Kokin is a mysterious cybernetic samurai, and now his backstory is revealed! Check it out in Astonishing Times: Rise of the Kokin #1 by Comixology Originals!

ASTONISHING TIMES: RISE OF THE KOKIN #1

Writer: Frank J. Barbiere and Arris Quinones
Artist: Ruairi Coleman
Colorist: Andrew Cramer
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Publisher: Comixology Originals
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024

Previously in Astonishing Times: Heroes used to be the talk of the town, but after The Cataclysm, people moved on. Kokin was a samurai from the first series and a fan favorite, and he returns with his own title!

YOU WILL BE MY DEMON

Astonishing Times: Rise of the Kokin #1 starts with Kokin being chased down a building by people with demon masks. Another guy cuts him off before we jump into his backstory. Kokin was an army brat who often got in trouble. During one incident, a guy named McGilles hit him for sneaking off base. Later, Kokin’s dad appears, reprimands him for his actions, and gives him the ultimatum: Clean up or leave. Kokin, feeling alone, became a teenage runaway.

After a while, he was suddenly jumped by several trained people, and despite that, he held his own for a while. After getting beaten, he is kidnapped. This kidnapper is a wealthy, skilled martial artist who takes Kokin into his care, giving him a father figure Kokin craves. They would often travel to train in how to fight before we hit a cliffhanger where this man is about to reveal how he obtained his wealth and the secrets that he carries.

FINDING YOUR ROOTS

I’m not familiar with the Astonishing Times series. I believe I read one issue of the comic and decided not to continue for some reason. So, when I see this character, I don’t quite understand what the character represents in the larger plotline. The backstory of Kokin feels rather generic, and this sensei/father figure leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Like, we are forgetting that he had Kokin beaten before he chose to train him. Despite that, Astonishing Times: Rise of the Kokin #1 gave me enough interest to return to the previous series and learn more about the character and story. While the narrative wasn’t unique, the characterization of Kokin gave me some food for thought. While nothing is overly complex at this stage of the narrative, hearing his inner monologue put me into the headspace of the character, and overall, the conflict of Kokin between his childhood has a ton of potential.

The art style of The Rise of Kokin #1 is very consistent and well-drawn, but I sometimes found the backgrounds a little lackluster. Backgrounds can be used to enhance the story; I often think they were just there in this issue. The solid color backgrounds with no details were more effective in portraying emotion than the detailed backgrounds were in conveying specific information. Regardless, great consistent work by the creative team.

EDITORIAL UPDATE: We received an advance copy of the issue where the art was not final, and we were not informed about the updated art until after we posted this review. I have looked at the version of the comic that was published and want to amend my review. The new colors that are used accentuated the focal points of each panel and created a better balance between the background and foreground. With this amendment, I’m updating the score of the comic to 4 out of 5 stars.

BOTTOM LINE: THIS COMIC WORKS

Astonishing Times: Rise of the Kokin #1 has some clichés that the story falls into, but the story is still engaging to read. Something about Kokin’s coming-of-age tropes appeals to my senses as a reader. While I don’t think this comic reinvented the wheel, it is still a solid story many people will enjoy. Plus, the digital version is cheaper and free with Prime, so I recommend picking it up. I give 3.5 out of 5 stars to this comic.

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.