The Sword
Issue: 1
Words: Joshua Luna
Art: Jonathan Luna
Publisher: Image
Price: $2.99
Release Date: 10/17/07
The first issue of The Sword is a damn fine piece of story-telling. From the seemingly ordinary beginning to its compelling ending, the first issue of The Sword is an excellent exposition that puts the reader right into the heard of the story.
This chapter of the story revolves around Dara Brighton and her family. The picture the Luna brothers paint is one of normal people going through their normal lives as best they can. Dara is a young student in a strong, tight family. Things are far from perfect, though; Dara is paralyzed from the waist down, her mother's father is descending into Alzheimer, and Dara's elder sister is moving out on her own, causing a bit of separation anxiety. While that last one may be pretty tame, it makes the closeness of the family that much more apparent. Yes, things are far from perfect, but the Brighton's are a group of people who care deeply about one another. This is obviously helping them weather the problems they are currently experiencing and the story gives the sense that it has helped them in the past. They seem a decent and fair group of people that don't care if you care about them – they care about each other.
All of this is conveyed in the short period of eight pages. In addition to quickly setting up the scene, the story manages to convey a sense of depth; the Brighton family existed before the reader showed up and will continue to exist after the reader leaves.
Or, at least they would if it weren't for an incredibly unpleasant group that shows up for the latter part of the book. A trio of siblings walks into the Brighton's home, claiming that the father, Alex Brighton, is in fact a man named Demetrios and has stolen something unique and valuable from them – a sword. The resulting scene is one of excellent drama. While the trio is initially civil, if very forceful, things turn violent when Alex maintains that he is Alex Brighton, not whoever it is the trio is looking. The escalating violence that this denial creates results in the entire Brighton family being put in danger.
This spawns a great, conflicting series of questions. The trio, while imbued with fantastic powers, are obviously quite human, so are they making a mistake? If not, how far will Alex (aka Demetrios) maintain his new identity in the face of his family being harmed? And what is so incredibly valuable that this man would sacrifice a family he deeply cares about and loves?
Well, go buy the book if you want to find out. It'll be worth your three bucks.
Score
4 (out of 5)
