2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What Star Wars SHOULD Have Been, October 20, 2005
This review is from: Runners: Bad Goods (Paperback)
Sean Wang's titular "runners" are a diverse band of charismatic space smugglers who move questionable cargo for profit, no questions asked. Led by Roka Nostaco, the vaguely elephantine proprietor of the freighter Khoruysa Brimia, they are, collectively, the distillation of the best of George Lucas' original Star Wars characters, as Wang throws in everything from Han Solo's hotshot bravado to Luke Skywalker's naive idealism, mixing and matching personality traits for a more appealing cast than Lucas could ever have dreamed up. The first chapter introduces the cast as they head for a routine rendezvous, only to discover the ship they're meeting up with is under attack by raiders and their cargo is in danger. After fending off the raiders, led by the vain Hamron the Handsome, they discover a surprise amongst the wreckage...a mysterious woman of indeterminate origin and race. Her identity is but one of the sub-plots Wang spins into motion in this rip-roaring introductory arc that hints at a fully realized world lying underneath and begs for elaboration.
Wang handles the action and characterization extremely well with smart dialogue and a steady pace, working the serial format the way it's meant to be with each chapter telling an entertaining story that never feels decompressed, while offering the requisite cliffhanger that keeps things moving forward. Collected, as it is here, it reads even better.
His character designs are original and inventive, rivaling the sense of wonder I felt the first time I saw the cantina scene in the original Star Wars, and his line work is clean and highly detailed. It's the kind of black-and-white art that feels like an artistic choice as opposed to a budgetary one. The Sketchbook, a collection of character, location and ship ideas shows the evolution of Wang's universe, and is particularly impressive for the glimpse at the potential depth of the series. Factor in the detailed ships and environments Wang illustrates throughout the story and it's no wonder that this labor of love took a few years to get through five chapters!
For fans of sci-fi action adventure, or even general ensemble action adventure, Runners: Bad Goods is an A+ purchase.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I hate comic books!, October 21, 2005
This review is from: Runners: Bad Goods (Paperback)
Okay, this is my first review, but I felt strongly enough about Sean Wang's "Runners: Bad Goods" to actually write one.
First off, I don't like comic books. I think they are usually weak in story and I don't care for the artwork all that much. So, for me to enjoy a comic book enough to write a review is saying something. It's fast paced, well written and even had me laughing out loud a few times. The characters are engaging and interesting. It's like Han Solo meets Firefly (Serenity) but better.
So, if you are a comic fan, I am SURE you will love it. And if you aren't, like me, but always wished for more Han Solo time in Star Wars, you owe it to yourself to pick this up. The only bad thing I can say is that it was over too quickly!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Have!, April 17, 2009
This review is from: Runners: Bad Goods (Paperback)
Runners isn't your average cape-wearing comic book. It's breath of fresh air, away from do-good-save-the-world super heroes. The storyline is creative and original, but not so extremely fantastic that it forfeits a believable tone. Instead you'll find yourself feeling the action and drama, engaged with the characters, and laughing out loud. The artistic detail that accompanies the story is excellent. With great character designs and detailed environments, Sean Wang will have you wanting more. This is a must-have for any graphic novel lover, expecially of the sci-fi action genre.
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