Saturday, May 06, 2023

Saturday Splash Page #71

 
"Shot Through the Heart," in Tiger Division #3, by Emily Kim (writer), Creees Lee and Craig Yeung (artists), Yen Nitro (color artist), Ariana Maher (letterer)

A South Korean super-team I first encountered in the 2021 Black Cat Annual, and hoped to learn more about over the course of this five-issue mini-series. I might have learned a few things about the team offhand, but the story was almost entirely focused on Taegukgi, the powerhouse leader of the team. His past as a baby found in the ruins of a village destroyed in the Korean War, his ill-spent youth as a teen thief/scam artist, the accident involving a weird gem that gave him superpowers.

I mean, I've been repeating my issues with this thing for the last several months as I reviewed each issue. I don't find Taegukgi interesting enough to carry a five-issue story himself. His best friend, who seems like a bit of a Lex Luthor, complains that Taegukgi never let him know he survived the mess at the military facility, but is that supposed to excuse the guy turning into more of a mobster, threatening people for protection money? Taegukgi had a near-death experience after trying to steal stuff and decided (eventually) to try and do something to help people. His friend believed his best friend died in a fire as a result of their criminal schemes, and decided the proper course was to really lean in on being a criminal. Go for the money.

The point seems to be Min-Jae wouldn't have done that, or would have turned back if Taegukgi revealed himself, but that's a hypothetical. Seems just as likely Min-Jae would have looked at Taegukgi's new powers and had Korean won symbols flash in his eyes. I'm more sympathetic to Tae's teammate Lady Bright, who was angry he kept his past from her all those times he told her not to seek revenge for her dead husband. Not terribly sympathetic, because that was when I found out she even had a dead husband, so as a moment of emotional depth, it fell flat. Because I don't know enough about any of these other characters, because they aren't getting any focus.

The mini-series won't survive next January's culling of the collection, that's for certain.

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