Samurai Jack #4 Review

Does this extension have enough substance within the confines of its pages to garner the attention of devoted followers? Or should this title have just stayed buried? Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

A mystic queen of great power and beauty accepts no criticism, especially from a lowly wandering samurai. Can Jack find another one of the Threads of Time before he’s imprisoned for royal heresy?

The original franchise created by Genndy Tartakovsky, has gotten renewed life thanks to this monthly comic. The creative team has successfully captured the essence of the aged television series while adding their own unique spin to these proceedings. There are some stumbles along the way but for the most part I found myself engaged and transported back to my youth as I once again followed the exploits of this particular hero. In short: prepare for a fun romp into a future plagued by Aku!

Jim Zub pens the script, and what he offers up feels like a genuine attempt to capture what made the show memorable. Solid one liners, one-note comedy moments and a light social commentary litter this tale that comes packaged with a chilling antagonist. For myself, I found the text to be rather approachable as it steered clear of an overbearing narrative as the odyssey revolving around the Rope of Eons continued in earnest. There were shortcomings, namely a couple sequences where moments of intended levity felt far too forced creating a couple awkward interactions.

The art by Andy Suriano fits what people might expect from a comic based on Samurai Jack. The innate style is given form and function via still panels, but the talent offers up line-work that’s not as clean as the source material. The end result is a visual component that might be off putting to some, as it differs from what they expect. For myself I found the renditions refreshing and save for a few select sequences I was never taken out of the experience.

Samurai Jack #4 succeeds as a good release that kept me eagerly engaged from beginning to end.  Recommended.

3.5/5