Five Weapons, Vol. 1: Making the Grade

Five Weapons (single issues) #1-5

by Jimmie Robinson

13-year-old Tyler has a problem. He's a pacifist enrolled in a school for young assassins. His father is a legendary hitman but, worst of all, he has a secret that can get him killed. Tyler is optimistic because he has a unique weapon that nobody can beat - his razor sharp mind!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult, Graphic Novels Comics, Mystery, Sequential Art

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2013

Reviews

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little book I bought from the Comixology back-to-school sale. Five Weapons has some Encyclopedia Brown and Harry Potter as part of its DNA. It doesn't look like it, but this book has the author's commentary on indentured service, classism, and immigration.

Jimmie Robinson has something promising here.

[Kuroi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what to make of this one.
It was an epic soap opera with wu xia elements in a middle grade comic?
That goes down as well as it sounds.

That's not to say that this didn't have its good points. I liked the diversity of the cast, the whole pacifism ideal and some of the solutions that Tyler Enrique comes up with, the general idea of an assassin school.

But something is missing. Some wow factor.

Maybe it was the overly melodramatic plot where people die and then don't die. Maybe it was the overly simplistic school-divided-into-clubs-theme.

I'm 50-50 on the art - it was cute, suited to the story and there were some moments with great attention to detail.
Check out the names of the books in Enrique's locker.

But sometimes it looked like a coloring book for six year olds. All plain, no lines anywhere. Meh.

I liked it, but I honestly feel like we lack chemistry. Like we're neighbours or something?

[Dan · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF didn't realize this was going to be a comedy book. Can't take the cheesy "jokes"...it's just bad.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tyler is the son of a world famous assassin and is enrolled in a school for young assassins. Problem is that he refuses to fight, so he needs to navigate his way through school without being killed or kicked out.

It took me a little while to warm to Tyler because he comes across as very arrogant and oh-so-much-smarter than everyone else. Everything basically goes exactly to his plans at all times.

He becomes more sympathetic the more we learn about him, but I had to force myself through the first few chapters.

Overall a pretty fun, over the top concept. Although it says it's volume one, it's a nice self contained story and I don't really feel the desire to see what comes next.

[Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it shares a concept with Deadly Class (a school training assassins), it approaches the subject in a very different way - this is almost like an Encyclopedia Brown mystery, as our Protagonist Tyler uses wits and keen observation skills to make his way through the Five weapon clubs of the school without ever lifting a weapon in his own defense. Tyler makes for a likable protagonist, and the students and faculty are all memorable caricatures. The story gets wrapped up a little too neatly, stretching credulity more than it probably should have, but it's all with a sense of fun (which the artwork strongly supports with its bright colors and slightly detached reality). This really shouldn't work as well as it does, but it manages to be a lot of fun, and, despite the setting, relatively low on actual injury or violence.

[grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

full disclaimer i read these when I bought them YEARS ago at SDCC but realized I never rated and reviewed them.

This is, I think, my favorite comic book series. Self contained and full of a world that has so much lore we never see, Five Weapons is one of those trades I think about a lot. The premise of a kid have to outsmart and entire school full of deadly kids reminds me of what I WISH MHA was. The writing is clever in how "Tyler" solves the issue of never picking up a weapon.

I also love the look of the class heads. There is something in seeing an Amish kid dual wield pistols. I wish the series was longer then 2 trads because I think there is so much life and fullness to be explored with the world.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't see the ending coming! An excellent comic for those tired of the usual super-school narratives of a kid powering up to become the best.

[Mikey The Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naruto meets Tin Tin! This graphic novel is a great little story, has a very anime feel with a complex Sherlock Holmes vibe that makes it a unique read!

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit repetitive in its execution, but the characters are fun and there are a few unexpected twists.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a surprising random find this book was. I loved its quirkiness and wit. I loved the celebration of peace-making, kindness and using brains over brawn. It's also a wonderful all ages story you can share with younger readers

[Millguy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot to like here. Author Jimmie Robinson sets the main character up as a sort of warrior Sherlock Holmes, and gives himself the assignment of writing a main character who somehow succeeds in battle each issue each while maintaining an oath to never wield a weapon. It's a setup that forces Robinson to be clever, crafting each fight against each opponent as a sort of "puzzle" where our hero figures out a"solution" to non-violently win, and Robinson pulls it off fairly well.

That said there are two problems with this book:

1) Each page consists of 5, 6, or 7 widescreen panels, often overloaded with text, with no variety in the composition. The end result is a claustrophobic sense of paneling and pacing.


2) The ending of the first story arc (originally intended to be the end of the comic, before it was picked up from a miniseries) doesn't make a lick of sense. At. all. The payoff with the main villain just left me scratching my head.

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband read this, looked at me, and said "This is one of the best comic books I've read all year. Possibly the BEST." I totally agree! It's whip-smart, has intrigue in all the right places, and mixes action with human connection in perfect proportions. Tyler Shainline, son of the famous assassin, enrolls in an elite school that promises to teach him how to kill. The only problem is, he won't pick up a weapon. Why not? And who else is hiding something?

It deals with a school for assassins, and there's a very minor "crush" subplot... but we're going to read it with our six year old because there is really nothing distressing or gory about it. We appreciate the non-violent problem-solving without any cheesy after-school special aspect. There's also an interesting "passing" aspect which isn't explicitly discussed in terms of race and class, but which is great for thought and discussion.

[47Time · Rating 3 out of 5]

The atmosphere is surprisingly light in this comic, considering the kids are taught to kill. I can get that some of these kids are genius-level, but they don't sound right somehow. They are too one-sided, cartoony and too... teenage for my taste. Maybe it's just me hating teenage angst, bullying for no reason, having crushes and everything else related to pre-college-level schools.

Tyler Shainline is sent to a school that trains kids in one of five weapons classes. Instead of choosing a weapon he uses his wit to outsmart pretty much everyone. He can easily manipulate the students, but the teachers are also working against him and may find his secret sooner or later. The first arc ends in a soap opera fashion with a new character thrown in that has connections with Tyler. The potential of the comic was kinda wasted at this point given the naseating happy end.

[Simone Veenstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

ohhhkay, it is kind of predictable, even the story structure: outsmart 5 different clubs (and weapons) after each other (and this tp collects 5 issues - no surprisingly storyline structure here ). And also the little tweak in the end is nothing unexpected as we already are familiar with the concept of switched identities (the main character is asked to do it, the school principal has done it). But still I liked the smartish good guy and the strange team - up of losers and loudmouths, the art, ink and the use of panels, mostly horizontal. And still I thought it refreshing enough to start volume 2 at once as I finished #1. I am intrigued, what will follow as the storyark of volume 1 clearly is complete and I hope the moral in the next one will be used not as flashy ...

[Ernest · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the story is effectively pitched as ‘what happens when a pacifist enrols in a school for young assassins?’, you know that you are at least in for an entertaining story. This graphic novel is smartly written, well drawn and engages through interesting characters and a deepening plot that reveals itself through the story. The conclusion of the story in issue five can’t quite match the build-up, feels a little rushed and is not altogether as tightly plotted as the rest of the book. In this respect, it is a little unsatisfactory, but this doesn’t severely impact from what was a very smartly constructed story. I am pleased that there will be future issues of this very likeable series.

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five Weapons isn't a perfect book, but if you're looking for a really fun, quick read, this is a good one to pick up. Tyler Shainline is a bit of a know-it-all, Sherlock Holmes type kid, but with a great heart and good intentions. At a school for assassins in training we get to see all kinds of different weapons and skill sets, but also kids gaining friends and dealing with bullies. Anyone who liked this should take a look at Morning Glories or Ally Carter's Gallagher series (the first book is I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You).

[Dolores · Rating 5 out of 5]

The School of Five Weapons is a school for assassins. It is where hit men and hit women send their hit sons and hit daughters. And it is where Tyler Shainline has just enrolled. He is the son of the most famous hit man of all time, so he's a celebrity from day one. But Tyler is determined to get through the year without touching a weapon. After all he's always armed with his wits, daring and powers of observation. What a hoot!

[Nick Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I read this by the issue but apparently #4 and #5 aren't on Goodreads yet. Odd considering the TPB is. I loved the first four issues. The fifth, however, was a letdown. I found the conclusion of this arc very anti-climatic. Hopefully, the continuation will be better when it hits digital shelves.

[William Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story of a young man who is trying to keep his identity secret while pretending to be the only child of a world famous assassin. He's at the assassin's school and has to beat all challengers while keeping his promise to his father never to use a weapon.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun! The art is nice and a little evocative of manga, but the story is just a great, fun, fast-paced, exciting story. Nice to see!

[Kate McCartney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked these characters a lot. I look forward to reading more about them.

[Dorcas · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun, a bit campy, but fun.