| It's time to continue the Journey to The Mysterious Island of Mortal Kombat! FIGHT!  |  |
| Published by: Malibu Comics October 1994 - April 1995 Bobby Rae - inker Charles Marshall - writer Dave Lanphear - letterer John Tobias, Mark Paniccia- editor Patrick Rolo - penciler Scott Christian Sava / Janice Wismar / Violent Hues -colourist ISSUE TWO - TEST YOUR MIGHT |
We open with Liu Kang (Order of Light) doing the old Test Your Might mini-game from the first and second games. And the issue is called...”Test Your Might!”. A nice touch I thought. A little back story invades the scene, but is ignored by Liu and Johnny Cage (not Jean-Claude Van Damn, Honest Guv) who is soon scared away by the appearance of Goro (General of the...you know the drill at this point). Who begins his utterly fantastic trend of calling people "worm", and making really unsubtle threats (when we get to the Prince of Pain mini-series, you'll see that Goro will threaten...ANYTHING).
Goro smashes up the stone table that Liu was training with, and is called away. But gets one last block of threatening in as he leaves.
We move over to the outside of the island where Sonya Blade and “Sparky” are waiting around.
And then a monumental thing happens.
A epic moment in the annuals of history.
Possibly the most exciting comics panel ever printed to page.
“Sparky” has his name revealed.
He's actually called....Lance.
Wasn't that worth it?
  | Lance and Kano begin a tournament fight, that bounces back and forth till Kano rips out Lances' heart. A moment of silence for poor “Sparky” Sonya, obviously does not take kindly to this, and begins blasting at Kano with what appears to be a cross between The Crawling Chaos and a Strawberry Milkshake. It's very, very pink. Liu Kang and Johnny Cage sit back and watch as Sonya beats up Kano, then the Pointy-Hatted-Ninja-Guards™ until finally Goro appears to threaten her a little bit. Sonya is knocked out and carried away by the Wonderful Goro. Next, we have Sub Zero vs Grum (Ruler of Katalya, don't worry, it's not important). Grum has six arms and nun-chucks, and talks some good talk, but lasts roughly 20 seconds as Sub Zero freezes him, and kicks him firmly about the head. |
| Goro arrives and threatens a little bit, before escorting Sub Zero to the “special quarters”. All friendly-like. No need to worry Subby. Oh wait, yes there is. The “Special Quarters” are, in fact , a dungeon. Subby and Sonya are chained up in here along with...SIANG! THE GREATEST WARRIOR OF THE ORDER OF LIGHT!™ |  |
We scale up a tower to see Shang Tsung plotting away merrily. Suddenly, his window is smashed, and in walks Rayden (God of Thunder and Lightning) to tell Shang he just won't stand for any kind of nonsense in the Tournament. So, helpfully, Shang tells Rayden about the nonsense he's planning for the Tournament. It seems that the Book of Tao Te Zhan is a object of gigantic power. If Shang can open the book, he can use that power to win this tenth Mortal Kombat, and allow the locks between world to be broken, so Shao Khan (Emperor of Outworld) can invade and plunder.
Rayden does not seem to pleased with this idea....
Meanwhile....
Liu and Johnny (the Odd Couple) are busy wandering aimlessly when they run in Sub Zero's partner, Hydro. He splashes them with his watery powers and asks them where Sub Zero is (other way round would possibly have worked there mate). They begin a ruckus until the Pointy-Hatted-Ninja-Guards™ turn up to take them away. Cos Liu-Liu wants to be a polite guest.
Rayden does not seem to pleased with this idea....
Meanwhile....
Liu and Johnny (the Odd Couple) are busy wandering aimlessly when they run in Sub Zero's partner, Hydro. He splashes them with his watery powers and asks them where Sub Zero is (other way round would possibly have worked there mate). They begin a ruckus until the Pointy-Hatted-Ninja-Guards™ turn up to take them away. Cos Liu-Liu wants to be a polite guest.
| Kano however, is wandering with a purpose. He intends to steal any shiny things that Shang Tsung has. He overhears Tsung monologuing a plot point to himself, and at the first chance, steals the Tao Te Zhan. Running towards what he thinks is a big generator, he awakens Goro, who in true Goro-Fashion, threatens and insults Kano like a unwelcome orphan |  |
He hears Shang calling him and drags the unconscious Kano away with him, like a sleepy dog. Shang tells him that the Tao Te Zhan is missing, and Goro promises to find it .....
(you know that body your dragging about Mr Goro Sir? Just sayin')
(you know that body your dragging about Mr Goro Sir? Just sayin')
In the Dungeon, there appears to be a Clichéd Dialogue Contest going on, with is interrupted by the arrival of the ghostly Scorpion, who quite awesomely tells them that they are all at his mercy. And Scorpion. Has. No. Mercy..
TO BE CONTINUED
TO BE CONTINUED
MUSINGS ON THE ISSUE:
Once again, this moves at breakneck speed. A little more character is coming to the fore, especially that of Goro's. I utterly love Goro in this, his constant threatening and insults are more than amusing, but when you realize he can back it up without breaking a sweat, he starts to be more of the villain of the series than Shang or Shao Kahn so far. Goro isn’t some big blistering monster to be turned on the rest of the cast, he comes across as a very intelligent, though very alien, character. Who, granted, likes to be as violent as is physically possible at any given moment. Not too much to be said on the rest of the cast other than Poor Lance! “Sparky” was a obvious red coat from the start, but still. I had forged a connection with the unluckiest Special Forces member. Another highlight of this issue for me is the new characters, and the designs of such. I'm loving the Pointy-Hat Ninja Guards, and Grum, (although he was just a more-limbed-skinnier Goro) was quite fun. I did enjoy the more subtle differences in his design.
However, the art in this issue zigzags more than the last one. It doesn’t help that there are three inkers working on different parts of the comic, and that does create a massive inconsistency. All in all though,it's still not bad as such, just uninspired for the most part.
Apart from Goro.
Once again, this moves at breakneck speed. A little more character is coming to the fore, especially that of Goro's. I utterly love Goro in this, his constant threatening and insults are more than amusing, but when you realize he can back it up without breaking a sweat, he starts to be more of the villain of the series than Shang or Shao Kahn so far. Goro isn’t some big blistering monster to be turned on the rest of the cast, he comes across as a very intelligent, though very alien, character. Who, granted, likes to be as violent as is physically possible at any given moment. Not too much to be said on the rest of the cast other than Poor Lance! “Sparky” was a obvious red coat from the start, but still. I had forged a connection with the unluckiest Special Forces member. Another highlight of this issue for me is the new characters, and the designs of such. I'm loving the Pointy-Hat Ninja Guards, and Grum, (although he was just a more-limbed-skinnier Goro) was quite fun. I did enjoy the more subtle differences in his design.
However, the art in this issue zigzags more than the last one. It doesn’t help that there are three inkers working on different parts of the comic, and that does create a massive inconsistency. All in all though,it's still not bad as such, just uninspired for the most part.
Apart from Goro.
 | Adam "Gruffy" Nicol is the High Lord Protector of the Old Oilhouse, and has screamed at things not working right with it since the day it was born. His knowledge and love of 90's tat and pop culture borders on the worryingly psychotic.... |
