Did you feel lonely since the end of the Walking Dead comics? Discover Fire Power which has just been released by Delcourt. Indeed, this volume vivid as air launches the new series of screenwriter Robert Kirkman.
A screenwriter with golden fingers
Kirkman earned the nickname "Midas of comics" because of his ability to turn an independent series into a massive success. This was the case with The Walking Dead, his story about the survival of a small community in a world overrun by zombies. He then proved not only his writing talent but also his courage by stopping the series in full success when he thought he had nothing more to say. Now, he takes the risk of embarking on a new adventure with Fire Power… but in a totally different world. 
Karate Kid vs. Iron Fist
With Fire Power, we are very far from the apocalyptic world of Walking Dead. An adventurer advances in the middle of a beautiful landscape in mountains that exceed the human scale. Owen Johnson seems in bad shape because exhausted, he wanders randomly and has nothing to eat. The reader can easily imagine himself in a movie theater with this beginning close to the prologue of a film. Owen is looking for a mysterious temple supposed to teach him a formidable martial technique: fireballs but he also desires much more… It is no coincidence that this hook recalls the codes of kung fu stories because Fire Power is a tribute to this genre. In the temple, Owen meets a stern master who makes him suffer during initiation. In addition, the overly gifted newcomer suffers the jealousies of the elders as he realizes that this mystical place also holds several secrets including the Dragon Gate, a forbidden room. The most cinephiles will see a link with the Hong Kong film, The36th Chamber of Shaolin. One might think of a commercial project to surf on the success of Cobra Kai but Kirkman and Samnee go further by daring an Asian hero with cultural details well felt – the monks think that Ownen is his American name of use and ask him his real Chinese name. 
Attention this is only the beginning
Some elements may seem quite agreeable to you by staying on the rails of the genre but it must be remembered that Kirkman's talent is expressed on the length. With Invincible, he once proved that a classic debut about a son of Superman could result in an increasingly touching and grandiose saga. The story begins from this volume to discreetly upset the codes. Wilson's master, far from being a hermit, is connected to the world by his Americanized outfit – cap, basketball – and his musical tastes – he is a fan of Radiohead. He brings a lot of humor. Strangely, he can pick up on his mobile in the middle of the Himalayas but his calls are used to reserve collector's sneakers. The narrative also moves very quickly. Owen, very talented, progresses at lightning speed in teaching the art of fireballs. The other remarkable quality of the series is the cartoonist Chris Samnee. He manages to get the reader in from the first pages without dialogue. We appreciate the refined style of the designer but never sloppy. The change from a white gutter to a black one reveals that the temple is not as peaceful as it seems. Fire Power then goes from humor to a massive fight. Fire Power is ultimately a flamboyant launch. Behind his references to martial arts movies, Kirkman and Samnee describe the quest of human beings to find a lost art and family roots. This volume goes to the essentials and ends with a fantastic double cliffhanger, one predictable while the other relaunches the series towards a new track. If you want to read a more political comic from the same publisher, we can not advise you enough to throw yourself on Off-season.
