Mad Cave Studios has been on a tear lately, delivering fun concept after fun concept. Add to that pile of winners Blade Forger #1, from Inaki Miranda and Roy Miranda, a book that seems on the surface to be your typical “best fighter of all time” comic — but is actually far, far more than that.
That said, if it was just about one man’s quest to become the greatest fighter of all time, it would still be pretty cool. The book is written by Inaki and Roy Miranda, with art by Inaki Miranda, and the latter’s style is clean and kinetic. The designs of the sometimes mystical gladiators are neat, and range from demon knights to outright monsters. Our main character, too, leans into anime/manga tropes: we’re told that Owada is destined to be the greatest fighter pretty much from birth, so that’s what he sets out to become.
What the team does is infuse most of the first issue with a sense of destiny throughout… We’re watching Owada’s rise to fame in typical style, featuring some classic world-building that mixes steampunk and samurai, and everything in between. But. But! Without getting into spoilers, which is part of the joy here, that is really not what this book is about at all. There’s not one, but two turns that happen in the latter half of the issue that elevate this series from “well done” to “give me that second issue, now.”
And all credit to the team, neither of these turns are out of nowhere twists… They’re well set up by the rest of the issue, make logical sense, and elevate the stakes of the series exponentially.
I’d expect nothing less from the Eisner-nominated duo. Yet it’s still a pleasant surprise to see huge ambition not just from them, but from Mad Cave Studios as well. The publisher continues to make smart moves with series that embrace genre, and tweak it just enough to make your eyebrows pop and your interest piqued.
Come for the fights and world-building, stay for the poignant and thrilling adventure this book is about to take you on. Like the Blade Forger in the title, both Mad Cave, and the Miranda Brothers, are forging something exciting and new with this comic.
Blade Forger #1 Rating:
Blade Forger #1 Official Synopsis:
The discovery of CORUM, a never seen before energy source, led to a bloody world war for its control. After years of destruction, the Lords of the Lands agreed to negotiate a ceasefire for lasting peace. The BLADE FORGERS TREATY was born from that meeting. This treaty established that the mining of Corum would be centralized through one government, led by a neutral Emperor. The Emperor would have to be a BLADE FORGER, a mystical swordsman, and claim the title in a tournament called The Tournament of the Five Rings. Every five years Blade Forgers from every corner of the Empire would fight for the possibility of becoming the new Emperor. A young Blade Forger named Owada challenges the Emperor in the name of the forsaken people. This is the story of what happens next.
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