In this land of ice and death...where often the only warmth to be found is in the salty splash of blood from your enemy...a lone warrior treks across the snow-covered wasteland. His entire body wrapped in bloodstained bandages, at first glance he looks like an escaped nightmare, a macabre creature animated by unnatural means.

But this is no walking corpse. Oh, no—a heart beats strong and true within its skeletal cage, and the eyes...one look at the piercing eyes of this man, and you know he is more alive than most in this forsaken land. Whatever—whoever—ignited the fire behind his bloodshot eyes will rue the day he crosses their path. For this warrior may not mount a pale steed...but he'll follows his enemies just the same.

Gyakushu! is a glorious lullaby to fans of the blood-soaked samurai story. The Thief, the tragic lead character in this tale, is a bandaged shell of a man whose sole purpose for living is to kill his way to the ones that destroyed all he loved. As we follow him on his journey, layer after layer of story is peeled back, revealing snippets of the past, as well as clues for the future. His quest for revenge will test not only his physical limits, but his emotional ones as well, as each kill brings him closer to his foes, but further from his humanity. If revenge is a forest filled with trees—the Thief will not stop until they are all reduced to kindling!

Nameless Man a.k.a. The Thief      
A jovial, fun-loving con-man and thief, he became very wealthy. When he steals from the wrong man, his wife is murdered, his son stolen, and his own body torn to shreds. All he is left with is a thirst for REVENGE! He appears throughout the story wrapped in bandages from head to toe.    
       
The Emperor       
That wrong man from whom the nameless man stole. At that time, he was not yet emperor, and was left in debt when he needed to be publicly strong. He raises the thief’s son as his own, eventually making him his right hand man.    
       
The Narrator       
An old bearded man with an eye-patch and wooden nose. We later learn that he is really...well, I could tell you, but that would be a spoiler!  
       
Wretchik       
The Emperor's right-hand man, Wretchik is as vile as his name implies. Not only a cold-blooded killer of men, women and children, but he's also a cannibal to boot—and his appetite is never sated.    
       
Demeter (Demi)        
The thief's loving wife. Her beauty caused him to give up his criminal ways—while her murder fuels his rage.    
       
Persephone (Cora)       
Demi's sister and the Thief's ex-partner in crime. 

Hot! Read Chris Arrant's interview with creator Dan Hipp!

Before I talk about Dan Hipp’s Gyakushu!, I’d like to first address a life-long passion of mine—Samurai films.

Man, I love samurai flicks. I don’t know what it is about grown men and women hacking away at each other with sharp objects, but ever since I saw my first blood-drenched samurai film as a kid, I couldn’t wait for Sunday afternoon Kung Fu/Samurai double features. Yep—Sunday morning was for the lord, but Sunday afternoons were for watching people brutally maim each other. (In other words, a balanced day.)

It’s a known fact that many of America’s classic westerns were inspired by Samurai films (I’m looking at you, A Fist Full of Dollars.) But as much as I love westerns, they lacked the mano-a-mano, up close and personal battles found in the Samurai genre. Sure, it’s no small feat to cap a guy with your Colt at a dozen paces, but try getting up-close and personal with a katana blade…so close you can see the lunch stuck in his teeth. Then you’ll see what your bowels are made of—literally.

Which brings me back to Gyakushu! It's a glorious lullaby to fans of the blood-soaked samurai flick. And I, for one, am more than happy to unleash it upon the world. Dan’s art is incredible...the character designs retain the fun essence of say, Samurai Jack, all the while maintaining the razor-sharp, square-jawed starkness of Sin City. The Thief, the tragic lead character in this tale, is a bandaged shell of a man whose sole purpose for living is to kill his way to the ones that ruined his life.

My favorite Samurai stories were always the ones featuring the lone warrior seeking retribution. The more you tore down your good guy, the deeper you sank the blade into his guts, the more you destroy everything he holds dear…the greater the satisfaction for him (and the reader) when he/she shows the villain his own liver. Dan has crafted a classic revenge story, while at the same time giving it the unique characters and world that make it truly special.

I dare not say much more, because half the fun of Gyakushu! is letting the story unravel like a blood-soaked bandage, with layer after layer revealing snippets of the past, as well as clues to the future. Dan’s narrative is immersive and engaging, and compliments his art without overwhelming it.

But enough of my ranting! Check out the preview and judge for yourself!         
 
~Troy Lewter, Editor