GUN HONEY #1 – Review

In GUN HONEY #1, available from Titan Comics on September 29th, 2021, Joanna Tan has a reputation for getting weapons to her clients anytime and anywhere. Now, her legendary skills will be put to the greatest test of her life.

The Details

• Written By: Charles Ardai
• Art By: Ang Hor Kheng
• Colors By: Asifur Rahman
• Letters By: David Leach
• Cover Art By: Bill Sienkiewicz
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: September 29, 2021

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Was It Good?

Gun Honey is the latest series published as part of Titan’s Hard Case Crime imprint. If you’re a long-time follower of Titan’s titles, you already know their crime comics can be hit or miss. Thankfully, Gun Honey falls under the “Hit” category.

When we take a look at dramatic (i.e. not superheroes, horror, magic, etc.) comics, the success or failure relies primarily on the appeal of the main character, the creativity of the setup, and the overall plot.

To say the main character is appealing is the understatement of the century. Beyond her obvious (*ahem*) assets, Tan is smart, fearless, cunning, and exceptionally dangerous. She’s developed her skills over years, starting with her father, to become the world’s most effective gun runner, but her personality projects relaxed confidence that isn’t pretentious or condescending. She knows she’s the best at what she does, but all that matters is the next job.

The setup is creative and somehow familiar. With a few tweaks, Tan could be the spiritual successor to James Bond in the way she pulls off a gun placement for assassination on a Greek gangster’s yacht. She uses her talent for deception and charm to get in closer than anyone else. It’s a top-notch spy scenario without the actual spying.

The overall plot fits perfectly into the world Ardai has created around Tan. When you’re the best in the world with a very specific set of skills, it’s logical that even governments would want you on their side. Tan refuses an offer she (almost) can’t refuse, and that setup lays the groundwork for bigger things coming in the series.

Ang Hor Kheng‘s art is rock solid. Obviously, Tan is rendered as a curvy woman and the artist isn’t shy about positioning Tan to use her looks to her advantage. That said, Kheng stays away from gratuitous cheesecake poses or silly body posture simply for aesthetics. Kheng integrates Tan’s self-awareness of her beauty as a tool… a weapon… to get the job done. This is an excellent example of creating a femme fatale the right way, and it’s incredibly effective.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

The opening scene begins with a Greek gangster scanning the beachfront from his yacht, looking for lovely ladies to invite onboard. The gangster notices a beautiful woman in a blue bikini sunning herself, and he sends his goons to invite her to visit his yacht. The woman accepts his delivered offer.

Onboard the yacht, the woman excuses herself to the bathroom. She quickly disassembles the unique clasps on her bikini and reassembles them into a makeshift revolver she stores in the bathroom cabinet. Soon after, another visitor to the yacht excuses himself to the bathroom where he retrieves the gun for an assassination of the Greek gangster.

Joanna Tan, the woman from the beach and reputationally known as Gun Honey, arrives home a few days later to find a government agent waiting for her. The agent brings her in for questioning over a gun delivery to an eco-terrorist group that’s responsible for bombing a government building. We learn during questioning that Tan is an expert gun dealer and runner who’s nearly impossible to imprison or implicate in any crimes.

During a flashback, we see Tan learned her skills from her father since she was a little girl, and she’s honed those skills through many jobs to perfection. Now, the government wants to bring her in as a contractor for select assignments. We conclude the issue with an emotional memory of Tan’s father, a look at her next job, and a clear look a the risks involved with her line of work.

Final Thoughts

GUN HONEY #1 is the powerhouse creation of a world-class criminal, a femme fatale, and James Bond all rolled into one. The writing is grounded yet clever. And the art uses the character’s ample charms effectively as one of many weapons in the character’s arsenal.

Score: 9/10