Hitomi Issue #1 — written by HS Tak, art by Isabella Mazzanti, layouts by Nicoletta Bea, colors by Valentina Napolitano, letters by Rob Jones, logo and interior by Ian Chalgren, and edits by Chris Ryall — is one of the latest titles to come out of Image Comics. Set in Feudal Japan, Hitomi #1 follows a drifter on a mission to find the samurai who killed her family when she was a child. She trains with a disgraced warrior and prepares to struggle against discrimination, violence, and her past.
While the first issue highlights her trauma, Hitomi #1 is mostly exposition. This first issue establishes its key players — the drifter and the warrior — as well as the tone of the piece. While readers may have been hoping to leap into the action right off the bat, they can happily wait for the meat of this miniseries, as Issue #1 hooks the audience instantly with its folkloric art style and complicated protagonist. Plus, it’s a story that feels like a classic Akira Kurosawa samurai film with enough revenge and action to get Tarantino fans champing at the bit.
Tak avoids a common problem in a lot of comics — over narration. Instead of spelling out the protagonist’s goals, Tak conveys their past through organic conversations and a stand-out splash page by Mazzanti and Napolitano. There is clear trust and communication among this creative team, and it is reflected in the work. The level of restraint Tak has in regard to letting Mazzanti and Napolitano’s art stand on its own is commendable. He lays the groundwork, and the rest of the team uses it to make something beautiful.
He trusts his story to speak for itself. The dialogue, as well as the silence, works wonders to develop the protagonist. Readers instantly understand that she is a woman burdened with great sadness, hardened by the violence that’s forever changed her life. Along with that, readers know Hitomi is going to be a complicated revenge tale, as the man assumed to be the murderer of her family is also fleshed out to be more than just a cold-blooded killer. The contrast between who Hitomi remembers and the warrior readers meet is stark and sets up an interesting conflict in the upcoming issues.
This first issue sets the stage for a heartbreaking and brutal revenge story, but there is a softness and tranquility to Mazzanti’s art. It doesn’t rely on shock or graphic imagery. Instead, Mazzanti creates a sense of calm with gentle curves and peaceful environments. Moments of violence feel even more horrific as that calm is interrupted. The colors used throughout Hitomi #1 are just as peaceful. The cool tones put readers at ease, but when the action and stakes pick up, readers are immersed in a world of harsh reds. This contrast gives the audience a deeper understanding of the danger the drifter is in.
Hitomi Issue #1 is a solid setup. While it does not deliver the action-packed revenge tale readers are excited about right away, it sets the stage well. Already, readers are invested in the key players, and the art makes one want to explore the beauty of this world, even if it means having to embark on a dangerous quest for vengeance. Hitomi is the new series to look out for.
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