Introduction to Street Fighter II Turbo Vol. 1: A new tournament begins! The fighters begin to gather as Chun-Li, Ryu and Ken receive invitations to the fight, while Shadaloo gathers their forces, teaming up Bison, Sagat, Vega and Balrog in an action-packed series!

Let me start this review by saying that this one is just a preview for the entire comic book. And I read it because I wanted to see if the full comic book was worth the money and time I would spend on it. And I’m gonna give you the answer for that at the end of this review.

This preview attempts to capture the excitement of the iconic video game series but falls short in delivering a compelling narrative. Despite the rich source material, the volume struggles with character development, plot cohesion, and overall engagement.

The story in this preview aims to bring the intense battles and diverse characters of Street Fighter to life. However, the plot lacks focus and direction, feeling more like a collection of loosely connected fights rather than a cohesive storyline. This lack of narrative structure makes it difficult for me personally to become invested in the characters or their journeys.

The character development is notably weak in this preview. The beloved fighters from the Street Fighter universe are presented with minimal depth and personality. Iconic characters like Ryu, Chun-Li, and Ken are given little backstory or motivation, reducing them to mere caricatures of their video game counterparts. Without meaningful exploration of their personalities or goals, the characters fail to resonate with me and possibly with other readers like myself who are very picky readers.

The writing style in this preview introduces numerous characters and battles, but the dialogue often feels stilted and lacks the emotional weight needed to elevate the stakes. Conversations serve more as exposition than genuine interactions, leaving the characters feeling flat and unengaging. The potential for exploring the rich dynamics between fighters is largely missed.

The artwork in this preview, while capturing the action and style of the games, cannot fully compensate for the narrative shortcomings. The illustrations depict the characters and their signature moves with accuracy, but the visual storytelling does little to enhance the plot or character arcs. The lack of dynamic and detailed backgrounds also detracts from the overall visual appeal.

The pacing is another significant issue which this preview faces. The story rushes through key events without providing sufficient context or buildup, making the transitions between scenes feel abrupt and disjointed. This inconsistency disrupts the flow, making it challenging for me to maintain interest or fully grasp the plot’s progression.

So will I buy and read the full version of this comic book ? I don’t think I will. The main reason behind this is how poorly this preview was very uninteresting for me personally.

I Give This Book 1 / 5