- Three Protectors, volume 1
- Invader Comics
- Written by Keith Foster
- Art by Rory Smith, Mark Nosler, Lance Pilgrim
It’s all-out kung fu war! Intergalactic kung fu gods kidnap masters from across the galaxy with one purpose: all-out war! The prize? The collective kung fu knowledge of the entire universe. Shaw Brothers-style kung fu meets cosmic odyssey in this newest joint from the creators of Kodoja! There has never been a more epic spectacle of combat put in print than Three Protectors!
I grew up learning a lifelong love of all things sci-fi. From classics like The Forbidden Planet & Logan’s Run to the arguably less classic Battle Beyond the Stars, it was all icing for me. A little later in life, I discovered a love for the martial arts movies of the Shaw Brothers, watching Black Belt Theater every Friday night on Channel 18 out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Occasionally the two interests would intersect, but not nearly as often (or as successfully) as I would have thought.
But… when it happens, it can be magic.
I received a press release from Invader Comics, letting ThePullbox know about a Kickstarter campaign that was bringing two of their titles together into a Kaiju/Kung Fu double feature of 70s bliss. I missed the Kickstarter itself, but would not be denied… I ordered the two books being featured, in their original trade release form. I haven’t had the chance to sit down with Kodoja yet, but I’m here to light the fires and call out to Gondor (to the best of my knowledge, J.R.R. Tolkien never wrote a kaiju or a kung fu story) that Three Protectors is over the top in the best ways possible!
Keith Foster pulls elements from so many of the things I love, I don’t know where to start. The classic sci-fi story about powerful beings gathering warriors from across the universe until… dare I say it?… there can be only one. Layered into that tried & true formula is the idea of kung fu as a universal constant. The truest, the wisest, and the most daring combatants follow the tenets of the ancient arts and are willing to display those skills to deadly effect on behalf of their respective worlds.
The story is more than matched by the crazy visual stylings of Rory Smith, Mark Nosler, & Lance Pilgrim. All the elements combine, much like the powers of Shaw Brothers kung fu movies, to form an unbeatable brand of violent chaos. I can’t say it more plainly. This book looks like nothing else. The characters all represent their individual worlds, each with their own special look and attitude. Once the action kicks in, the mayhem sprawls across the page in glorious black and white.
Well… not only black & white.
I have to be honest; I buy a lot of comics. In particular, I try to back small press indie publishers every chance I get, but I haven’t always… oh how to put this gently and with love in my heart… I haven’t always gotten gold. In Three Protectors, I found gold, platinum, and razor-edged steel all rolled together into a big ol’ bundle of awesome. Fans of action, fans of gonzo larger-than-life adventure, and that one guy in the back who doesn’t look convinced… yeah, I see you acting too cool for this stuff. This is a large step to the left of the normal comic fare on the shelves. Don’t take my word of it… buy this book.
Final Score: 12/13
