Netflix’s popular Live Adaptation of the hit Anime Cowboy Bebop makes its way into comic book form.
Cowboy Bebop is one of Anime’s most famous and beloved franchises. Hajime Yatate began the franchise with the manga Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star in 1998. Its popularity led to the anime series that same year. The series delved into complex themes such as isolation, existential boredom, and the inability to forget one’s past. The anime consists of twenty-six episodes and its English dubbing is one of the best performances of any dub thanks to the star voice actors such as Steve Blum, Beau Billingslea, Wendee Lee, Skip Stellrecht, and to name a few.
Due to the Anime’s popularity, Netflix decided to make a live-action adaptation. The story’s plot focused on an alternate Universe in the year 2071. Earth has become uninhabitable, and humanity has colonized planets and moons in our solar system to survive. The series also reveals that the crime rate is unexpectantly high, and the Inter Solar System Police has a legalized contract system help. This contract system uses registered bounty hunters called “Cowboys” to hunt down and capture criminals in exchange for cash. The series focuses on a trio of Cowboys named Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, and Faye Valentine, who pilot the Bebop spaceship.
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The Netflix live-action adaptation starred John Chu, Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda, Elena Satine, and Alex Hassell. The live-action series was well-received by some fans, with some even calling it a faithful adaptation of the anime with high praise of the cast, especially Chu’s portrayal of Spike. Sadly, likely due to negative reviews from critics, the series did not get the numbers Netflix wanted so they made the hard decision to cancel it. However, fans of the live-action series have some condolence, as more content of the Netflix adaptation will be coming from comic books. Titan Comics is publishing the live-action Cowboy Bebob comic book series. The Illumnierdi had the extraordinary opportunity to read the first issue.
COWBOY BEBOP ISSUE #1 REVIEW AND OVERALL THOUGHTS
As a fan of the original 90s anime series, I haven’t had the chance to watch the Netflix live-action adaptation yet. However, with longtime fans loving the live-action and my recent interview with the Extras Casting Coordinator, I can hopefully expect or assume the show is a faithful adaptation of the Anime. The first issue of Cowboy Bebob was an excellent read and a well-done issue.
The art illustration of the first issue was unique and very interesting. Artist Lamar Mathurin did an incredible job with the art style of the comic book. Colorist Roman Titov’s coloring infuses a truly unique vibe that reminds me of the anime while being very different. Chu’s Spiegel and Pineda’s Valentine are featured on the cover and beautifully drawn. The blend of the colors in each panel worked well with each panel side and the comic book pages. The pages of the first issue also had a unique neo-noir feel and helped illustrate the live-action series in a comic form.
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Writer Dan Watters does an excellent job with this first issue’s narration and pacing. The characters introduced in this issue are appropriately presented and even have the same personality as their anime counterparts. Spiegel, Valentine, and Jet get the representation they deserve. Even the criminal introduced in this issue Melville was written well and is an excellent first foil to the Bebop trio to capture for money. Melville’s charming personality and high intelligence make him an interesting character. Then finally, the characters introduced in this issue were well-written, and I can’t wait for what’s next.
Overall I love the first issue of Cowboy Bebop. However, there were a few nitpicks I had to make on this issue. Even though the artistic illustration itself is beautiful, there were some panels where I felt the art was all over the place. This art problem presents itself during the fight sequences. Then finally, I found the dialogue at times a little cheesy, primarily when some of the notable characters interact with each other. But other than that, I found the first issue of Cowboy Bebob and recommend fans of the original Anime and Netflix live-action adaptation to read it.
My Cowboy Bebop #1 review gets 4.5/5
Cowboy Bebop #1 will be available at your local comic shops on January 26, 2022, from Titan Comics or online. Issue 1 will also have numerous variant covers which you can get a glimpse of below.
Are you excited about the Cowboy Bebop comic book? Will you be picking up any of the variant covers? Did you sign the petition to save the series? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter.
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