Aspen Comics’ first new series for their celebratory “10 For 10″ campaign has arrived with the first issue of Legend Of The Shadow Clan, a brand new series by David Wohl and Brad Foxhoven. The story focuses on an ancient servant clan, whose servitude has lasted ages, moving from the traditional culture of their homeland to the modern day. From Masters to Employers, their clientele have changed, as have their methods, but their motives have not. They get their job done with 100% success rate. Unfortunately for the Himura family, their paths are about to cross, creating the storyline for an exciting new series.

Writers David Wohl and Brad Foxhoven have begun an interesting new tale that brings ninjas to the forefront of a series, something that hasn’t been done in full force for quite some time. This mysterious clan of stealth assassins are very good, very sneaky, and incredibly dangerous. From experimental technology to unknown software, this group has been imagined to be a force to be reckoned with, and to never be seen. Both writers have combined to make these skilled people very believable, very crafty, and insanely fun to read. The introductory issue had a lot of plot to get through, so the pacing of the book has yet to be determined, but thus far, the changes in narrative have seemed to go well. The Himura family seems to play an integral part in the series. While their role is yet unknown, it will be fun to see where they fit into the puzzle.

The artwork is very distinct and the team of Cory Smith and John Starr do a solid job of making the visuals match the excitement of the writing. While Aspen’s artwork has rarely been known for an attention to detail, their human forms (and appropriate ones, especially with women) have always been great, and this is no different. The facial detail could have been better, with very little detail given to facial construction or unique facial qualities in the characters. Though this is common in the issue, it doesn’t detract too greatly from the issue itself, as the characters make up for it with individual voices created through the writing.

Summary: Aspen’s “10 For 10″ campaign is off and running, and the first issue of Legend Of The Shadow Clan is as mysterious as the characters in the book itself. With great writing by the team of Brad Foxhoven and David Wohl, and solid work by Cory Smith and John Starr on art, this is a fun and exciting series that Aspen fans should definitely check out. Looking forward to future issues.

The Good: Great Premise And Writing

The Bad: Lack Of Facial Detail In Artwork

The Ugly: N/A

Score: 8.0