The Good
Shawn Kittelsen helped us learn a little more about the upcoming video game's new combatant, Cassie Cage, in the previous chapters, and now he's telling us more about another new playable character, Kotal Kahn. As someone who isn't following all of the latest news about Mortal Kombat X (but still looking really, really forward to it), putting the new characters in the spotlight and giving us a little insight into them -- and the rich mythos around them -- is hugely appreciated. It would be so easy to make this comic a slew of fight scenes, but its instead embracing these characters and the potential stories they have to offer. Before this issue, all I knew about Kotal Kahn is he looks badass, loves ripping out hearts and drinking the rush of blood which spills from them. He looks cool and he certainly looks tough, but I'm left not knowing anything about his personality. The writer uses this digital chapter to change that and honestly, I'm now left much more interested in playing as the character when the game eventually goes on sale.
Kittelsen did a good job fleshing out the character's psyche and origin story without slowing down the bigger picture too much. It's a brief, bloody and interesting story -- one which ties into human history -- that allows us to better appreciate the character before chiming back in with the "present" story and witnessing a huge development. I don't want to even potentially spoil it, so I'll just play it safe and say it's one that'll definitely get fans of the franchise excited. Here's hoping we don't have to wait too long before that plot point gets some follow-up. Sure, we know these two individuals can't kill each other since they both play a role in the game, but that doesn't mean we know how it'll play out, what it means moving forward, or how it may incorporate -- or even kill -- other characters. The origin on its own is entertaining enough, but it's the cliffhanger that'll get readers incredibly stoked for what's to come.
The Bad
Dexter Soy's a tough act to follow and it shows. Now, that's not a jab at Geraldo Borges and Mark Roberts' pages -- it's definitely satisfactory and there's two double-page spreads that made me smile -- but it just doesn't pack the same kind of punch as what we've previously seen in this series. It's not bad, but it doesn't really make a strong impression, either.
Doesn't impact the score: It's a bit of an odd choice having Cassie Cage on the credits page since she has nothing to do with this chapter.
The Verdict
MORTAL KOMBAT X is doing an awesome job getting me excited for the video game. This may not be the most exciting chapter yet, but it's a very important one if you're also anxiously awaiting the fighting game and want to learn more about its new cast. A majority of it is spent teaching us about who Kotal Kahn is and it really did give me a better emotional connection to the guy. I wasn't that interested in him before reading this, but now I'm left feeling very curious about what his future will be, both in the series and in the game. Thankfully, we're also treated to a cliffhanger that's pretty much guaranteed to get any Mortal Kombat fan to purchase the next chapter. Here's hoping the follow-up delivers and it's a jaw-dropping clash.