Blaze Brothers #1 (of 8)
Publisher: Blaze Comics
Writer(s): Vernon Whitlock III & Matthew Scott Krentz
Artist(s): Marat Mychaels & Dietrich Smith
Cover: Anthony “Antboi” Piper
Sometimes it’s better to be late to the party rather than miss it completely, and that’s how I felt after reading Blaze Brothers #1! It wasn’t a title I was looking for or even on my radar, but after reading a friend’s copy it definitely is now. It’s a straight to the point, bullet flying, katana slicing piece of action that delivers exactly what it’s supposed to. And that would be some serious adrenalin pumping fun for this reader here.
Whitlock and Krentz don’t waste too much time in getting you into the story as they set up a very tense moment involving the brothers during confession. From here we see an assassination then a flashback that helps to establish more about Jack and Billy, as well as the world they inhabit. It’s immediately noticeable that Billy is the impulsive of the two, while Jack has more of a disciplined air about him. This is masterfully set up during the conversation about smoking in the car, which was one of the lighter moments in the book. By the end of the story Krentz and Whitlock make you want to know more about these guys, which means they did their job in this first issue.
There’s also some very solid artwork here from the opening scene of the church to one bloody decapitation that will leave you satisfied while reading. It’s also refreshing to see that even though the book is filled with plenty of action, Mychaels and Smith aren’t just giving you a book full of splash pages to drool over. There’s some great panel work that tells and moves the story along quite well.
My only complaint with Blaze Brothers is that it’s moving so fast and well that it feels like someone slammed on the brakes at the end of the issue. No cliffhanger set up or even a slight ease into the next issue, but just a sudden stop that was a bit frustrating. However, it’s nothing that takes away from the overall story, and if you’re into martial arts action, assassins, and a decapitation with “The Girl From Ipanema” playing in the background, then Blaze Brothers is a book that you should check out!
Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net
