The Wind Raider #2

2009 | Ape Entertainment

Creation & Writing: Richard Finney | Dean Loftis
Art: Gabriel Hardman
Colour: Micah Farritor
Letters: David Hedgecock
Cover: Gabriel Hardman | Tim Kelly

Part Two

Joshua has been given a second chance at life and granted the gift of ki. However, while Tristan tells him a little about the power, he will not be his master. His plans still rest with hunting down Dagon. Joshua must set off to find his sister alone.

One issue left and I’m starting to get really worried. It doesn’t feel like it moved very far forward. The first issue felt very definite and concise in terms of progress and this issue seemed slow and sluggish. Yes, the connection was made between the marauders and dagon, which I expected. Yes, the conversation between Joshua, Tristan, and the handmaiden were interesting and lend itself to the story, but the information was already given as extras in the previous issues. I almost feel like most of that talk could have been used for something else, especially with one issue left. My greatest worry is the conclusion coming too fast with too many conveniences. How is Joshua going to master the ki in such a short time? As I said, I’m worried.

I really hope to find out about these ruins the marauders are talking about and the fabled sky city. What’s with the other ki warrior in that prison? I’m just not feeling too hopeful of getting satisfying answers to all this in such a limited number of pages. I can only hope for the best.

Despite my preoccupation of crappy-ending fears, I still enjoyed this issue and it’s wonderful art. This story along with Super Human Resources have put Ape on the map for me and I’m eager to check out some of their other books. Aside from that, I wouldn’t mind another run telling Dagon’s story and the fall of the ki order. I’m really intrigued with Evaine’s character and background and am sorry she’s dead.  It’s such an interesting setting and so much could be done with it. It’d almost be a waste to not do more with it.

One issue left. Will his sister be saved? Will Tristan get revenge? Probably. I just hate waiting.

The Wind Raider #1

2008 | Ape Entertainment

Creator & Writing: Richard Finney | Dean Loftis
Art: Gabriel Hardman
Colour: Micah Farritor
Letters: David Hedgecock
Cover: Tim Kelly | Gabriel Hardman

A poor farmer heads into the city for supplies. His son Joshua managed to strike it rich with a genuine piece of sky rock. The happiness is short lived when some marauders threaten to take it all away.

I love how Joshua works so hard trying to help his family looking for sky rock and his family think him useless. You can see the disappointment on their faces. And when his work finally pays off, everything changes and they’re proud and happy. How disgustingly predictable. I’ve always hated relationships depicted in this manner. It’s almost disappointing, but it’s a necessary plot device and I’ve enjoyed everything else about this book. I would have hoped for something a little less Mad Max, though.

The art is still a high point for me as well as the setting. I wouldn’t mind having my own sailed buggy. I’d really like to see how it’d look in life. I could really see this moving into a film or animated medium.

Two issues left and I hope this next one includes some more background material.

The Wind Raider #0

2008 | Ape Entertainment

Writing: Richard Finney | Dean Loftis
Art: Gabriel Hardman
Colour: Micah Farritor
Letters: David Hedgecook

Bandits are causing trouble in the wasteland involving a boy named Joshua and a girl. A mysterious Ki warrior arrives to lend a hand.

The awesome cover drew me into this series followed by the articles at the back giving a lot of nice detail about how the world became a wasteland, and who the Ki warriors are and how their order came and went.

There’s also short bios of several characters, the Ki warrior code of conduct, and some awesome concept art.

The story part is just action giving a taste of the art. It’s not a very good preview. It’s all the stuff that follows that really shines. That and the extras are all in the first issue, so there’s no point picking this up now unless you’re collecting.