GUN HONEY: COLLISION COURSE #1, by Titan Comics on 5/15/24, brings Joanna Tan and Brook out of hiding when a Japanese gangster with deadly secrets needs their help.
Credits:
- Writer: Charles Ardai
- Artist: Ang Hor Kheng
- Colorist: João Rodri
- Letterer: David Leach
- Cover Artist: Derrick Chew (cover A)
- Publisher: Titan Comics
- Release Date: May 15, 2024
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 37
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GUN HONEY: COLLISION COURSE #1:
Plot Analysis:
Warning: If it wasn’t immediately obvious from the cover images above, GUN HONEY: COLLISION COURSE #1 is NSFW. If you have an aversion to nudity, this is not the comic for you.
Joanna Tan is back to covertly assist a Japanese gangster to stop the release of secrets that could destroy Joanna’s enemies and allies. In the previous series, Gun Honey: Blood For Blood, Joanna Tan fought to the death against her rival and ultimate hater, Filipa Sterling. Brook stepped in to assist Tan, sacrificing his career with American Intelligence in the exchange. Tan and Brook have since enlisted Heat Seeker to fake their deaths and cover their tracks while they go off the grid.
In GUN HONEY: COLLISION COURSE #1, Tan and Brook live a quiet but guarded life in Jakarta while they wait for their enemies to forget about them or retire. After nearly a year in the jungle, Tan tells Brook that their troubles may nearly be over because she entrusted a volume of damaging evidence about their enemies to a powerful Japanese gangster named Yamato. Yamato has instructions to release the files if he doesn’t hear from either Tan or Brook after a year.
If their enemy, Kruger, finds out Yamato has the files and intends to release them, Tan and Brook believe Yamato could be killed, so they decide to visit the gangster before the release. Coincidentally, Tan and Brook arrive at the Japanese casino run by Yamato’s son, Kyosuke, at almost the exact moment masked thugs kidnap and speed away with Kyosuke.
Tan and Brook speak with Yamato, and the aging gangster asks for their help to get his son back. If Kyosuke talks under torture, the amount of secrets he could divulge will get everyone killed. When Yamato’s men arrive with Kyosuke’s smashed smartphone and his chopped-off hand, Tan deduces the kidnappers are taking Yamato’s son to a rival clan who is likely with or for Kruger.
Tan and Brook head North to confront the rival clan run by the Yoshida brothers. Brook goes after Tiny, a hothead with a fighting gym and impulsive streak. Tan goes after Big, a cool customer who runs an old-fashioned Onsen (bathhouse).
Brook infiltrates the fighting gym as a contender looking to make his mark, which he does. Tan leaves nothing to the imagination by slipping into the hot springs, au natural, and confronting Big. During the heated exchange, Tan pulls a gun she hid earlier and charges toward a nearby holding room where the sounds of torture and screaming can be heard.
Character Development:
As the title and covers confirm, Joanna Tan is the protagonist, but her journey doesn’t do much to elevate or devalue her character. This issue is all about the action and confirmation of Tan’s masterful planning skills. For lack of a better parallel, Tan is the modern equivalent of a rogue James Bond.
Artwork and Presentation:
It’s abundantly clear that Charles Ardai and Ang Hor Kheng get each other’s methodology for storytelling. Ardai’s story calls for action, grit, sass, flash, and a whole lot of attitude. Ang Hor Kheng supplies all that and more with dramatic shading, beautiful women, rough-and-tumble men, and thrilling violence.
Art Samples:
Pacing and Structure:
Aradi’s tale moves quickly to keep readers on their toes as the narrative moves from one exotic locale to another on Tan and Brook’s journey. Every scene is meaningful, and the transitions are smooth.
One downpoint is the lack of clarity surrounding Tan and Brook’s interaction with Yamato. The fugitives loosely deduce that Yamato is in danger, but you have to read between the lines to make that leap. Then, Tan and Brook immediately agree to assist Yamato in getting his son back, but it’s unclear what the son knows or how relevant it is to Tan and Brook. Ardai puts the pieces in place to justify Tan and Brook coming out of hiding, but the justification is light on details.
Thematic Exploration:
Ardai’s tale could straddle the line between several thematic elements, but the most prominent is “survival.” Tan and Brook are dependent on Yamato’s survival to release the incriminating data. Yamato is dependent on his son’s survival and return to prevent his destruction.
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
If you’re new to the series and wonder how easy or not it is to jump in, jumping in will take a bit of effort. You’ll be better off reading the previous Gun Honey arcs to get a handle on the character because this issue starts as a direct continuation of the previous arcs.
Final Thoughts:
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
GUN HONEY: COLLISION COURSE #1 returns with a new adventure, setting Joanna Tan on a mission to save the assets of a Japanese gangster before all his deadly secrets are exposed. Charles Ardai’s script is an entertaining mix of action, violence, and spice, and Ang Hor Kheng’s artwork is a perfect match.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.