Funk Soul Samurai – Review
Funk Soul Samurai is the brainchild of one Nick Gonzo, aka Gonzo Industrial. You may remember my review of his previous comic, Corsair (if not, click the link to read it). Well, you can forget that. This is a VERY different beast. Not in a bad way though.
Check It Out Now…
Describing itself as “A dialogue-free full-colour action comic, set in a post-apocalyptic world, about a skateboarding samurai’s quest for justice and pizza”, Funk Soul Samurai did a 50-50 grind right into my heart. Seriously. This is one of the most endearingly badass comics I’ve read in a while. It’s lo-fi sensibilities (there are two pages I am pretty sure were actually drawn and inked on a take-out menu) feel perfectly matched to the skater vibes.
The frenetic style and pretty gruesome content are jarringly at odds with the fantastically coloured artwork, but it works better than expected. The plot is simple without being simplistic. We follow the Samurai on his lonesome quest in this post-apocalyptic world. All he wants, at least in the first issue, is a milkshake. His attempts to attain his prize are hindered by a horde of the shuffling dead who also want to eat something… our poor hero!
I also love the fact that there is no dialogue, only sound effects.
This moment in issue 1? I actually heard the quintessential “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh” when I saw those angels.
By the looks of things, from the snippets I have seen, issue 2, titled “Emergence of the Continuing Punch” picks up immediately where issue 1 left off. I just hope the Samurai eventually gets some peace and quiet to enjoy that milkshake!
Emergence of the Continuing Punch
If, like me, you originally missed out on issue 1 of Funk Soul Samurai then have no fear. The kickstarter for #2 has options to allow you to catch up either in digital or physical form.
Personally I really like the sound of the Jam Hot collected edition, containing both stories so far. Although I am less forgiving of the fact that I have had Beats International’s “Dub Be Good To Me” stuck in my head for the last hour or so. Not that that will stop me from recommending you back this brilliant comic on kickstarter ASAP. They are about halfway to their funding target with a little over 2 weeks to go, so make sure you get in there fast!
