Growing up I was a huge fan of LEGO. It was my preferred toy as I built worlds and told stories for my own enjoyment. The sets were pretty basic with pirates being the last major expansion before my time of regularly playing with LEGO ended. So, the whole world of Ninjago and LEGO is generally unknown to me. I saw the film so have an idea from that but the specifics are knowledge I don’t have. That has me actually excited to dive into LEGO Ninjago: Garmadon #1 because not only do I get to find out more but also get to see some of the first steps by Skybound to expand their offerings from the more adult comics they’re known for.
With a story and art by Tri Vuong, LEGO Ninjago: Garmadon #1 is a really fun and interesting debut. Focused on Garmadon, the comic does an excellent job of catching up readers as to who this character is as it introduces us to the world. Overall, Vuong keeps things rather simple in the story and it works well by doing that. Garmadon is roped in to helping out a village who is terrorized by an evil gang. It’s something we’ve seen many times before but it’s a solid and smart thing to focus on. Vuong uses everything that has come before effectively and in a way that’s not overwhelming for new readers. It’s very new reader friendly in fact.
LEGO Ninjago: Garmadon #1 is also great for kids and adults alike. It has action and there’s some minor violence but overall it has the style that I’ve come to expect from LEGO entertainment like their movies and video games. There’s a light aspect about it all and it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
The art by Vuong is interesting. While the characters are clearly LEGO, the overall world doesn’t feel like it leans too heavily in that direction. That’s not a bad thing as it might become overwhelming and get a bit old if overused. It’ll be interesting to see how much that plays into the future and if we’ll see LEGO being built with at some point. The characters are all limited by the design by Vuong uses it all well with solid facial expressions and body movement. Along with Annalisa Leoni on color and lettering by Rus Wooton the comic feels visually perfect for its audience no matter their age.
LEGO Ninjago: Garmadon #1 has me excited to read more. As a start for Skybound, it’s a fantastic one showing the publisher is able to expand its offerings to all ages, a major move for them. It has me excited for not just the next issue but to see what the publisher has planned next.
Story: Tri Vuong Art: Tri Vuong
Color: Annalisa Leoni Letterer: Rus Wooton
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy
Image Comics/Skybound provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – TFAW
Source: Graphic Policy
