Creator:Â Trey McIntosh
Webcomic Link: SAMURAIDAZ
Summary: Beat is the last of the Samuraidaz, a clan of warriors who get their power from feeding off of aspects of music. On a journey to find a legendary EP, Beat encounters more than his fair share of trouble, but whether they’re also after the EP, or simply after him, is unclear.
Story:Â SAMURAIDAZ has an interesting idea, with lots of clever ties to music and a classic manga intro. The writing itself is good in concept, but ironically, the tempo seems a bit off in places. Some things could use some expanding upon, even in this short intro (such as the origin or nature of the hunters who attack Beat, or what he’s using the find the EP). There are spots where the grammar of the dialogue and narration is off (something that I found a bit off-putting and unpolished), but all in all, there were enough things I found intriguing that it was worth it.
Art:Â The art inside of this undoubtedly manga-style comic is perfect. I could not imagine it being better for the theme and style of the story when it comes to expressions, character designs, shading, etc. However, where it seems to fall short is in the flow between panels. Fight scenes, especially, are a bit hard to follow at times. There are panels where I don’t understand what is happening (such as the fist pounding the ground in the first fight sequence, and the strange little darts in the second). Much like the writing, I find myself very conflicted. There are aspects I adore, and aspects I find poor, and they are directly adjacent to one another.
Conclusion:Â I think if I had to put a finger on what it is SAMURAIDAZ is lacking, it’s the comic fundamentals. Excellent potential abounds in this comic. The art is on point and the ideas are great, but more work needs to be put towards the art of sequential storytelling. It is a diamond in the rough. Some consideration towards the reader, and the information that they’re being presented with, should be given, as we don’t know everything in the minds of the creators (not that bigger things need to be explained in detail, but a few more hints could be dropped). I almost feel like there might have been issues in the collaboration process, though that’s purely conjecture. Just a bit of polish, and a bit better understanding moving forward of how to script and illustrate action in sequential panels, and SAMURAIDAZ could be on par with any shounen manga I’ve ever read.
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
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