Honor and Curse #8 – Review

Honor and Curse #8 is written by Mark London, art and cover art by Nicolas Salamanca, colors by Tekino, lettered by Miguel Angel Zapata, and edited by Chris Fernandez.

Synopis:

Left reeling after the murder of Lord Haruki, Genshi makes his way to the Jade Caverns per Nishiro’s instructions. Meanwhile, Akemi took control of the Iga and is training like never before to defend her clan from potential threats… like the rival Koga clan, who are looking to seize the opportunity presented by Lord Haruki’s death.

Honor and Curse is published by Mad Cave Studios and is available from Comixology or your Local Comic Shop.

Honor and Curse #8 comics review — *Honor and Curse #8 front cover*

The Story of Honor and Curse #8

Honor and Curse is a tale of clan rivalry, betrayal, and family secrets. Set in feudal Japan, we are introduced to Genshi – a promising young Shinobi, in love with a girl he’s forbidden to, and plagued with nightmares that show him a darkness within himself. A darkness that frightens him. But just as things begin to look up for Genshi, the world around him crumbles, and he learns he holds within him – a shinto god, also called a Tengu.

In Honor and Curse #8, the events of the past seven issues continue to escalate. As Genshi trains to control and understand the Tengu within his body, back home in his village, Akemi – the girl he loved, and Lord Haruki’s daughter – is training herself to defend her village further. Which includes bracing herself to handle the Koga clan when they arrive with an offer they assume she cannot refuse. But there is so much more at work beyond just this, and the weaving of the story together is fantastic.

I have always loved these sorts of stories – set in feudal Japan, with a misunderstood hero, usually harboring a darkness of some sort, leaving everyone around them unsure if they can trust this person to actually be the hero. So, Honor and Curse was an absolute pleasure for me to dive into for the first time. By the time I reached issue eight, I was fully invested, and on the edge of my seat. The story is so easy to be pulled into. In issue eight, you get a better idea of how everything is working as you still try to figure out who to trust, and who else could betray everyone.

The Art of Honor and Curse #8

The Honor and Curse artwork is absolutely beautiful. Everything from the characters, shinto gods, scenery, and more – it’s all incredible. The color use is stunning and seriously some of the best color work I’ve seen lately. The panels flow so well together, this could easily translate into a fantastic anime, and I would not be opposed to seeing this picked up for adaptation. The lettering is fantastic. Bravo to everyone on the team for their work.

Conclusion

Perfect for fans of shinobi stories, Japanese culture, and paranormal stories. Honor and Curse is available now, and issue eight is part of the second arc. Grab the first volume, and catch up with single issues #7 and #8!

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