Ahh... Snake Eyes. Pretty much *THE* most central figure/hero/idol in my life from age 4 onward. My love for just about any other character in any form (music, film, comics, books, cartoons, etc.) is nowhere near the pedestal that on, alone, stands Snake Eyes. This collection of a 6-part mini-series by Devil's Due Publishing was an instant buy for me. But even with my devout affinity, I buy anything related to him with some trepidation. He is wildly popular, and as such he is one of the most exploited characters and in reality he has the least to cover. By nature he is an enigma with almost no identity, information or past. As you can imagine then, all of these types of tales are simply made up to either pander to the fans or try to give back-story where there really is none. Sometimes it comes off as a bad gimmick and occasionally, not often, someone has a unique angle that works. This is one of those times it worked... thankfully. It takes the parts and pieces that have come out over the years and adds just the right amount to them to form a cohesive story. For any fan this is not to be missed. Highly Recommended!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
#8 - The Dragonhead
John Sack's "The Dragonhead" was a bargain bin find I came across a few months back and shelved for the right time. That time finally came and while I enjoyed it it required some work on my part to keep it that way. The writing style is not for me at all and smacks of trying to be a bit too clever for his own good. The other drawback for me is that it is "literary journalism" which basically means it is all based on reality and truth but the writer takes some liberties and creates dialogue and environments and situations. I find this incredibly frustrating and you have to suspend your belief to enjoy the minute details because you know they are fabrications. Even with all of this, the story is true and it follows the life and times of Johnny Kon, The Dragonhead, essentially the head of the Chinese Mafia and it is a decent ride. It's long, a bit contrived, a bit repetitive, but engaging and interesting to see things through his eyes such as the Vietnam War, America, and retribution. It's a tough call on this one, but I'd say in the end it is Recommended.
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