Rising Sun #3 (of 3)
(W) Ron Marz, David Rodriguez (A/CA) Martin Coccolo
In Shops: Mar 25, 2020
SRP: $4.99
Chiyoko has been betrayed by a fellow warrior, and her usurper now leads the group into the lair of their enemy. Will any heroes be tempted to the side of evil, or will there be a bloodbath led by the usurper? And can anyone stop the villain’s plans before it’s too late?
Rising Sun #2 (of 3)
(W) Ron Marz, David Rodriguez (A/CA) Martin Coccolo
In Shops: Feb 12, 2020
SRP: $4.99
Beset by beasts, Chiyoko attempts to lead her group to victory, but is undermined at every turn by those who think they’d be better suited to leadership. As the threats escalate, the question arises: who can Chiyoko trust?
Based on the hit CMON game!
Featuring exclusive content in every issue to enhance your playing experience!
I’ve never played the board game Rising Sun. Despite my love of board games, I couldn’t tell you what the game is even about. Rising Sun #1 adapts the popular board game from CMON into comics and does a decent job of it all. Written by Ron Marz and David Rodriguez the story focuses on warriors from different clans brought together to take on the monsters ravaging their lands and put a stop to the source. It’s a story we’ve seen before many times. This spin on the familiar plot stands out a bit due to its focus on the characters.
I can’t compare the comic to the game, or how well it adapts it, but the comic itself is an entertaining read. The plot is something we’ve seen but Marz and Rodriguez deliver something a bit more. Through the injury of one of the warriors, we learn about the others. It’d be easy to do flashbacks to reveal who each is but between the initial battle and subsequent events in trying to save their friend, we get a good sense of every character. There’s a lot packed into the issue explaining the world and it all flows easily.
The art by Martin Coccolo helps keep the focus on the characters. With colors by Katrina Mae Hao, each has personality in their design. Looking at each character, you get a sense of their clan and who they are. The body language too helps convey it all. Like the overall plot, the art feels familiar but at the same time stands out. It does a solid job of giving us details on the world and characters without being too obvious and saving the need for clunky dialogue explaining the clans and personalities.
Who knows how well the comic reflects the board game but what’s presented is an entertaining read taking us through a familiar plot but doing so with a lot of personality. The comic also comes with some material to use for those who do play the game adding a nice bonus and reason for gamers to get it. A good start that stands out as more than a cheap cash in on a property.
Story: Ron Marz, David Rodriguez Art: Martin Coccolo
Color: Katrina Mae Hao Letterer: Deron Bennett
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read
IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Rising Sun, the award-winning board game published by CMON Limited and designed by Eric M. Lang, will see its epic setting, feudal combat, and political intrigue adapted to comics in an all-new comic book series from IDW Publishing.
Co-written by industry legend Ron Marz and David Rodriguez and illustrated by Martín Cóccolo, the three-issue miniseries will debut its first issue in November, and – as an added bonus – each issue of Rising Sun will feature exclusive content to enhance the game-playing experience for dedicated fans.
IDW’s Rising Sun storyline introduces Chiyoko of the Koi Clan, leader of a group of powerful warriors – the best each clan has to offer – on a mission to save Japan from dragons and monsters. But perhaps the greatest threat she faces is not the many monsters who are ravaging the country… but her very own team!
First Strike #6
Mairghread Scott & David Rodriguez (w) • Max Dunbar (a) • Freddie E. Williams II (c)
War for the Core! Deep within Cybertron, the ultimate weapon to kill all Transformers is about to be activated! Meanwhile, Elita One plans to stop the weapon—by killing every human on Cybertron! Either way, looks like some species on Cybertron is going down unless Optimus Prime and Scarlett can save the day…
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
First Strike #5
Mairghread Scott & David Rodriguez (w) • Max Dunbar (a) • Freddie E. Williams II (c)
Prison Break! After a daring escape, Optimus Prime, the Autobots, Scarlett, G.I. Joe and M.A.S.K. must venture into the heart of Cybertron to stop Cobra’s devastating weapon that will kill every Transformer on the planet!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
First Strike #4
Mairghread Scott & David Rodriguez (w) • Max Dunbar (a) • Freddie E. Williams II (c)
Captured by Transformers! Even with the Autobots on their side, G.I. Joe is in trouble! Starscream doesn’t trust anyone, much less armed humans who show up during Cybertron’s darkest hour and he’ll do anything he can to keep G.I. Joe under control—including let COBRA get even closer to their goal!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
First Strike #3
Mairghread Scott & David Rodriguez (w) • Max Dunbar (a) • Freddie E. Williams II (c)
Secrets revealed! G.I. Joe, the Autobots and M.A.S.K. make their way to Cybertron to stop the siege and encounter the COBRA leader, but all is not as it seems! Will their arrival help—or just bring more disaster?
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Attack on Cybertron! COBRA’s first strike is causing chaos, confusion, and a high Transformer body count! It’s up to G.I. Joe and their Autobot and M.A.S.K. allies to stop the invasion-if they can get off Earth!
The first issue of IDW Publishing‘s First Strike blew me away. Not just due to the fun action but also the mature background it set all fo that too. There’s the politics, the diplomacy, but also the motivations of the villains which is to protect Earth from the destructive Cybertronians. There’s nobility in their actions.
In First Strike #2, writers Mairghread Scott and David Rodriguez continue that adding depth and more motivation to the villains as the heroes stuck on Earth desperately figure out a way to get to Cybertron to stop them. The issue is action packed but through that we get more of the villain’s side and perspective which is altruistic in a twisted sort of way. They see the destruction that Transformers leave in their wake and don’t want to see that befall Earth, hence the pre-emptive strike. The create sympathy for the bad guy is an impressive thing and to get the reader to empathize with their motivations is even bigger.
There’s absolutely some holes in that the firepower in Cybertron has to be greater than what has been brought there and for all of the military brilliance you’re left wondering if a covert strike would have been better?
But, even with that Scott and Rodriguez blend the various Hasbro brands well and make it all work in a way that’s smooth and effortless. This is the event we all dreamed of as kids with aliens, robots, ninjas, lasers, fast cars, and tons of action. Their ability to also split the action between Cybertron and Earth creating a feeling of desperation on Earth is solid with each having more than ample time to play out.
The art by Max Dunbar is good and much like the first issue the style blends the various brands “looks” well so that it works for all of them. IDW has created a distinctive look for each series and this event has a style that feels like it is tied into all of them, favoring none of them and in a way helping it be a product of all.
This is just a fun series that has my inner 8 year old excited and smiling at the action and to see all of these properties come together in one epic story that’s not just action but also a surprising amount of depth.
Story: Mairghread Scott, David Rodriguez Art: Max Dunbar Cover Art: Freddie Williams II
Story: 8.05 Art: 7.90 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy
IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
First Strike #2
(W) Mairghread Scott, David Rodriguez (A) Max Dunbar (CA) Freddie Williams II
Attack on Cybertron! COBRA’s first strike is causing chaos, confusion, and a high Transformer body count! It’s up to G.I. Joe and their Autobot and M.A.S.K. allies to stop the invasion-if they can get off Earth!
