transported Jack.  A wandering scribe named “Mako,” searches for the elusive truth about the one called “Jack.”  Mako says of himself, “I inscribe the words and deeds of important historical figures.”  He is having a difficult time finding little more than exaggerations and second-hand tales of his latest historical subject, Jack... until he meets LaMarr.  This is the first person whom Mako has encountered who seems to have actually met Jack.  Now, LaMarr is offering Mako a chance to meet his subject...

The original Star Wars (1977) would have been perfectly fine without a sequel.  The film's ending offered the first big victory of the small and vulnerable Rebel Alliance against the mighty and evil Galactic Empire.  As the credits rolled on the film, the audience could imagine that this battle of good versus evil would continue forever (or at least for a long time) because this battle is an eternal struggle.

When the immortal Aku flung the “foolish samurai warrior” into the future, this master of darkness made the samurai, who would become known as “Jack,” also an immortal.  Thus, Jack's struggle against Aku becomes an eternal one... or something like that.  We can assume that one day Jack will defeat Aku, but good may defeat evil, but it cannot destroy it.

Samurai Jack #20 is merely the end of this comic book iteration of “Samurai Jack.”  Perhaps, the current comic book market cannot support a long-running, ongoing Samurai Jack comic book.  Zub and Suriano proved that they can produce a high-quality comic book that is true to the original “Samurai Jack,” so I cannot imagine that IDW would just let Samurai Jack die as a comic book.  How can they when the comic book is so good?

In this last (not final?) issue, Zub and Suriano offer a beginning that pretends to be an ending.  Samurai Jack will be back.  Until then, dear reader, find the trade paperback collections and search the back issue bins, but read this series... or re-read it like me.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux - support on Patreon.


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.


Sunday, May 4, 2014

I Reads You Review: SAMURAI JACK #5

SAMURAI JACK #5
IDW PUBLISHING with Cartoon Network – @IDWPublishing and @cartoonnetwork

WRITER: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ARTIST: Andy Suriano – @wolfboy74
COLORS: Josh Burcham
LETTERS: Shawn Lee
COVER: Andy Suriano
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2014)

Samurai Jack created by Genndy Tartakovsky

“Samurai Jack and the Threads of Time” Part 5

IDW Publishing’s licensed Samurai Jack comic book series is a comic book adaptation of the Emmy-winning animated television series, Samurai Jack (2001-2004).  The series’ initial storyline, “The Threads of Time,” comes to a close

Written by Jim Zub and drawn by Andy Suriano, Samurai Jack was one of the best new comic book series of 2013.  What started out as a miniseries received the green light to become an ongoing series.  Hooray!

Like the animated series, Samurai Jack the comic book focuses on the samurai known as “Jack.”  Trapped on a dystopian, futuristic Earth, Jack fights an old enemy, the tyrannical, shape-shifting, demonic wizard named Aku.  Jack wanders this future, trying to find a method by which he can travel back in time to the era in which he belongs, Feudal Japan.  There, he can try to keep Aku from creating this troubled future.

Samurai Jack #5 finds Jack near the end of his journey to find the last of the Threads of Time.  Once in possession of all the strands, he can wind them into the Rope of Eons and therefore, rewind himself back to Feudal Japan.  Jack enters Aku’s fortress to find Aku in possession of the final Thread of Time.  Victory is in Jack’s grasp, but so is doom.

I have enjoyed reading the previous issues of Zub and Suriano’s Samurai Jack, and my determination to find and read every issue has been paid off with an excellent conclusion.  This final chapter in the opening story arc is a tour de force performance by Suriano and colorist, Josh Burcham.  Suriano’s art is kinetic, crackles with life, and practically stirs as if animated.  Burcham’s colors make the art pop off the page, bringing the graphics and story to life.  Samurai Jack the comic book is an outstanding pop confection, the kind of comic book that makes me keeping coming back for more.

A

www.jimzub.com
www.IDWPUBLISHING.com
youtube.com/idwpublishing
facebook.com/idwpublishing

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.



Saturday, March 1, 2014

I Reads You Review: SAMURAI JACK #4

SAMURAI JACK #4
IDW PUBLISHING with Cartoon Network – @IDWPublishing and @cartoonnetwork

WRITER: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ARTIST: Andy Suriano – @wolfboy74
COLORS: Josh Burcham
LETTERS: Shawn Lee
COVER: Andy Suriano
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2014)

Samurai Jack created by Genndy Tartakovsky

“Samurai Jack and the Threads of Time” Part 4

Samurai Jack, the comic book adaptation of the Emmy-winning animated television series, Samurai Jack (2001-2004), reaches the penultimate issue of “The Threads of Time” storyline.  The Samurai Jack five-issue comic book miniseries is written by Jim Zub and drawn by Andy Suriano.

As you now, Samurai Jack focuses on a samurai known as “Jack,” who is trapped in a dystopian, futuristic Earth.  It is ruled by an old enemy of Jack’s, a tyrannical, shape-shifting, demonic wizard named Aku.  Jack wanders this future, trying to find a method by which he can travel back in time to the era in which he belongs, Feudal Japan.  Then, he can try to keep Aku from creating this troubled future.

Samurai Jack #4 finds Jack continuing to search for the Threads of Time.  With them, he can wind into the Rope of Eons and therefore, rewind himself home.  He already has four strands.

Jack now travels through a remote area beset by a terribly frigid winter.  Jack arrives in a village searching for food and other provisions for his journey.  What he finds instead is a beaten populace that serves the needs of the vain and greedy, immortal Queen Krystle the Ageless.  And even Jack’s martial prowess may be no match for her power and her robotic army.

Once again, I am not surprised that I enjoyed reading Zub and Suriano’s Samurai Jack.  As I review this miniseries, I keep saying that this Samurai Jack comic book is not merely an adaptation of the cartoon; it is the real Jack.  This time, I also have to acknowledge the colors by Josh Burcham.  He brings this story to life as much as Zub and Suriano by creating mood and atmosphere.  Burcham also gives this story’s setting the sense of being a character.

I still hope this Samurai Jack miniseries turns into a Samurai Jack regular series.

A


www.jimzub.com
www.IDWPUBLISHING.com
youtube.com/idwpublishing
facebook.com/idwpublishing

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.