In DANCING WITH THE DRAGON #1, available from Scout Comics on September 8th, 2021, an Irish couple moves to America for a better life, but they can’t catch a break… until Connor seizes an opportunity for quick cash on the wrong side of the law.
The Details
- Written By: Rob MacKinnon
- Art By: Luca Casalanguida
- Colors By: Natalia Nesterenko
- Letters By: Joel Rodriguez
- Cover Art By: Luca Casalanguida
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: September 8, 2021
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Was It Good?
Not bad. Not bad at all.
Going into this title cold, I had no idea what tone the writers were going for with this crime thriller. The net result feels very much like one of Richard Stark’s Parker novels. The main protagonists are not the ideals of heroism. They’re simply folks that aren’t above bending (or breaking) the law to get ahead in life.
Connor is the down-on-his-luck limo driver. He came to America with his significant other, Blythe, to find a better life for both of them. Blythe is a programmer who hoped to make her fortune in Silicon Valley but breaking into the technology business is neither glamourous nor as profitable as it looks from across the pond.
While the protagonists are technically criminals, their loving relationship exudes a certain likable charm. MacKinnon’s writing is strong enough to get you on their side, even when things turn out badly through their own bad decisions. You can’t help but like this couple, in spite of their flaws, and the thrilling chases that result from Connor running afoul of the Triads make you want to root for Connor to get away.
Casalanguida’s art is a solid complement to MacKinnon’s story. You could make the case that the art is a little too close to a storyboard, but drawing panel composition to reflect a potential filming sequence is par for the course these days and mostly unavoidable. The art looks good, and yes, you could see how this story could easily be adapted to film, so it’s fair to say the art has a cinematic quality.
In all, this is a fun read with solid visuals.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Connor and Blythe come to America from Ireland to support Blythe’s dream of making it big as a programmer in Silicon Valley. Sadly, Blythe’s job dreams have yet to pan out and Connor spends long days as a limo driver to make ends meet.
Connor is focused on taking any chance he sees to make a better life for Blythe, so when he takes on a passenger involved in shady dealings, he listens and waits for any business tips he can get.
One day, Connor’s shady client celebrates too hard and passes out (or dies), leaving behind his cellphone and all the materials Connor would need to take over his client’s laundering business.
We conclude the issue with a series of flashbacks showing Connor indeed gets his lucky break, but somewhere along the way something goes terribly wrong.
Final Thoughts
DANCING WITH THE DRAGON #1 takes readers on a fast-paced crime thriller story with a pair of not-so-good do-gooders. The writing builds out flawed protagonists you can’t help root for, and the art infuses this first issue with a cinematic quality.
Score: 8.5/10
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