This is the first issue of Lone Wolf 2100 that I've read. Starting a series with a silent issue may not be the best idea, since it's hard to really get much out of the concept when there's no exposition. However, while I didn't really get much out of the story of this issue, I did get plenty of beautifully-depicted action thanks to Francisco Ruiz Velasco. There's not enough substance here to truly recommend it, but in terms of fight choreography and detailed, stunning artwork, Lone Wolf 2100 #5 makes the cut.
The basic plot of this issue is pretty simple; three robots come hunting our hero, a samurai with cybernetic enhancements, and they fight. Not a lot of depth there. However, the mistake that Kennedy makes, in my estimation, isn't in giving us a story with too little depth but in trying to add some more resonance to the story. My confusion about whether they were cyborgs or robots, who sent them, why they were fighting came largely from Kennedy's attempts to give the book some emotional resonance. Had it been just about a samurai fighting robots, I wouldn't have had many questions, and would have enjoyed the issue for what it was a lot more.
And what is it? It's what has been termed "action porn" by some, low on plot and high on explosions, fights and other action sequences. To sell this kind of story, you need an artist who is accomplished in the art of action, and Francisco Ruiz Velasco fits that bill. I first noticed his work on Battlegods: Warriors of the Chaak, and what drew my attention was his ability with a fight scene and a chase scene. When the first robot attacks and the samurai dodges and goes into action, it's easy to see the flow and feel the speed from Velasco's layouts.
There's some phenomenal action in this issue, and impressive artwork as a general rule. The coloring from Velasco and Carreno gives it a painted look, and I absolutely loved the evocative double-page spread that opens the story. Velasco gives a sense of the cold, the urban post-apocalyptic blight and the emptiness that fills the world of Lone Wolf 2100, as much as he captures the speed and fury of the fights.
I can't recommend Lone Wolf 2100 on the strength of this issue, because I don't entirely know what the book is about, or even who the characters are, as a result of the silent format. However, given my appreciation for Velasco's artwork, it was a treat to see it again.
