CHISAI: DUALITY #1 (First Look/Fan Edition)

APPROBATION COMICS
WRITER: Bart A. Thompson
PENCILS/INKS: Francisco Paronzini
GRAYSCALE: Jorge Mongiovi

Following the events of ChiSai: Karma, ChiSai: Duality #1 finds Shy Stevens AKA ChiSai, living under the illusion that she has left her old life behind in Chicago.  With her boyfriend, Richard Andrews, and her daughter, Hope, Shy is living in seclusion on Xanitao Island in the South Pacific Ocean.

However, assassins invade their bungalow – couriers sent to deliver a message and a note to Shy.  Now, Shy must return to America and bargain with the mysterious Trainer who basically tells Shy “you still owe us.”  Who is “us?”  Trainer won’t say, but the secretive blonde does tell Shy that Gertrude Wilson is still alive.  Gertrude has something Trainer wants, and she wants Shy to get it back.

THE LOWDOWN:  Unlike Karma, which was drawn by several artists, ChiSai: Duality features only one artist, Francisco Paronzini.  Kind of blend of The Pander Bros. (Grendel) and Jason Pearson, Paronzini has visual flair, mixing well drawn backgrounds and complex set design with stylish page layouts and slick “camera” angles within the panels.  I imagine that he may improve some on his figure drawing (which is quite good at this point), but his storytelling chops are solid.  He really brings much needed consistency to writer Bart A. Thompson’s story.

Having a solid artist illustrate Thompson’s script makes ChiSai’s story coherent.  This is the first time when the epic scope of this hardboiled action comic about brutal killer operatives and murderous intrigues comes clearly into focus.  ChiSai is one of those vibrant, engaging characters who seem to jump off the comics page the way memorable anti-heroes like Elektra, The Punisher, and Wolverine do.  When ChiSai comes to live in the hands of a good artist that helps to bring out the pulpy edginess of Thompson’s writing, and makes this his best comic thus far.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of Daredevil, The Punisher, Grendel, etc. may find ChiSai a violent, but tasty side dish.

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