Cowboy Ninja Viking #2 – Review

By AJ Lieberman (writer), Riley Rossmo (artist)

The Story: Nix and the Cowboy Ninja Viking saddle up and head out to Japan to take down Ammo, but the Triplet’s not going down without a fight, and may actually be serving a larger endgame than anyone realized.

The Good: I’d read recently that CNV has been upgraded from a limited to an ongoing series, and I think that’s about the finest compliment you can pay a book like this. Lieberman and Rossmo have the makings of an insanely fun book on their hands here, and this issue just goes to show the last one wasn’t a fluke. Lieberman’s writing is smart and manic, gleefully chomping on bits of Tarantino dialogue and plot points from Alias and spitting the whole mess out on paper. You’d think that would make for a fairly disgusting, regurgitated mess, but you’d be wrong. These guys fully understand the genres and conventions they are exploiting, and they do it with a wink and a knowing smile. I like that this issue brought out Duncan’s character and made him more human, and I think the extent to which Lieberman can bring that out of Duncan will only fuel the success of this book. Rossmo’s art is perfect for CNV. I didn’t care for it one bit on Proof, but his frenzied style is exactly what this comic needs. Under Rossmo’s direction, the fight sequences between Cowboy Ninja Viking and Pirate Gladiator Oceanographer take on the kind of furious intensity worthy of only the finest summer blockbusters, know what I mean?

The Not So Good: I’ve got two small issues that are still annoying me. The first is the use of the mono tones Rossmo uses to color the book. Last month it was blue, this month it’s red. Is it going to be green next month? Purple? Don’t know, and I don’t care, because frankly I think Rossmo’s art here, as well as the overall design of the book, is strong enough that it doesn’t need any color at all. The tones are an eye sore, but I don’t expect that to change. Also, I’m still not convinced yet that this idea of the Triplets is anything more than a gag. I’m sure this is a point Lieberman will address in forthcoming issues so I’m more than willing to ride this one out and see where it takes me.

Conclusion: Is there a point to teaching each aspect of a person suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder how to be an assassin, or does it just make for some fun, brutal storytelling? I’m not sure yet, but I do know that I’m having a good time reading this comic, and at the end of the day isn’t that what counts?

Grade: B

-Tony Rakittke

 

Cowboy Ninja Viking #1 – Review

by AJ Lieberman (writer), Riley Rossmo (artist)

The Story: Dr. Ghislain is the creator of a program that that trains people suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder to become killers known as Triplets.  Duncan, living his life as a Cowboy, a Ninja, and a Viking, is one of these Triplets and remains Ghislain’s greatest success, even if he/they want to kill the good doctor.  When another Triplet goes rogue, Ghislain and Duncan must put aside their differences to track him down.

The Good: Cowboy Ninja Viking has proven itself to be a very different kind of story, and that’s a great quality to possess in an industry saturated with mediocrity.  Lieberman has hit the ground running with a plot that is clearly aware of the many genres it draws influence from and unapologetic in wearing those influences on its sleeve with pride.  At the same time though, Lieberman’s not afraid to have a little fun with the story, and you can see that in the way he approaches the Triplets.  I enjoyed Duncan’s multiple personality commentaries and thought the uniquely-styled dialogue bubbles were a fun touch (the Cowboy has a six-shooter, the Viking has an axe, and the Ninja has a sword).  I wasn’t a huge fan of Rossmo’s art on Proof, but his style has definitely won me over on this book and feels more appropriate here, where the grainy linework gives the story the feel of an epic grindhouse movie.

The Not So Good: This issue is largely set up and explanation as the cast of characters needs to be introduced and fleshed out, and the plot needs to be laid out enough to give readers a sense of what the hell is happening.  This was a necessary evil for what I suspect is going to be a skillfully complex story, but I have to admit it made for some slow reading.  I was also left wondering what the point is, if any, of training people with Multiple Personality Disorder to become killers, beyond being a quirky plot twist.  This is one detail I feel Lieberman needs to address at some point if he wants to retain readers.

Conclusion: Cowboy Ninja Viking is a complex tale of action, espionage, and psychosis from a skilled creative team, and I’m definitely on board to see what happens next!

Grade:  B-

-Tony Rakittke