Deadly Artisans

(Epsalon, 2006)
™ and © Epsalon

Deadly Artisans features two government assassins with cybernetic implants. Creator, artist, and writer Jan-Michael Franklin doesn’t quite grasp all the implications of “government assassins.” This is almost a textbook example of a rookie comic book. Aside from this being the United States, where we’re not supposed to assassinate people, he fails to make a convincing case that the U.S. government would waste its time killing drug dealers and rapists. (Wouldn’t it be easier to kill the ones in prison?) It’s also not clear why the duo needs to exercise, since their implants apparently replace their arms and legs.

Franklin does get points for inserting a solid relationship between the two characters. A husband and wife team of cyber-killers is an interesting premise. Something like that would have probably helped a series like Cyber Force. Franklin’s art is OK but also needs more polish. The gray tones are done well, but the pencils still need work. He should use a straight edge when drawing something like a car. Though he’s on the right path, this isn’t the right project yet.

–Tony DiGerolamo

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