Search For Hu #3

Search For Hu #3

Aftershock Comics 2021

Written by John Tsuei & Steve Orlando

Illustrated by Rubine

Coloured by DC Alonso

Lettered by Carlos M. Mangual

Aaron Tse's path of revenge has already taken him from America to China to avenge an attack on his parents perpetrated by his own family. After a disastrous shootout between the Hu and Margolis sides of said family, Aaron questions everything. Is this a war he can't win? Just when Aaron thinks the stakes can't get any higher, tragedy strikes again, and this time, it might finally push him past the point of no return.

So the concept for this one was something I had not seen before and that alone was intriguing to me. Plenty of us think about searching for who we are and where we come from but that Aaron is out there in the midst of doing it. The more he learns and the more he sees the more involved in things he’s becoming in the lives of those he doesn’t even know. Regardless, if they are family or not I think he’s in way over his head and he doesn’t seem to be realising that this really isn’t his fight. I think that’s another part of the appeal but at some point we realise that family isn’t about blood it's about those who we surround ourselves with that we love like they were blood.

I am enjoying the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information are presented exceptionally well. The character development that we see through the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter does a wonderful job continuing to flesh out their personalities. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story the more we as the reader are engaged in these events.

I am pretty dang impressed with the way we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen. I am also liking the way that the layers open up new avenues to be explored. Whether it’s how the “new” family views Aaron or what’s happened with his father, what we see adds so much depth, dimension and complexity to the story. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward are impeccably handled.

The interiors here are rather stunning. The linework is exceptional and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the detail within the work that we see is extraordinarily well achieved. The backgrounds being utilised here not only enhance and expand the moments beautifully but they also work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective show such a remarkable eye for storytelling. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show a sensational eye for how colour works. The mirror, the fountain and the rising sun, that gazebo is phenomenal, show just how amazing colour can change how you see a moment.

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There is an intensity and complexity to the story that kind of sneaks up on you and before you realise it we are in the midst of something of epic proportions. Also that the culture there is so very different from our own, religion being secondary but adding to that, it is easy to get lost in what we see so fully. With some exceptional writing and intense characterisation that’s wrapped up in these brilliant interiors, not to mention some damn fine lettering, this really leaves a mark upon the reader.