7 Brothers #1
Published by: Virgin Comics
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Jeevan Kang
Colorist: S. Sundarakannan & Jeevan Kang
Letterer: Nilesh S. Mahadik
Assistant Editor: Mahesh Kamath
Editor: Gotham Chopra & Mackenzie Cadenhead

22 pages
Suggested for Mature Readers

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Premise: 7 super-powered men are recruited by a shadowy organization to save the world.

Synopsis:

Six guys from multiple cultural backgrounds are recruited by a mysterious letter, and told to show up in a specific location at a specific time. It looks like a Planeteers reunion spectacular. Meanwhile, a lowlife pimp is saved/recruited by an operative of this organization and brought to the meeting.
The six guys who got the letter apparently each have a strange and highly specific super power. The pimp has nothing, but apparently is destined to save the world.

Meanwhile, some guys are digging up something bad under the Great Wall of China.

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Review:

John Woo. John Freakin’ Woo. This is John Woo’s 7 Brothers. He came up with the concept, then superstar writer Garth Ennis (Preacher) was hired on to do the script. Tingly yet?

This has the potential to be an amazing story. The premise laid out in the first issue is that there are 7 individuals that have exhibited super powers. They are called together to save the world. Yawn, right? No. Remember, Ennis is writing this. He knows a thing or two about people saving the world.

The characters come from a variety of backgrounds, there is the the African, the Native American, the Australian, the Latino, the Indian, and the Muslim. Our seventh is a washed-up pimp from L.A. who hasn’t seemed to have found his place yet. I wonder whether this diversity was written in by Mr. Woo, or whether it was a demand by the publishing company, given their apparent interest in appealing to diverse backgrounds.

Kang’s art is certainly attractive, and has that Hong Kong action film sensibility so fitting of a story that carries John Woo’s name. It feels like there was a lot of story in this book, although I didn’t count the pages, and the dialog is rich and interesting, so I once again credit Ennis’s writing.

If you like John Woo (and who doesn’t?) and you like comics, pick this up. The first issue may not wow you, but I’d put money on that happening in the not-so-distant future.