Aceblade, the Vegas Vigilante, is a martial artist, costumed hero, and the brainchild of Danny J. Quick, the writer of the series. In issue # 3 (“The Undercard”), he’s recovering, about to strike back in revenge at those who tried to kill him. It doesn’t last long, though, when he’s forced to reveal himself to protect his hostess Lady Luck from a quarter of thugs. He’s able to beat them off, only to discover a sinister plan by the big boss that will send him into a head-on collision with juiced-up bad guy Gutshot.
Aceblade is firmly in the genre of non-powered superhero with a tragic backstory, but he’s far from brooding – in fact, he’s positively wisecracking when he’s in his element, beating bad guys left and right. But once the mask comes off (and his attitude about having a secret identity, or lack thereof, is very different from what you might expect, especially from a hero who wears a full face mask), the weight of recent tragedies weighs heavily on him. It’s a poignant commentary on how anonymity emboldens people. In that vein, there’s plenty of action in this comic, and if you like martial arts or non-powered action heroes, this comic is for you. The art almost reminds me of a less gritty Sam Kieth of The Maxx fame, or if you’re into indie comics, Edward Bentley (MADHOUSE and other books from Mad Robot comics) – a mix between realism and a more cartoony aesthetic. It fits the story well, given that we’re in a superhero universe that, while mostly dealing with non-powered heroes and villains, seems to have a degree of super-science like Batman sometimes does. And setting it in Las Vegas is brilliant, given that the plot revolves around organized crime and corruption.
The caveat I have about this comic is that it’s a third issue and there isn’t a lot of help to catch a new reader up. There’s no “previously in” page. Characters are very rarely referred to by name (although we do get nice intros to the four thugs), especially not in the beginning of the book, and a new reader may wonder who this Aceblade guy is, who Lady Luck is, why a bunch of thugs showed up to her door, and what the struggle against organized crime is all about. So if you’re going to pick this one up – and if you’re a fan of martial artist heroes like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Iron Fist, you should – I’d recommend reading the first two issues before you do.
You can get all of the Aceblade issues at the 4th Wall Productions shop at https://www.4thwallpros.com/shop