If only she had those little wrist knives when she botched the job interview. She could have gotten some swift, immediate revenge.
When you think about it, the Assassin’s Creed mythos is full of people who are just plain dissatisfied with their day jobs. People who think they are part of a truer calling than just being “Chad in accounting,” and being meant instead for some nobler purpose. The acquisition and protection of information, and the uncovering of conspiracies built around said information, is essentially the backbone of the Assassin’s Creed world. With Assassin’s Creed #1, we get a first look into how that premise works in comic book form. So far, though, things are looking a little messy. Whoever’s been connecting pictures to the wall via pins and colored string needs to make another stop to the local OfficeMax, because so far, this particular project is missing some supplies.
Meet Charlotte. Charlotte is basically like the rest of us.
Charlotte de la Cruz is a bit of a mess. Working a day job as a bank teller despite a college degree and intelligent mind, Charlotte spends her spare time investigating conspiracies, trying and failing to get a better job, and busting heads in VR games in an AR headset experience called Helix. After a failed job interview, Charlotte gets contacted by a rebel force working as modern-day descendants of the Brotherhood of Assassins; and they want Charlottes’ help. Charlotte is related to an assassin who lived during the Salem witch trials, and who witnessed the hiding of a Piece of Eden, one of a whole bunch of items pursued by Abstergo, themselves the manufacturer of the Helix and the modern-day version of the ancient Templar organization against witch the Brotherhood fought. It’s up to Charlotte to join the rebel force working for justice, strap in to the Animus, and beat Abstergo to the piece of Eden.
“These aren’t the same eyes as the first panel…but they could be.”
On the story front, Assassin’s Creed #1 wavers more than a little. It’s mostly just setup for all that is to come in future issues, and it does a decent job on that front. Charlotte is actually a pretty enjoyable character thus far, with equal parts frustration and brilliance making for a worthwhile whole. The most intriguing part of the whole thing, though, is the idea of Tom Stoddard, Charlotte’s assassin ancestor who lived during the Salem witch trials. Unfortunately, we barely get any of that in this issue, so that particular part of the story is something we’ll have to wait and see on. The other thing we do get is some shoddy character writing when it comes to major decisions, as Charlotte makes a couple leaps in judgment purely for the sake of moving the plot forward.
HA! I see what you did there! It’s funny because Assassin’s Creed is full of white dudes!
Things in the art department aren’t looking too much more stellar. The art of Neil Edwards varies from a couple panels with cool angles and composition, and on to those where Charlotte’s face seems to have become a slowly-melting version of itself. To make matters worse, there are points where panels have been blatantly re-used, usually in places where it feels extremely awkward. This leads even to a scene or two where characters speak lines of dialogue that completely contradict the way they are standing, and the expressions on their faces. There’s a certain lack of consistency in the quality of the art, and this really goes a long way to hurt the comic as a whole.
Can we talk about how GOD DAMN STOKED Charlotte looks as a man is brutally murdered inches from her face?
All in all, Assassin’s Creed #1 is a serviceable introduction, but not one that gives us too much of a hook. It shows us the hook – the burning Salem-ian hook – but never actually lets us wrap our fingers around the dang thing. An enjoyable main character is marred by some shitty dialogue, and an art style that will occasionally make her appear to be transforming into a fish, or puking clear jello. Something tells me those are not marks of a master assassin.
Final verdict: 3 out of 5
Publisher: TITAN Comics; Released: October 14th, 2015
Full Disclosure: this review was based on a copy of the comic supplied to HeyPoorPlayer by TITAN Comics.
