Cobra Kai #1: Wax On, Buzz Off

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I mean, the Cobra Kai series is pretty much a sequel to the original Karate Kid movie. But writer Denton Tipton took me for a ride that I was never expecting. This book is a between-the-scenes look at Johny’s life during the first film AND during the Cobra Kai series, Johnny Lawrence is pretty much a universally despised character. He’s the guy against all movie bullies are measured against. But Tipton shows us the why that Johnny acts the way he does. Tipton makes Johnny a character that you can sympathize with, but he’s still a dick.

Artist Kagan McLeod is simply amazing. He captures the spirit of the characters without copying their exact likenesses, which can sometimes be distracting, He’s a very good storyteller, and I can’t wait to see more of his work,  but the star of this book is colorist Luis Antonio Delgado. His colors literally make this book. Instead of hard primary colors, he uses a softer, realistic palet that makes the book look more “real” than your average comic. Delgado’s work is fantastic, and he should not be overlooked.