Mercenaries # 1

I'll just put this out there and you can PM me your hate mail. I'm reviewing this having never seen the video game. A lot of people might argue that you can't give a well-rounded review otherwise. Seriously, my attempt to review the book is based purely on picking it up with fresh eyes and no expectations. I can only imagine how having expectations going into something can create major disappointments (just ask any Painkiller Jane fan who tried to watch that show).

As for what I thought about Mercenaries, I'm not usually a fan of this genre but I did enjoy the first look. I like the diverse team which includes a token female character - probably not necessary but I appreciate the draw she'll bring. The cast of characters comes from the first Mercenaries game (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercenaries:_Playground_of_Destruction). What makes the comic interesting is the storyline they've introduced which includes a sibling partnership on one side between Jennifer and Dave pitted against an estranged villainous half-sibling.

The comic shows promise even for those who don't play the game. As with any new title, I always feel the need to give it an issue or two before judging completely. From what I can gauge from Dynamite Entertainment, it appears that this is the first of a four-parter. Issue 4 is over 80 pages and offers an expensive foil cover, as you'll see by the price when you pick it up.

http://www.dynamiteentertainment.com/htmlfiles/c-Mercenaries.html