Tag Archives: tre mcintosh

Xogenasys Vol. 1 kicks off the future of gladiatorial sports

Posted on by
Xogenasys Vol. 1

The future has grown into a decadent, overcrowded gang-ridden cesspool. If you’re not living uptown, you might as well be dead. Such is the case of Darius Smith, an artistic youth living in the hood, doing his best to avoid trouble and live life. Unfortunately, Darius has a hidden talent — he’s an explosive fighter! This makes him the target of several gangs and pits him in many brawls, landing him in the sight of the honorable Timothy Mustafa, a powerful prince. Xogenasys Vol. 1 introduces us to the future where a new gladiatorial sport provides a possibly even more brutal path for Darius.

With a concept by Johnny O’Bryant III and written by Tre McIntosh, Xogenasys Vol. 1 is an intriguing start that mixes a few different concepts. We’re given just breadcrumbs when it comes to what this future is like. The story takes place in 2069 and there’s a clear disparity between the people. Darius attempts to do the right thing but his defending himself is spun into assault by the police sending Darius down a difficult path. When in reality, Darius is attempting to defend himself, and his neighborhood, against local gangs. But, that puts him on a path to be a fighter.

There’s a lot to chew on with just that tidbit. There’s a reflection of the modern slave pipeline of the police trumping up charges to deliver new workers to those who exploit them. But, Darius exploitation still comes in the form of another path with a deal that’s too good to be believed. And likely is too good to be believed. Building wealth off of the work of certain groups, whether in prison or sports, is an idea that’s worthy of exploration and Xogenasys Vol. 1 feels like it dances around the concept.

For those that don’t want to go that deep in their entertainment, it also provides the sport itself. A MMA like entertainment, Xogenasys is a combat sport that adds in powered exoskeletons into the combat. Will Darius become a champion, living up to the potential he’s shown. For those that want to focus on that, there’s more than enough there to entertain.

With art by Nikolas Draper-Ivery, Xogenasys Vol. 1 is visually intriguing. The comic is inspired by manga with a lot of the visual queues that genre takes. There’s some moments where the art looks a little rough and unfinished but it also feels like it fits the story overall. The design of the world is nice. While it is in the future, and things are still rather shitty, the world still feels familiar. It doesn’t take the concept of the future too far, even when it comes to its exoskeleton fights. It’s almost reserved in a way.

Xogenasys Vol. 1 shows off a lot of potential in its story and its underlying themes. It’s entertaining for those who just like sports like MMA and delivers a little more under the surface. Overall, one to check out if you haven’t heard of it before.

Concept: Johnny O’Bryant III Story: Tre McIntosh Art: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Tokyopop provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Amazon – Bookshop

Noir Caesar and Tokyopop announce a publishing partnership

Posted on by

Tokyopop and Noir Caesar have announced a collaboration with the print and digital release in July of the coming-of-age martial arts drama, Xogenasys, and the sci-fi adventure, Primus 7. This will be followed in August by the launch of the gritty crime and redemption saga, Try Again. Additional new titles will be announced for release in the coming months. 

Noir Caesar Entertainment was founded by self-proclaimed “blerd,” pro athlete, and entrepreneur, Johnny O’Bryant III, who grew up a fervent lover of comics, anime, and manga. He attended Louisiana State University and was drafted into the NBA. But his passion for anime and manga never diminished and led to the founding of Noir Caesar in 2017 with a focus on bringing diversity to anime and manga and to developing original stories by BIPOC creators.

XOGENASYS Vol. 1

written by Johnny O’Bryant & Tre Mcintosh, artwork by Nikolas Draper-Ivey
Print SRP: 13.99 · 264 pages · ISBN-13: 978142787329 · Available July 25th

The future has grown into a decadent, overcrowded gang-ridden cesspool. If you’re not living uptown, you might as well be dead. Such is the case of Darius Smith, an artistic youth living in the hood, doing his best to avoid trouble and live life. Unfortunately, Darius has a hidden talent – he’s an explosive fighter! This makes him the target of many gangs and pits him in many brawls, landing him in the sight of the honorable Timothy Mustafa, powerful prince and owner of one of the most successful XOGeneSYS teams in the country. XOGenaSYS is a successful gladiator sport fought with powered exoskeletons, and Mustafa wants Darius to become the next new fighter! Can Darius become the next champion, or will he fall like so many before him?

XOGENASYS Vol. 1

PRIMUS 7, Vol. 1

written by Johnny O’Bryant, Vaughn Alexander & Marcus Johnson
Print SRP: 13.99 · 194 pages ·  ISBN-13: 9781427873286 · Available July 25th

The peace of Primordia is maintained for years by the Marine Corporation until one of its most prominent members, a man by the name of Arthur Grove, betrays the organization and those that took him in as family (Jarobi & Sevar Ajamu). 

By secretly creating a synthetic form of Orii, Arthur can obtain the power necessary to overthrow the government and install himself as dictator. A resistance movement lead by Sevar Ajamu fails stop Grove and his reign as ruler leaving behind his two sons to take his place and carry out the unfinished mission, Eliminate Arthur Grove! 

PRIMUS 7, Vol. 1

TRY AGAIN, Vol. 1

created by Will Brown; written by John Lawrence, Marcus Kwabena; artwork by Win Dolores
Print SRP: 13.99 · 194 pages · ISBN-13: 9781427874054 · Available August 22nd 

As a member of the Cacciatore Guild, Danielle Burroughs is one of the Underworld’s most renowned hitmen. Despite her success, memories from her past bleed into the present – forcing her to reconcile the life she now leads. Attempting to leave it all behind, she soon realizes that even atonement has a price.

TRY AGAIN, Vol. 1

Review: Xogenasys #4

Posted on by
XOGENASYS #4

In the remake of The Karate Kid, we get the same story but actually much better. As the same trope of “fish out of water” is still the same. Where it differs, is that it shows how the protagonist, is everyone’s journey. As we mostly hope we know who we are.

As the remake showed just how difficult it is to learn something new. It ingratiated the protagonist in the viewers’ imaginations, by showing no matter the odds, you just stay the course and persevere. Jackie Chan playing the role that Pat Morita played, made the movie, even more authentic. In Xogenasys #4 we find Darius learning how hard training is

We find Darius fighting with his trainer in a practically no holds barred sparring match that leaves him humble.  Eventually  the gym owner, stops the fight before it becomes dangerous to either of them. As he implores to Darius , just how disciplined he needs to be, to become the best. By issue’s end,  Darius finally gets his first match scheduled

Overall, Xogenasys #4 is a great chapter that endears Darius to the reader. The story by Corey Mikell is stupendous. The art by Sebastian Riera is elegant. Altogether, Xogenasys #4 is an entry that gives us some greater insight into the story and world.

Story: Corey Mikkell Art: Sebastian Riera
Story: 8.8 Art: 9.1 Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Xogenasys #3

Posted on by
Xogenasys #3

I love sports movies, as they all are a bit hopeful and can be realistic. I think most viewers can identify with the story even if they never played a lick of organized sports because they recognize the fight. That ferocity, that anger, that world on your shoulders attitude. It is what most of us carry in ourselves.

This is what makes the Rocky franchise so indelible. As we see how he was the every man and how he persevered despite his humble beginnings. The best parts of these movies were the training montage, as they showed how these fighters for every inch. In Xogenasys #3 we find Darius training to be a pro player.

We find Darius showing up at the gym, where he is trained by the gym’s owner’s daughter, who is quite a fighter herself. Darius, like many men, often underestimates women, he finds that she more than knows what she is doing. AS he soon finds the rigors of professional training more than he expected. By the issue’s end,  just as Darius feels he gets some progress, his trainer has something else in mind.

Overall, Xogenasys #3 is a great chapter which more than adds to the great hall of training montages. The story by Corey Mikell is outstanding. The art by Sebastian Riera is stylish. Altogether, this story pumps up on the action.

Story: Corey  Mikkell Art: Sebastian Riera
Story: 8.8 Art: 9.1 Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Xogenasys #1

Posted on by
Xogenasys

One of my all-time favorite movies is Menace II Society. It’s a film which showed quite a different take on how it is to grow up Black and poor. Right before that movie came out, only a few short months before, Boyz N Da Hood and South Central told different narratives. What set Menace II Society apart from the previous two was not the optimistic conclusion but the redeeming qualities of its antagonist characters. It showed the world that Black people are not monolithic in appearance or narrative.

Life is that much messier and people are even more complicated. When you grow up in poor communities your world is a bit more skewed and grounded in reality than those with advantages. Rarely has this narrative been told in the dystopian genre. In the debut issue of Xogenasys, we find a protagonist whose circumstance is so disparate, life becomes one fight at a time.

We meet Darius Smith. Young men who live in areas like his literally fight for their lives in an online streamed fight. Raised by a single mother he looks to transfer to a different school so that he can be eligible to fight as well. His new school comes with its own set of troubles in the form of an old acquaintance who tries to rope him in illicit activities. By the issue’s end,  those activities catch up to Darius but not before an unexpected opportunity shows up and changes his life.

Overall, an excellent debut issue that gives a unique take on a well-traveled genre. The story by by Tre McIntosh and Nickolas Draper-Ivey is excellent. The art by Draper-Ivey is gorgeous. Altogether, a story you will not soon forget.

Creator: Johnny O’Bryant Story: Tre McIntosh, Nikolas Draper-Ivey
Art: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
Story: 8.8 Art: 9.1 Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy