Comics Club is where we take a look at video game manga and comics to offer our impressions and insights. Part review, part reflection, Comics Club is a great way to find something new to read based on all of our favorite pastime: video games!
Writer: Matt Moylan
Illustrator: Matthew Weldon
Colorist: Espen Grundetjern
Publisher: UDON | 07.31.24
Spoilers Ahead!
UDON is back with another series based on a popular Capcom IP. This time around it’s Final Fight, a miniseries written by Matt Moylan and illustrated by Matthew Weldon. One of the more charming aspects about the series even before it came to shops was seeing the homage variant covers based on famous movie posters. Final Fight #1 embraces the series ’80s roots and starts things off in 1989 with Mayor Mike Haggar taking office for the first time. As he sits down at his desk he discovers a VHS tape (remember those?) and then gets a mysterious phone call telling him to watch it. Lo and behold, Haggar’s daughter Jessica has been taken captive by the nefarious Mad Gear Gang. If Haggar agrees to let them carry on with their criminal dealings, they’ll let Jessica go. Haggar, of course, is having none of that, and calls upon Cody Travers (joined by his good buddy, Guy), Jessica’s boyfriend, to help him rescue her.
Let’s be frank: Final Fight is not a series known for having a rich, deep narrative. The same can be said here, as the premise is basic and follows the original game’s to a T. And you know what? I’m glad that it does. I don’t need nor want a radical reinvention of who these characters are, the world of Metro City, the Mad Gear Gang—none of it. I want what I enjoyed from the games, which is exactly what Moylan gives us. At the same time, Moylan also provides just enough extra depth to help start fleshing these characters out as people. It’s a carryover from some of the work done with Cody in Street Fighter vs. Final Fight #1 back in May, where we got to go into that character’s head for the first time.
For this issue, Cody and Guy don’t get a lot of exploration, but we get a sense of how feisty Jessica is early on. She’s no mere damsel in distress, as she delivers a swift driving knee into the gut of Poison despite being tied to a chair. Haggar also gets to shine, with Moylan portraying him as a man who takes the struggles of Metro City very personally. An attack on Metro is an attack on him, and he’ll do what it takes to keep the city and its people safe. In an era where superhero comics can’t figure out the basics, Moylan quickly establishes Haggar as a strong, noble leader, someone that’s easy to root for. Conversely, villain Thrasher Damnd is a formidable enemy. The pair’s brawl is so powerful that it causes the street to crumble beneath their feet, sending them tumbling down onto and into a moving subway train! The issue ends on a cliffhanger, with Thrasher’s thugs ready to hand Haggar his head.
Again, Moylan’s writing is solid. The characters feel distinct, their motivations are clear, and the actual sequence of events manages to mimic the games without feeling braindead. There’s some effort that’s being put into bringing Final Fight the game to life as a comic book. By the end of the issue, I was genuinely excited to see what happens next. Sure, Jessica and all of the good guys will likely live, but I’m having fun seeing how they all pull it off.
On the art side of things, Matthew Weldon and colorist Espen Grundetjern do a sublime job. In a departure from UDON’s usual style, which skews towards a more exaggerated, manga-like look, Weldon’s line work is expressive but not overtly Japanese influenced. There’s great interplay with thin lines and bits of shadow throughout. Weldon is adept at giving characters distinguishable builds, with Haggar towering over his opponents as the standout. I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out some exceptionally cool composition work, too, including a shot of Cody and Guy that, in one panel, looks like a simple closeup of the two, but in the next, it’s revealed to be their reflection in a mirror, which Cody’s extended arm is smashing. Another shot of Cody and Guy speeding on motorcycles above the subway train they’re trying to catch is similarly eye-catching.
Grundtjern’s color art brings the whole package together. I really appreciated how the action seems to be taking place during the golden hour, which sets a cool mood for the backdrop of the fight. Something about it helped sell me on thinking of this story taking place in ’89 (the year the Oakland A’s swept the SF Giants in the World Series, I might add—but I digress). If I have any complaints, it would be that the aforementioned scene of Jessica kneeing Poison took me a moment to understand. After a second viewing I spotted Jessica’s knee rising up. There’s also one instance where Thrasher’s name is misspelled, which is only worth mentioning because it’s at a pivotal moment when Haggar is about to take the baddie on.
Beyond those small gripes, this is a perfect introduction of Final Fight into comic book form. I think that fans of the series will get the most from it, but Final Fight #1 is just a fun, straightforward comic book with traditional heroes and villains to root for and against. It’s going to be tough waiting a month for the next issue, but in the meanwhile I strongly suggest hitting up your local comic book shop for a copy for yourself.
Verdict: Recommended
Nintendojo was provided a copy of this comic for review by a third party, though that does not affect our recommendation