John Wick #1 Review: Making Baba Yaga

By Nolan P. Smith

When the film John Wick hit theaters in 2014, it brought a surge of energy back to the action film genre, and brought Keanu Reeves back into the well-deserved spotlight. The revenge flick introduced a new take on the seedy underworld, and spawned an amazing sequel. Now, thanks to Dynamite, the story continues in comic book form as we learn about the man who would become the legend known as John Wick.

From writer Greg Pak (Planet Hulk) and Giovanni Valletta (X-Men Blue), we get a story that shows us a young John Wick, one not yet connected to the Continental. We also see glimpses of John’s childhood, and it looks like life has never been easy for the man of few words. The story adds depth to the John Wick mythos, and even shows a familiar face or two. Valletta captures the essence of Wick, simple yet frantic.

Since the first John Wick, I had hoped for more way to delve into the world created in the film. Whether it was in the form of a TV series, comic book, graphic novel, more films, etc. With this comic book series, we get to dive deeper into John Wick’s world. Perhaps we will see the job that made him famous? Who knows. I do know that this is an excellent debut issue that sets the stage for a bloody path.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.