I haven’t had all that much time to review comics in the recent past. Schoolwork is piling up, graduation looms forebodingly over the horizon, and I’ve been looking for a place to sublet in NYC for the summer. But excuses aside, I want to review the two most recent issues of Street Fighter II Turbo because they are really really solid and a totally enjoyable read.

Read on after the break.

ISSUE #4

Jeffrey Chamba’s work is still looking simply fantastic and I can’t get over how many subtle (and not so subtle) fan service pieces he puts into his work. In issue 4 I was able to pick out Chun Li’s air throw, her lightning kicks, her crouching roundhouse, Kikoken, and the Spinning Bird Kick. Totally great stuff and a much appreciated nod to the video game source material.

Despite the art however, the issue itself didn’t rile up my inner geek as much as the others merely because I’m not that huge a fan of Chun Li, and her fight was the main focus of the issue. I know she’s top tier in a lot of the games and has a huge fan following but I just never found her that interesting. And her back story, which seems to be brought up almost as much as Guile’s (Charlie‘s gone dude, face facts) isn’t all that compelling anymore. Personal quibbles aside the action is great and the combo of Jeff “Chamba” Cruz and Ken Siu-Chong still manages to keep me flipping the pages. Now that the Street Fighter 2 Hong Kong tournament has narrowed down its finalists: Chun Li, Dhalsim, and Fei Long, we get to see what ‘s going on in Japan next issue.

ISSUE #5

This issue stars a massive cast and leave it to Ken Siu Chong to write each fighter in flawlessly. The Japanese Street Fighter Preliminary Tournament has begun and E. Honda, Sodom, R. Mika, Zangief, and Dan Hibiki all hope to move on to the finals. Ever wonder why E. Honda became a sumo wrestler? All is revealed in this issue. E. Honda, being my second favorite Street Fighter (only behind Fei Long), was just the icing on the cake. Throughout the series I have been constantly impressed at Chong’s skill in crafting believable and compelling back stories for characters who have been relatively undeveloped for nearly twenty years. Props.

Also, for those of you who love to hate the ol’ Dan, be sure to pick this issue up. I know some of you were thinking, “Dan made it to the tournament?” Well he has a little run in with the Bushin ninja Guy (Final Fight) and challenges him for the Street Fighter invitation he received. Dan chalks up his missing invitation to a “clerical error” on Shadaloo‘s part. Their battle is hilarious and ends it typical Dan=Failure fashion. Dan definitely injects some much needed humor into this very serious series and it’s great to see him competing for his place in the tournament.

Not only do we get to watch Dan fail and E. Honda rise to the rank of Yokozuna, but we get to watch a great little fight between R. Mika and Sodom of the Mad Gear Gang (Final Fight anyone?). Unfortunately the flamboyant wrestler succumbs to Sodom’s Daikyo Burning but Zangief is there to avenge her. Once again fan service abounds as Zangief perfects Sodom with a combo that looks a little like this: Jumping bodysplash into crouching roundhouse into Double Lariat ftw. I love picking that stuff out of these comics.

The ending of this book has got me itching for the next issue. Honestly, the last page almost made me yell in indignation. Does Udon get off on being withholding (Arrested Development reference)? Regardless, this is one of the few comics that I genuinely look forward to each and every month and if we get to see Cody (Final Fight) next issue I’ll be even happier.

Keep fighting on the streets, PEACE,

Ben