Ever get into a situation where no matter where you are or what you do, things only seem to get worse? Normally these days are work days, am I right? Well, not for Todd Parker who find himself in the worst sort of Doctor Who problem; what to do when you know the immediate future is filled with death, dishonour and probably dismemberment!
Following a would be mugger (well, actually she, the mugger, did actually succeed), Todd finds himself in feudal Japan, with a language barrier, strange customs and the knowledge that impending doom is waiting around the corner, according to a prophecy. That is the problem with prophecy; the gist is kind of right, the details are foggy. Thankfully (?), Todd spots the would be mugger in the same era; now teaming-up, the smart ass bad girl and the “village idiot” come with a convoluted plan to save the world; if only they don’t fumble the first snap!
Eric Nguyen and Scott Burman have in their hands, a pacy “fish out of water” that’s packed with humour and situations that force over the top reactions, subtitled with an air of social awareness and some would say scathing comment. Take for example the whole “I bet he has great abs”, “bet he doesn’t have to work out” comments which I am sure that at one point or another we have all said about someone. The big attraction of the book, at leat story wise, is the humour. However, humour, much like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. This means that, for the most part, you have to buy into Todd’s situation and various interactions. Throw in the also throw away commentary and you have a clever and fun slice of comedic action.
Eric Nguyen delivers a distinctive art style that looks to deliver on the satirical nature of of the books title. Nguyen demonstrates an interest in historical Japan. Nguyen also utilises strong figure work to grab the readers eye. In doing so, do not be fooled and ignore the backgrounds, where some of the humour an setups lay. Angular lines consistently add to the fast pace dialogue with Nguyen also relying on the oldest form of visual comedy in slapstick, to bring an equal amount of energy, matching that of the dialogue. Speaking of dialogue, letterer Micah Meyers does a great job of not letting the verbosity of the book get in the way of the art. Finally, rounding off the creative team is colorist Iwan Joko Triyono who uses various shades of colour to offer definition to the characters and the world in which they inhabit.
This book is going to split opinions, for a variety of reasons. One, the idea of knocking the “white saviour” whilst also providing a kind of alternative saviour element could be off putting to some. Second, the humour content is huge, with not just the characters getting in the act, but also the creators looking to break the fourth wall several times to deliver direct messages to the readers. They aren’t the first to try this trick, nor will they be the last. How you feel about that type of thing may change how you look at this book. If, this causes a negative impact, it would be a shame as you would miss out on a fun read.
Writing – 4 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 4 Stars
Overall – 4.5 Stars
Written by; Eric Nguyen & Scott Burman
Art by; Eric Nguyen
Colors by; Iwan Joko Trivono
Letters by; Michah Meyers
Published by; Dark Horse Comics
Learn more about White Saviour by checking out an interview Eric Nguyen and Scott Burman, on Outside the Panels by clicking clicking here.