By Mark Rodriguez
I got another Street Fighter Free Comic Book Day issue from 2016 when Street Fighter 5 was new. Man, it's hard to believe it's already been 2 years and we're waiting for Cody and Sagat to join the crew. Let's check this out.
Round One- Coffee Break
Somewhere in the Middle East, Rashid is running, jumping and flipping his way through the streets as if he were Aladdin from the SNES and Genesis games. He's testing out that Scouter thing he has as he hears the voice of the device's creator over radio, I assume in the same device. The guy is nervous about Rashid being careless, and when he says he's never been rash, he lists all the times that Rashid has hurt himself doing his acrobatics in dangerous and risky places. Rashid says what he needs is a coffee break, as he snags some coffee and drops money for the server.
Once Rashid arrives and gives him the coffee, he tells him that the device works just fine and notices some sort of helmet. Fatin says it will help Alzheimer patients recover lost memories and is the only working prototype of its kind. Just then Charlie Nash busts in and declares he is here to take the prototype. Fatin can't let him get away with something so important so Nash says he will kill him. Rashid steps in and starts to fight.
Round Two Sibling Rivalry
Sean and Laura face each other in the final round of the Regional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Tournament. As they fight out, Laura catches Sean off guard with some of her electric attacks. Sean is surprised that she's using techniques that aren't from Jiu Jitsu is not representing the family fighting style. Laura tells him that the style they learned should be used as a starting point and it's to them to improve or change things as they see fit. She says as long he sticks to their grandfather's style, she'll beat him every time. Laura flips and catches Sean in a submission hold and wins the match.
Round Three Seat of Power
Karin Kanzuki is upset that someone as rich and refine as her has to fly coach on a plane since the tournament won't allow her to arrive her own personal jet. As she walks down the plane, she's angry to see Birdie has already taken her seat. Birdie doesn't care and Karin send him flying off his seat. Birdie angrily gets ready to fight, unimpressed by the rich schoolgirl. Karin says her family if the best of the best and defeats Birdie using her new Critical Art.
My Opinions
Pretty fun read as we get three short stories, all by different artists. The Rashid story was pretty cool and we get to see that he's a reckless fun loving guy. I'm still wondering what they're gonna do with Nash since Udon comics already did bring back Charlie from the dead as a brainwashed assassin named Shadow based on the Marvel VS games. Then I guess he vanished again and just now came back SF5 style. I wonder if they're ever gonna bring that up or kinda sweep it under the rug whenever they have Guile face Charlie.
I kinda think Capcom went too far with making Street Fighter 3 different from part 2. To this say, Street Fighter 3 is still the final game in the series, and their biggest mistake was killing Bison off for good and getting rid of most of the main cast. Either that or they should have stuck to their guns and kept Bison dead and continue the story. So Street Fighter 4 comes along and revitalizes the franchise, and yeah, I admit, the game despite being as awesome as it was... probably wouldn't have been as big if it didn't bring back the entire Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo cast, and while Seth was the end boss, Bison was still on top of things with Shadaloo.
Now we're in the world of Street Fighter 5. Still Bison (though older) and still running Shadaloo. At this point he's just become too much of an iconic character and it will be hard to have someone new take his place permanently. And honestly, unless story mode changes anything I don't think they even bothered with a true final boss that isn't just Bison again. I mean, at least SF4 tried with Seth.
I got another Street Fighter Free Comic Book Day issue from 2016 when Street Fighter 5 was new. Man, it's hard to believe it's already been 2 years and we're waiting for Cody and Sagat to join the crew. Let's check this out.
Round One- Coffee Break
Somewhere in the Middle East, Rashid is running, jumping and flipping his way through the streets as if he were Aladdin from the SNES and Genesis games. He's testing out that Scouter thing he has as he hears the voice of the device's creator over radio, I assume in the same device. The guy is nervous about Rashid being careless, and when he says he's never been rash, he lists all the times that Rashid has hurt himself doing his acrobatics in dangerous and risky places. Rashid says what he needs is a coffee break, as he snags some coffee and drops money for the server.
Once Rashid arrives and gives him the coffee, he tells him that the device works just fine and notices some sort of helmet. Fatin says it will help Alzheimer patients recover lost memories and is the only working prototype of its kind. Just then Charlie Nash busts in and declares he is here to take the prototype. Fatin can't let him get away with something so important so Nash says he will kill him. Rashid steps in and starts to fight.
Rashid manages to knock Nash back with one of his hurricane attacks. He asks what Nash is, and if he's even really alive. Charlie says he's a man that never leaves a mission incomplete and tosses several Sonic Booms that makes the roof collapse. During the commotion, he gets away with the prototype. As he escapes in a helicopter, his commander welcomes Charlie back to 'the world of the living' and congratulates him for succeeding on his first mission since his return.
Round Two Sibling Rivalry
Sean and Laura face each other in the final round of the Regional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Tournament. As they fight out, Laura catches Sean off guard with some of her electric attacks. Sean is surprised that she's using techniques that aren't from Jiu Jitsu is not representing the family fighting style. Laura tells him that the style they learned should be used as a starting point and it's to them to improve or change things as they see fit. She says as long he sticks to their grandfather's style, she'll beat him every time. Laura flips and catches Sean in a submission hold and wins the match.
Laura invites Sean to the victory dinner but he says he has plans. Sean watches some TV and sees that Ken has won the mixed martial arts championship by defeating Zangief. Sean gets inspired and says if he can't beat Laura by using the Matsuda Style... maybe he can beat her using Ken Master's style. He rips off his dogi sleeves to be match Ken's and does his own version of the Hurrican Kick, just like Ken does on TV.
Round Three Seat of Power
Karin Kanzuki is upset that someone as rich and refine as her has to fly coach on a plane since the tournament won't allow her to arrive her own personal jet. As she walks down the plane, she's angry to see Birdie has already taken her seat. Birdie doesn't care and Karin send him flying off his seat. Birdie angrily gets ready to fight, unimpressed by the rich schoolgirl. Karin says her family if the best of the best and defeats Birdie using her new Critical Art.
Karin goes back to her seat and wonders if he'll be in the tournament. Her butler says he will. Karin doesn't mind saying she'll be glad to display her Kanzuki fighting style for all to see at the tournament, even to those she had already defeated. She also says that Birdie will not be bothering them anymore since he found his own seat, and we see he's been stuck flying with the cargo.
My Opinions
Pretty fun read as we get three short stories, all by different artists. The Rashid story was pretty cool and we get to see that he's a reckless fun loving guy. I'm still wondering what they're gonna do with Nash since Udon comics already did bring back Charlie from the dead as a brainwashed assassin named Shadow based on the Marvel VS games. Then I guess he vanished again and just now came back SF5 style. I wonder if they're ever gonna bring that up or kinda sweep it under the rug whenever they have Guile face Charlie.
I really liked the Sean story. Not just because of Laura, but because I like how this inspired Sean to become Ken's pupil. Karin's story was ok but the weird overly stylized art style kinda ruined it for me. Especially for Birdie. He just looks weird. I did like the extra cameos like Guile and Alex being on the plane, conveniently covered by word balloons.
The comic also advertises a series called 'The Life and Deaths of Charlie Nash' so maybe they will bring up his stint as Shadow. That would be cool. Cammy will also get her own series along side her team Delta Red, who we don't really see all that often in games. And of course the comic also advertises the current ongoing series Street Fighter Unlimited which tries to very oddly mix Bison's plans with Gill's. Mostly because Capcom can't let go of Bison and Shadaloo, and if you choose to continue with Street Fighter 3 and beyond, you're going to have let Bison die off for good.
Mini SF Story rant
I kinda think Capcom went too far with making Street Fighter 3 different from part 2. To this say, Street Fighter 3 is still the final game in the series, and their biggest mistake was killing Bison off for good and getting rid of most of the main cast. Either that or they should have stuck to their guns and kept Bison dead and continue the story. So Street Fighter 4 comes along and revitalizes the franchise, and yeah, I admit, the game despite being as awesome as it was... probably wouldn't have been as big if it didn't bring back the entire Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo cast, and while Seth was the end boss, Bison was still on top of things with Shadaloo.
Now we're in the world of Street Fighter 5. Still Bison (though older) and still running Shadaloo. At this point he's just become too much of an iconic character and it will be hard to have someone new take his place permanently. And honestly, unless story mode changes anything I don't think they even bothered with a true final boss that isn't just Bison again. I mean, at least SF4 tried with Seth.
So yeah... Udon is moving forward with the SF3 storyline... but since SF5 is out with new characters and all that, they can't simply ignore all that, so the Udon Street Fighters are gonna have their hands busy with both Bison and Gill, and I guess Juri and Kolin? Possibly Ed and Falke too.
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