Comic Buzz: 5 Ronin

Creative Team: Peter Milligan (W), Various Artists
Marvel, miniseries, 5 issues, $2.99
Weekly in March, first issue March 2nd

As most of you know, I currently live in Japan. I’ve been interested in Japanese culture for a long time, and living here has only increased my interest in the history and traditions of the country. So it’s really no surprise that the solicitation for Marvel’s 5 Ronin caught my eye. This 5 issue miniseries reimagines the characters of Wolverine, Psylocke, the Hulk, the Punisher, and Deadpool in Feudal Japan. Each character will have their own spotlight issue (each by a different artist), but their stories are linked.

I’m pleased to see it reported that this is a finite story. If this turns out well I would be happy to see similar projects down the line, but it’s nice to know that this story will have an ending and isn’t the set up for something else. For me this seems like the perfect Marvel book to pick up because I won’t be bogged down or distracted by continuity references, and there won’t be continuing plot threads in four other books that I’ll need to buy once this is finished.

The covers were a huge draw for this book. Once I saw them, they stuck in my mind. Not the normal covers, although a few of those are interesting (though I’m not fond of Wolverine’s), but the covers by David Aja. They really tie the series together and are absolutely stunning. The sketch work and the single color palettes are just gorgeous. And the best part is that they are not incentive variants!

If you already like these characters, this series will probably be a fun diversion from continuity. If you’re not all that in to Marvel but are interested in seeing what they have to offer, and the Japanese theme is up your alley, give this a shot. The first issue is in store now, so head on down to your local comic shop and give them a look!