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LAST SHOT #4
"Angel of Death"
Recommended (7/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Locke
Artist/Colors: Long Vo
Backgrounds/3D Renders: Charles Park
Character Colors: Saka
Letters: Bryan O'Malley
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
Recently, Don and I were sent the first three issues of Last Shot (plus their "zero" issue), and I was drawn into the mixture of Hong Kong action, western and post-apocalyptic genres. This issue, which turns out to be the end of the story arc before the book goes on temporary hiatus, is like the rest of them, a little short on story but incredibly long on style. There aren't a lot of heavy plot twists, or even much character development, in the pages of Last Shot, but there's enough atmosphere and style, as
well as some terrific action, to keep me interested, and I hope the hiatus is a
relatively short one.
Last Shot takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, but
it's one that is modeled after a manga-style interpretation of the American old
west. And when it comes to westerns, there are two main methods of travel: the
horse and the train. The Studio XD guys set this story aboard a train, and they
make great use of the setting as a prop and as an essential element of the
action. The interiors of the train are as wide open as any given saloon for
fighting, but there's an element of danger when it comes to bridges and rails
and the potential for crashing, which means it's easy to combine a chase and a
fight sequence.
While character development seems to be a bit down the list (below butt-kicking and shooting) with Last Shot, that doesn't mean characters are entirely
lacking. The train conductor gets some nice moments as he talks up the would-be
train robbers, and his story arc, complete in this issue, is a nice backbone on
which to rest the issue. Of course, his story is really a side element to the
main story, which once again pits lead badass Revolver against this issue's
guess badass, Shadowgunner.
The gunfight is fantastic, a
testament to what can be done in sequential storytelling. Shadowgunner and
Revolver flip and jump, firing unbelievable numbers of guns at one another and
occasionally shouting. It's done very much in the style of anime, and it doesn't
need the animation to get that same feeling of fluid motion and speed. And the
damage that Shadowgunner causes, between panels, as he advances up the train to
get to Revolver, establishes him as a foe to be reckoned with.
Last Shot is a gorgeous ride through a vividly imagined
world. It's one of the few comics out there that can compete with live action
and anime in terms of action, and it boasts a setting that is definitely
unusual. Though this issue closes out the opening arc, it definitely ends on a
cliffhanger, and with any luck the next part of the story will come along sooner
rather than later.
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