Orphan and the Five Beasts #2
Publisher: Dark Horse
Writer: James Stokoe
Art: James Stokoe
Colors: James Stokoe
Letters: James Stokoe
Cover: James Stokoe
The first of the Five Beasts gets some backstory here as Stokoe gives us the tale of Thunderthighs! For those looking for a fight just know that Stokoe makes great use of the time he has in the first half of the issue. He delivers a tightly woven origin that makes Thunderthighs feel less like the first boss in a video game and more like a fleshed out character worth getting to know. The build up is masterful through the narration of the Mo’s master as he dives into the history of his former student. It’s here where we learn that though Thunderthighs might have a humorous moniker he’s not be taken lightly.
From here things shift as Mo and Thunderthighs throw hands, feet, and of course…thighs in one of the most amazing and ridiculous martial arts fights in comics! Each panel made all that much better by Stokoe’s great artwork. This is where a lot of the story shines as the fight is a chaotic mess of destruction but also character development throughout the battle. The art conveys the power and ferocity of the fight with a high level of detail that will have you going back over the panels to check out the jaw dropping moments over and over again. One being the twist in the fight which is hilarious and disgusting. Thus setting the bar pretty high for whatever we have to look forward to in the next few issues.
If you’re looking for a straight up martial arts epic, understand that you’ll be getting that and much more with Orphan and the Five Beasts. Stokoe is providing a great story with both the narrative and the visuals while keeping this from being anything but a predictable kung fu tale. So if there was any doubt on whether or not to stay with the series this second issue demands you stay till the end!
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