Street Fighter Unlimited #1 Review- Here Comes a New Challenger
Review by Nolan P. Smith
(Victor Valley)—The beloved Street Fighter franchise has survived the test of time- as a premier leader in the fighting game genre, a solid comic book franchise and a pop culture phenomenon. With the much anticipated Street Fighter V video game on its way in 2016, now is the perfect time to get back into the fight- and there is no better way than with UDON’s Street Fighter Unlimited #1, on sale now both in print and digitally.
From writer Ken Siu-chong and artist Joe Ng, the main story of the book focuses on the star of the franchise, Ryu. The lone warrior tries to come to grips with the darkness, the evil that resides inside of him, and now the world warrior grapples with using this evil in order to strike down the evil Akuma, and the god-like Gill. In this first issue, Ryu goes through a journey of his own, one that takes him down paths we never thought he would go down. With appearances by Ken, Sakura, Sagat and more, the main story ends on a cliffhanger that is sure to bring more fighters into the mix.
The backup story introduces a Capcom favorite to the Street Fighter lore, as Final Fight’s Mike Haggar takes center stage with an encounter from Street Fighter alum Alex. Written by Jim Zub and art by Edwin Huang, the back up story is loads of fun, and leaves me hoping that next issue’s back up continues with the adventures of everyone’s favorite wrestling Mayor.
Siu-chong has crafted an excellent start to this new, ongoing series. Ng, who has been a constant superstar at UDON, is the perfect choice for this series. His artwork fits the animated feel of Street Fighter perfectly, and his action scenes feel like they are leaping right out of the video game series. With the back up story, I am a huge fan of Zub and Huang’s work, as it fits perfectly with the series and expands on the world around our fighters.
UDON has a hit on its hands here, as the Street Fighter lore continues to grow. This was an exciting first issue that laid the groundwork for issues to come. Street Fighter Unlimited packs a punch, and has plenty of fight left in. I can’t wait for round 2.
Rating: 4 out of 5. Winner!
This comic book review was created in conjunction with QBC Toys and More, a local comic book and collectible shop located in Victorville, CA. Featuring new comic books every week, collectibles, action figures, original artwork, and more, QBC has something for the pop culture lover in us all. You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/QBCToysandMore/.
