Indie Comic Review: The Swede

Sometimes it's best not to over complicate stories. If you want to write a badass action scene, there's no reason to have deep, meaningful characterization and an overcomplicated plot. Just get right to the fighting and explosions. That's exactly what The Swede does. Its story is minimal. In fact, there are large stretches without any dialogue at all. But that's what makes the comic so much fun. It knows exactly what it is and gets right to the point without it all those pesky words getting in the way. 

The comic is about an elite assassin. After taking out a target, his client wants to meet up and offer him a bonus. That goes against the assassin's rules and he declines. The client, a nephew of a mob boss, gets irritated and keeps upping the bonus until the mob boss steps in and asks the assassin to meet his nephew. When the assassin shows up, the nephew wants him dead, but the assassin takes out all of his guards and then leaves the nephew to the mob boss, who hired the assassin to take him out.

The plot does get a little confusing in the end as I wasn't quite sure of the logistics and character motivations. But that doesn't necessarily matter. The story existed as a vehicle for the action, which was a lot of fun. The art told a suspenseful story without the need for any words, showing a mastery of sequential storytelling. It didn't overcomplicate things and conveyed the action well. There may be an urge to expand upon this character and his world in a follow-up, but I would caution against that. This format works well for delivering on its premise, and I would love to see The Swede in action again.