I Should Have Discussed Why I LIke Katana Sooner

I mentioned Monday that DC announced Katana ends in December. As I said then, I'm not surprised, except I thought it would have a couple more months, which would presumably give Nocenti a little more time for some sort of satisfying resolution, although I have a hard time picturing what that would be. She's only begun delving into the various Sword Clans, to save nothing of all the other ones out there, so having Tatsu take over would be pretty rushed, if that was ever Nocenti's plan. It could be a matter of her realizing the task she's presented herself isn't achievable, and altering her goals. Since there's a real question of whether she was doing this solely for revenge, or out of some genuine desire to reform the Clans, she could have a moment of clarity that makes her choose a different path.

As it is, I expect the last issue will feel very rushed, and probably only provide a sense of resolution on the surface levels, if the last issue of Dial H was anything to go by.

I know I'm in the minority on it - just as I was on Nocenti's Green Arrow run - but I enjoyed Katana. It wasn't perfect, wasn't likely to make my Top 3 Ongoing for 2013, but I lay much of the blame for that on the art. Alex Sanchez couldn't lay a page out sensibly to save his life, and would trained fighters really keep lunging (unprotected) face first at their enemies, because he certainly enjoys drawing them that way. Beyond that, yes the book feels a little scattershot, but it also feels like Nocenti is trying to say something with it. I'm not always clear on what she's trying to say, but I appreciate the fact there's something there, beyond a surface of cool moments. Hey, I like cool moments for characters, too, but something extra is appreciated.

Also, Katana has a sense of momentum to it. That momentum is out of control at times, or somewhat unfocused, but I haven't felt like things were being dragged out for the trade. There are fights, revelations, setbacks, new paths opening in the face of new information, new challenges. I recognize that "things happen" is the bare minimum we should expect from a story, but there are some writers out there I think could use a reminder. But the nice thing with Katana is that all these things happening help keep me on my toes. I don't know what's going to happen next, where the story might go. Every issue can bring new surprises, characters impressing or disappointing me, but Nocenti's developed them in a such a way that either reaction is possible. These characters are going to make bad decisions, or irrational ones sometimes, because that happens in times of heightened emotions, or when you only have a moment. I enjoy the unpredictability, and also the sense that the characters are more rounded, not all straight archetypes.

I would understand a distaste for her dialogue, it's a bit stilted, but I suppose I grew up reading comics written like that, so I don't mind. I'm primarily concerned with whether the dialogue is telling you anything, how realistic it sounds is less relevant. People talk in many different ways, after all, but most of them are trying to say something when they open their mouths.

Easy come easy go, another title I enjoyed on the "quickly canceled" pile.