The Legend of Luther Strode #1

Writer: Justin Jordan

Artist: Tradd Moore

The sequel to the surprise hit/internet favorite "The Strange Talent of Luther Strode." Legend brings us back into the world five years later and a with a completely different Luther Strode then when we last left him. Right from the beginning, Legend feels nothing like Strange Talent. Don't get me wrong, the gratuitous violence and everything that made the first series so good is still here, but you can tell even early on that it's going to go into some new territory for the character. 

First noticeable improvement has to be the dialogue. Justin Jordan really has grown in a short amount of time. A scene that stands out is the diner scene. Not to spoil too much, but it's the introduction to the (I presume) main villain Mikey Hill. In just a few pages, Jordan is able to show Mikey's shrewdness, quick wit, and even a few hints at his backstory. The pacing of the story was also an improvement. There was a solid balance of action and story.  A few of the scenes I figured were going to drag on, but it was "establish this, and move on and then establish that and move on."  The script wasn't fatty and bloated and felt very polished. The comic  ended on a solid cliffhanger. I can't say I was hugely surprised by the reveal, but it's definitely  more than enough to keep me coming back for issue 2.

My only big gripe with the issue is that we got a lot of everything but not a lot of one thing. We did get to see Luther, but aside from a few panels they didn't give us much backstory on his journey for the past 5 years. The main villain was introduced, but I don't think enough emphasis on explaining his role and his new found obsession with Mr. Strode. There is also almost nothing bridging Strange Talent to Legend. I read the previous series in monthly format, and in the final issue came out quite a while ago. Legend #1 really had no recap or make any mention of the previous stories events. On the other hand, how the story is told it is much easier for new readers to pick up and be apart of and not feel behind anyone else.  I can understand the decision to go down that path, but I would have just liked to see more mentions of the previous mini. 

Tradd Moore's portrayal  of Luther Strode is probably my favorite part of the comic. The few shots there were of Luther Strode were very powerful. His incredible size difference compared to everyone else, and the way he was drawn as more of a shadow of the night with only a few describable features like his now trademark mask. He was just a blur during action shots or some shots just had the "after effects" of his encounter. The whole issue is about  his growing legend, and drawing him as what everyone 'perceives' him as was really effective. In the middle of the comic there is a panel with him and a few ladies of the night that really does a great job of showing off how much  I loved how he was drawn in this issue.

Overall, The Legend Of Luther Strode issue #1 is a solid beginning in what hopes to be a solid mini series from Image. We at comicsthegathering.com highly recommend it for new comers and previous Luther Strode readers!