DEAD LEGENDS II Escalates the Martial Arts Mayhem on August 11th
Writer James Maddox, artist Gavin Smith, letterer Ryan Ferrier & color assistant Milena Deneno continue their grindhouse epic in the wake of volume one’s catastrophic tournament.
Dead Legends II #1 Cover Art by Gavin P. Smith
“A pure love letter to martial arts films, DEAD LEGENDS is full of intrigue, tension, a great cast of characters, and brutal action that never lets up.”
– Matthew Rosenberg (4 Kids Walk Into a Bank, The Punisher, Hawkeye: Freefall)
“What these folks are doing on this book is pure high octane dopeness.”
— Vita Ayala (New Mutants, The Wilds)
“One part Tarantino, one part Shaw Brothers, one part WWE, one million parts badass. DEAD LEGENDS is very much alive.”
— Jackson Lanzing (Kang the Conqueror, Dark One)
“Mystic mountains, title belts, and eye-gouges galore! James and Gavin have served up a timeless martial arts revenge fable with as much heart as (spilled) guts. Highly recommended.”
— Alex Paknadel (Jimmy Eat World: 555, Arcadia)
August 9, 2021 (Louisville, KY)— Published by A Wave Blue World, the DEAD LEGENDS saga unleashes a new fury of fists and feet with DEAD LEGENDS II #1 on August 11th, escalating the action established in the preceding 5-issue miniseries. Writer James Maddox reunites with artist Gavin Smith, letterer Ryan Ferrier, and color assistant Milena Deneno for a new descent into epic storytelling that embraces the legacy of Kung Fu and Wuxia cinema history.
“This comic is ultimately a challenge in balancing emotional storytelling with the action of classic martial arts movies and Kung Fu comics,” writer James Maddox explains. “The resulting approach offers relentless action that punctuates a story of loss, perseverance, and found families.”
The continuing story follows the trials of Yan, a young woman trained by her grandfather, Jee Sin—one of the most deadly and experienced martial arts experts in existence. After winning the last Dead Legends tournament and taking lethal revenge on her husband’s killer, Yan flees the competition’s self-destructive overseer and his army of merciless followers. Luckily, she has friends like Red Death and Stalk to aid her and the child. But new adversaries, including the unhinged Tigress, will resort to sinister tactics that Yan and her fellow refugees couldn’t fathom.
The resulting comic should resonate with fans of iconic cinematic martial arts film, including Riki-O: The Story of Riki, Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior, Bloodsport, The Raid: Redemption, Kill Bill, and the seminal oeuvre of Bruce Lee.
“This second outing allows me to dive deeper into both the technical roots of martial arts, as well as its more fantastic extrapolations,” artist Gavin Smith—who holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do—elaborates. “I can’t wait to show off the intricate web of issue four and some of Red Death’s most savage fight scenes. James and I were able to amplify the sheer chaos and brutality of the first volume.”
Review PDF for DEAD LEGENDS II #1, out 8/11:
Writer: James Maddox
Artist: Gavin Smith
Letterer: Ryan Ferrier
Color Assistant: Milena Deneno
Publisher: A Wave Blue World
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