Stupid buttons... how 'm I supposed to punch in the combination code before he flattens my ass? Damnit! How'd he do that?! Damn computer... it's fixed! FIXED, I TELL YA!! Gah!! I'm goin' to play Silent Scope.
That, my friends, is a glimpse of the sort of frustration I experience when playing a one-on-one fighter game, a format that was pretty much pioneered by Capcom's Street Fighter. My god, I hate those video games, though I admit I'm in awe of those who manage to master them. It requires a digital dexterity that escapes me (which is surprising, given the speed and accuracy with which I type). Long story short, my interest in this adaptation of the classic video was rather low... until I read the #0 preview. I'm pleased to find an exciting story of espionage and revenge that maintains the spirit of the source material while bringing a lot more plot and a little more intelligence to the concept.
Ryu travels from Japan to America -- San Francisco, to be precise -- to visit an old friend and sparring partner, Ken. He informs his American friend of their sensei's murder and of his quest to discover the identity of those responsible and put them to death. Meanwhile, U.S. Commander Guile fears his closest friend has fallen victim to Bison and his Shadaloo underlings, and when he hears word of Shadaloo activity in San Francisco's Chinatown district, he leads a team of soldiers to arrest them, looking for leads.
The backup story -- with art by Joe (Battle Chasers) Madureira -- lacks the more developed plot of the main story, and instead focuses more on the gladiatorial nature of the one-on-one fights of the video game. That story brings an important element to the book and property, though. Madureira's art really brings out the raw, superhuman power that these characters possess, as well as the magical quality of some of their attacks. The backup segment brings a sense of wonder and a darker edge to the book while celebrating the property's roots.
Those familiar with Udon Studio's work on such Marvel titles as Agent X and Sentinel won't be surprised when they find dazzling artwork in the main story. The action is exciting, and the colors bring texture and a tense atmosphere to the story... especially in the opening sequence featuring Bison. I am not wild about Guile's ridiculous appearance, but it stems from his over-the-top hair, a design the artists unfortunately inherited from the video game's anime origins. I also find it distracting that the characters are always garbed in their video-game "costumes," but it's not a huge leap to assume that such static appearances come at the insistence of the property's owner, Capcom.
I like the parallel revenge storylines -- Guile's and Ryu's -- that Siu-Chong has set up here. The convergence of these plotlines don't seem too forced at all, and the writer is also successful in casting Bison in an appropriately sinister and intimidating light. The characters are introduced clearly, and a new player's arrival at the end of the story also creates an effective lure to get the reader back for the next issue.
