Path of the Assassin Vol. 1 Writer: Kazuo Koike Artist: Goseki Kojima Publisher: Dark Horse Comics FOR MATURE READERS Publication Date: Jun 28, 2006 Format: Soft cover, 320 pages, b&w, 4" x 6" Price: $9.95 Age range: 18+ ISBN-10: 1-59307-502-2 ISBN-13: 978-1-59307-502-6 Reviewed by Jamie Coville

For those of you who read Lone Wolf and Cub and Samurai Executioner, this book is a bit different, but by the same team. It's about a very young, but gifted suppa (ie. ninja) who is sent to serve a young lord. Only there is a catch. The young lord has been held as a hostage in another clan for quite some time, so the suppa must serve him in secret. The book quickly turns into something strange, but good. It becomes part Stand By Me, as the two kids go through some coming of age stuff, particularly when it comes to sex. There is also some wonky stuff where the lord is a complete dick to the suppa and he has to justify the reasons for his actions. And the book wouldn't be complete without some sword fighting. The kid is very good and he's very Jack Bauer like getting results that his lord wants. He keeps coming up with unique, surprising ways to achieve his goals. I should say, despite my describing of the character as a ninja, he looks and dresses nothing like a ninja. This isn't American movies where they are wrapped in black cloth and use ninja stars. It's still very samurai style, only with shaved heads. The book will come shrink wrapped and it's for 18+ readers. That because of a rape scene and the actions of woman after it. Only in Japanese Comics do publishers get away with this. Unlike previous Koike & Kojima books, this one is published right to left. I'm now used to reading books in that direction so it don't bother me none. After Lone Wolf and Cub and Samurai Executioner, I kinda expected this to be more of the same. Instead it was different in an unpredictable, Japanese way. Which is good as it's got me interested in reading the rest of the series. Koike's writing is up to par and even surpasses his more famous works by keeping the audience guessing. Kojima's art is always excellent. The book gets a 4.5 out of 5. While I recommend the book, I must admit the mature matter will offend some people.

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