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Samurai Doggy #1
- Writer:
- Chris Tex
- Artist:
- Santtos
- Letterer:
- Santtos
- Cover Artist:
- Santtos
- Publisher:
- Aftershock Comics
- Price:
- $4.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-08-10
- Colorist:
- Santtos
Loyalty is an integral part of the Samurai way, a virtue that they share with man's best friend, dogs. Like dogs, they are ferociously protective, never backing down from their ideals and always on their toes for danger, baring their fangs whenever the need arises. But what if, in an anthropomorphic world, a dog becomes a samurai to hunt down villainous miscreants who shook his world to the core? From AfterShock Comics comes the tale of Samurai Doggy, a katana-carrying warrior on a quest for vengeance. Written by Chris Tex with artwork and lettering from Santtos, Samurai Doggy #1 is the start of a pawsome new adventure.
During the Fourth War of the Sun, a dog gave birth to a litter of nine puppies before a mysterious stranger killed her and took all her babies, except one. The lone puppy put up a brave fight against the assailant but could not save his mother or his siblings. Left to die in the snow, a robot vulture uncharacteristically saves his life instead of eating him. The puppy grows up to become a strong samurai named Doggy, who makes it his life's goal to search for his siblings and find the person responsible for leaving him to his cruel fate. Carrying only a dog collar and an impaired eye as a memento of his rough past, Samurai Doggy enters the city of Skypanel looking for trouble.
Samurai Doggy #1 is swashbuckling action and samurai period drama rolled into one, albeit in an alternate reality with cyberpunk vibes. The story begins with a gripping flashback that relives a traumatic past and instantly puts the reader in Doggy's corner. From then on, the issue takes the scenic route to familiarise the audience with the spectacle and grime of this new world. After a while, it delves into the strong badass and clever child trope. However, despite the intriguing premise, this debut issue is clichéd to the point that the narrative becomes predictable. Writer Chris Tex does not overcomplicate the plot, keeping the flow simple and supple with exposition, using silence and commotion well to create a vibrant atmosphere.
Samurai Doggy #1 is all about style and finesse. The katana moves, then a bunch of guys immediately fall to the ground. Action like this is the epitome of the samurai genre. Artist Santtos' lines are free-flowing, with light outlines for calm moments, which get rough around the edges, swathing the panels in powerful inkwork when the going gets difficult. He fuses the gritty ambiance of dark alleyways with the lively billboard-infested roads of Tokyo to create a beautiful amalgamation. The colors reflect that sentiment in the clothing and architecture of Skypanel, filling the pages with a brilliant glow. Yellow tones are predominant, which make the Samurai Doggy's flaming red cape stand out even in the busy crowd scenes.
Samurai Doggy #1 is unique in its presentation. There are no narration boxes. The text sits atop the artwork like pieces of a scroll. Even the anthropomorphic beings consist of different species, who, together with the sentient robots, form the general population. Santtos goes so deep into the anime references that the book starts to feel animated. The one most on the nose is Kamado Tanjiro's haori, amongst many other things, which no doubt will give readers a chuckle while flipping through the jaw-breaking, bone-crushing action. Samurai Doggy #1 ends as abruptly as it starts, but for people looking for unbridled fun, the book deserves a spot on their pull list.