What do you think?
Rate this book
Mortal Kombat X #1
Mortal Kombat X (2015) Vol. 1
THE PREQUEL TO THE VIDEO GAME PHENOMENON IS HERE! For years, a tenuous peace has existed between the realms, time enough for old champions to fall and a new generation to rise. But peace can never last for long . . . The Thunder God Raiden has seen visions of a great evil entering our world, one so powerful it could change the very face of the universe. The one hope to stop the sinister force lies in six ancient relics, mystical blades imbued with the Blood Magick of the One Being-the Kamidogu daggers. But Raiden and his allies are not the only ones searching for the all-powerful weapons. Another has spent years acquiring each blade through cunning and guile. For not only can the Kamidogu daggers contain a god, they also have the power to create one . . . Kombatants old and new will fight for the future of our realm and the realms beyond in this red-hot debut by writer Shawn Kittelsen. Together with artists Dexter Soy (DC UNIVERSE VS MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE) and Veronica Gandini (JUSTICE LEAGUE BEYOND 2.0), they'll start this action-packed newest chapter in the Mortal Kombat saga off with a bloodbath! Collects Mortal Kombat X #1-4.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2015
36 people are currently reading
783 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
May 31, 2019
me being a mortal kombat die hard stan, i loved this.
cassie cage: h-
me: i saw God, and she was a woman.
cassie cage: h-
me: i saw God, and she was a woman.
March 27, 2017
This was so bad.
But also so fun.
Just like the storyline in MK9, the story here was just ridiculously random. First, we have Kenshi and his little boy get saved by Scorpion. This was the first time I've seen Scorpion without his mask, and he definitely looks a lot less cooler without it. Next, Scorpion trains him, then a bunch of spoilers stuff happens.
After that, we see Cassie Cage (Sonya+Johnny's kid) and Jax's daughter accidentally get caught up in a deathmatch.
Next, we have a randomly thrust in "sekret origin".
So why, you may ask, am I giving this 4 stars?
I already told you. It was fun.
MKX VOL. 1 has everything from the Mortal Kombat games: x-rays, heads splitting in half/blowing up,organs, and buckets and buckets of blood and gore. It even had Scorpion say, "Round 1. Fight."
So, yeah, if you love Mortal Kombat, you'll love this. If not... you'll probably give this 1 or 2 stars.
But also so fun.
Just like the storyline in MK9, the story here was just ridiculously random. First, we have Kenshi and his little boy get saved by Scorpion. This was the first time I've seen Scorpion without his mask, and he definitely looks a lot less cooler without it. Next, Scorpion trains him, then a bunch of spoilers stuff happens.
After that, we see Cassie Cage (Sonya+Johnny's kid) and Jax's daughter accidentally get caught up in a deathmatch.
Next, we have a randomly thrust in "sekret origin".
So why, you may ask, am I giving this 4 stars?
I already told you. It was fun.
MKX VOL. 1 has everything from the Mortal Kombat games: x-rays, heads splitting in half/blowing up,organs, and buckets and buckets of blood and gore. It even had Scorpion say, "Round 1. Fight."
So, yeah, if you love Mortal Kombat, you'll love this. If not... you'll probably give this 1 or 2 stars.
November 19, 2017
Normally, the first paragraph of these reviews would be a brief synopsis in my own words (rather than copying it from the back of the book). However, there’s so much going on in this graphic novel that it’s hard to piece it all together in one paragraph. Yes, there’s a war brewing between the earth and outer realms. Yes, they involve blood daggers that turn their wielders into psychotic savages. And yes, old characters from the Mortal Kombat videogame franchise make an appearance in one way or another. Something tells me that in order to understand what the hell’s going on here, you have to be familiar with earlier materials (even though this is the first volume). I’ve never actually played the first three Mortal Kombat games, but I’ve watched other people play them on You Tube, so I have a general idea of who the characters are and why I should give a damn about them. But those are the only three games I’ve seen up close. It’s because of this mass confusion and chaotic storytelling that this graphic novel earns a mixed grade at best.
But what the book lacks in coherent storylines, it makes up for tenfold with the violent action sequences. Bodies are getting ripped in half, hearts are being eaten, heads are being chopped off, bones are being broken, and that’s just a warm-up. Hell, the daggers that corrupt the minds of their owners do so by traveling through their blood. “The flesh is a lie!” as one warrior so delicately put it. There’s so much blood and gore in this graphic novel that vampires would use this as their own version of Playboy magazines. Then again, this level of ultra-violence is to be expected from a franchise where Sub-Zero rips the spinal column and skull out of his opponents’ bodies in the very first game. This kind of bloodlust had politicians and activists up in arms in the early 90’s, so the graphic novel will do nothing to sooth their sensitive sides.
The positives of this graphic novel are purely superficial, unless of course you have a better grasp of the storyline than I do. You get bonus points if you can remember everybody’s names, let alone the names of the artifacts scattered throughout the story. If someone can explain this to me and make me feel like an idiot watching Jeopardy, I will be your own personal janitor for a month. I’ll mop your floors and clean your toilets…with my tongue. Okay, maybe that whole stipulation is a tough bet, but you get the idea. The graphic novel is enjoyable, but confusing at the same time. This kind of yin-yang dynamic is what makes me want to give the work a mixed grade.
But what the book lacks in coherent storylines, it makes up for tenfold with the violent action sequences. Bodies are getting ripped in half, hearts are being eaten, heads are being chopped off, bones are being broken, and that’s just a warm-up. Hell, the daggers that corrupt the minds of their owners do so by traveling through their blood. “The flesh is a lie!” as one warrior so delicately put it. There’s so much blood and gore in this graphic novel that vampires would use this as their own version of Playboy magazines. Then again, this level of ultra-violence is to be expected from a franchise where Sub-Zero rips the spinal column and skull out of his opponents’ bodies in the very first game. This kind of bloodlust had politicians and activists up in arms in the early 90’s, so the graphic novel will do nothing to sooth their sensitive sides.
The positives of this graphic novel are purely superficial, unless of course you have a better grasp of the storyline than I do. You get bonus points if you can remember everybody’s names, let alone the names of the artifacts scattered throughout the story. If someone can explain this to me and make me feel like an idiot watching Jeopardy, I will be your own personal janitor for a month. I’ll mop your floors and clean your toilets…with my tongue. Okay, maybe that whole stipulation is a tough bet, but you get the idea. The graphic novel is enjoyable, but confusing at the same time. This kind of yin-yang dynamic is what makes me want to give the work a mixed grade.
May 5, 2015
I still haven't bought the game (but you bet I will) but something that I wasn't very excited about was the introduction of many new characters.
Yeah, I know that they should move on and continue the franchise with some new faces but what is it with Sonya Blade & Johnny Cage's daughter? I'm not a fan of that, anyways, focus on the book.
Well, I must say that it is really entertaining and it keeps you reading, the artwork and the colors are amazing, the story not that much. I found the story messy going back in time many times, there are too many new faces with no real introduction, too many old faces with small cameos, some faces like Kitana appear in the game but are not in the book and the end is left unfinished and leaves you craving for more.
The Best: The artwork.
The Worst: The end and the messy story
Would I read it again?: Yes, I would.
Do I recommend it?: Not really, only if you are a real fan and buying the game is in your plans.
Yeah, I know that they should move on and continue the franchise with some new faces but what is it with Sonya Blade & Johnny Cage's daughter? I'm not a fan of that, anyways, focus on the book.
Well, I must say that it is really entertaining and it keeps you reading, the artwork and the colors are amazing, the story not that much. I found the story messy going back in time many times, there are too many new faces with no real introduction, too many old faces with small cameos, some faces like Kitana appear in the game but are not in the book and the end is left unfinished and leaves you craving for more.
The Best: The artwork.
The Worst: The end and the messy story
Would I read it again?: Yes, I would.
Do I recommend it?: Not really, only if you are a real fan and buying the game is in your plans.
May 22, 2015
A graphic Novel to go along with the new video game...We have the kids of the original champions, a new story line and plenty of great graphics, the downside is the number of characters and that the story was somewhat disjointed, still overall it was a good read.
June 7, 2018
Wow! Great comic in the Mortal Kombat universe. Tons of actions... obviously! And a better storyline then expected! Th illustrations are just wonderful!!
July 4, 2015
I am glad - nay, relieved - to report that Mortal Kombat X in comic book form is entertaining in every single way the videogame is. If you play Mortal Kombat X and say "I like this," it's almost certain that you will pick up this prequel comic and enjoy it almost identically. The inane, mismatched characters. The over-the-top, almost cringe-worthy violence (with X-Rays intact!) The audacious, silly, sweeping story, filled with inane, mismatched characters, and over-the-top, cringe-worthy violence. And skulls! So many skulls. Both in and out of people's faces. Well. Sometimes both at once, even.
See, look, you've probably picked up on the problem. Even as a videogame, Mortal Kombat X's story is dumb. It tries really hard, and sure, it's entertaining for all the wrong reasons, but it almost only works because it's a videogame - a fighting game at that - and that's just what they do. Cohesive plots just aren't a requirement for videogames, no matter what some people may try to convince you. So you can throw in your magical ninjas, zombies, super-spies, cowboys, demons and superpowered Hollywood celebrities, and just let them sit together, like a sordid sort of 80s G.I. Joe figure reunion, and no-one will bat an eye, except maybe to give you a great big thumbs up for the effort.
Not that the writing in particular is a problem in Mortal Kombat's comic debut. The characters are all treated with the respect you'd expect from such an endearingly popular cultural mainstay. Classic characters that casual observers will recognize like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, as well as more obscure favourites like Goro, Rain, Kenshi, and Quan Chi, are given ample breathing room to flesh themselves out and take the stage in impressive action sequences, while newcomers - a cast of youngsters who exist in a sort of "pass the torch" capacity, as well as new monstrous villains to grow cold towards - are introduced satisfactorily and go on to be given quite a substantial amount of material.
The actual plot amounts to little more than sort-of-interconnected vignettes. There is an overarching thread (though it's not immediately obvious, or even very well maintained), but mostly the book shines the spotlight and showcases individual characters on their own, personal missions of redemption or revenge or whatever it is the soap opera-esque Mortal Kombat universe has asked of them. Towards the end of the volume, it becomes apparent that there's some kind of effort to string everything together, but as in the games, it's worth ignoring. The main draw is that these characters are punching the living (blood and) shit out of each other, and the creative team knows damn well how deep the bloodlust of a typical Mortal Kombat fan runs.
It's insidiously violent in the most innovative and creative of ways, and beautifully - and I mean beautifully, as much as a contradiction as that might seem to be - rendered to boot. The artwork is almost disturbingly lush, with the mismatched character archetypes designed elegantly, the environments they occupy lovingly painted, and the unrepentant, bone-crunching, blood-spilling antics laid out and captured brilliantly. I talk a lot about how much I love creative use of over-the-top, senseless violence in comic books, but Mortal Kombat X - not unlike the game from which it takes its namesake - elevates it to a higher level. If people's faces being torn off to reveal their bloody, screaming skulls underneath can be said to be an artform, then Mortal Kombat X, perhaps, perfects it.
I particularly enjoyed the new characters. Offspring or ancestors of existing cast members, Jacqui Briggs (Jax's daughter), Takeda Takahashi (Kenshi's son), Cassie Cage (the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade!), and Kung Jin (Kung Lao's cousin) are all written perfectly. Their dialog, and what I guess counts as plot arcs, are really, really good - sort of a Mortal Kombat-flavoured Runaways, in a way. They were really great in the game, so seeing their backstories, fleshed out and expanded upon, is just a really fun, neat thing to witness. The other newer characters are in here - Kotal Kahn, a big, blue Aztec God fellow, and his followers, the ninja cowboy Erron Black and the bug queen D'Vorah - but, with the exception of Erron Black because I still can't quite get over how absolutely amazing the idea of a cowboy goddamn ninja is, I wholeheartedly preferred the Mortal Kombat X junior cast. They're almost self-reflective of the series' entire tenure, and that's a rarity - and even rarer is that they're actually interesting, unique characters that I want to read more about, despite being, essentially, just less mature versions of existing fighters.
I think, honestly, that exemplifies both the positive and negative aspects of the way Mortal Kombat X's prequel comic plays out. There is no "cast" here - it literally has a roster of fighters. As a linear story, told with sequential art, it doesn't so much fail so much as just... not even start to try. As a series of casually related action sequences, with dialog eloquently written to expound upon the combatants' motivations, it succeeds. It's one way to write a comic book, I suppose! I just don't think it's really the kind of thing that works especially well when read in a row, as collected editions like this are, y'know... meant to be. I don't really know if there's a way to write a Mortal Kombat comic book any other way, though!
As a fan of Mortal Kombat X, this comic satisfied me substantially. Seeing and reading about characters I already like, in this context, worked pretty well. The action sequences are mind-blowing (often literally), and the characterization is, even despite the almost random assortment of differing tones and genres lent to each member of the cast, pitch-perfect. There's a modicum of respect handed to pretty much everyone here, from the lowliest of bit players to the iconic mascots of the franchise, whether they're conversing about Outworld politics, or just scalping each other with sharp, bladed objects (as is their wont). It's just that, and I can't stress it enough, that's all it gets right. Likable characters, beautiful art and intense, graphic fighting sequences - that's where the quality of this book begins and ends. So, if you read these kind of things for cohesive narrative with a beginning, a middle, and an end? You're fresh out of luck. If you just want to see interesting characters smashing each other's limbs out of joint and ripping vital organs from betwixt their rib cages? Then this is exactly the book you've been looking for your whole life.
Not much else to it than that. 'Nuff said!
See, look, you've probably picked up on the problem. Even as a videogame, Mortal Kombat X's story is dumb. It tries really hard, and sure, it's entertaining for all the wrong reasons, but it almost only works because it's a videogame - a fighting game at that - and that's just what they do. Cohesive plots just aren't a requirement for videogames, no matter what some people may try to convince you. So you can throw in your magical ninjas, zombies, super-spies, cowboys, demons and superpowered Hollywood celebrities, and just let them sit together, like a sordid sort of 80s G.I. Joe figure reunion, and no-one will bat an eye, except maybe to give you a great big thumbs up for the effort.
Not that the writing in particular is a problem in Mortal Kombat's comic debut. The characters are all treated with the respect you'd expect from such an endearingly popular cultural mainstay. Classic characters that casual observers will recognize like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, as well as more obscure favourites like Goro, Rain, Kenshi, and Quan Chi, are given ample breathing room to flesh themselves out and take the stage in impressive action sequences, while newcomers - a cast of youngsters who exist in a sort of "pass the torch" capacity, as well as new monstrous villains to grow cold towards - are introduced satisfactorily and go on to be given quite a substantial amount of material.
The actual plot amounts to little more than sort-of-interconnected vignettes. There is an overarching thread (though it's not immediately obvious, or even very well maintained), but mostly the book shines the spotlight and showcases individual characters on their own, personal missions of redemption or revenge or whatever it is the soap opera-esque Mortal Kombat universe has asked of them. Towards the end of the volume, it becomes apparent that there's some kind of effort to string everything together, but as in the games, it's worth ignoring. The main draw is that these characters are punching the living (blood and) shit out of each other, and the creative team knows damn well how deep the bloodlust of a typical Mortal Kombat fan runs.
It's insidiously violent in the most innovative and creative of ways, and beautifully - and I mean beautifully, as much as a contradiction as that might seem to be - rendered to boot. The artwork is almost disturbingly lush, with the mismatched character archetypes designed elegantly, the environments they occupy lovingly painted, and the unrepentant, bone-crunching, blood-spilling antics laid out and captured brilliantly. I talk a lot about how much I love creative use of over-the-top, senseless violence in comic books, but Mortal Kombat X - not unlike the game from which it takes its namesake - elevates it to a higher level. If people's faces being torn off to reveal their bloody, screaming skulls underneath can be said to be an artform, then Mortal Kombat X, perhaps, perfects it.
I particularly enjoyed the new characters. Offspring or ancestors of existing cast members, Jacqui Briggs (Jax's daughter), Takeda Takahashi (Kenshi's son), Cassie Cage (the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade!), and Kung Jin (Kung Lao's cousin) are all written perfectly. Their dialog, and what I guess counts as plot arcs, are really, really good - sort of a Mortal Kombat-flavoured Runaways, in a way. They were really great in the game, so seeing their backstories, fleshed out and expanded upon, is just a really fun, neat thing to witness. The other newer characters are in here - Kotal Kahn, a big, blue Aztec God fellow, and his followers, the ninja cowboy Erron Black and the bug queen D'Vorah - but, with the exception of Erron Black because I still can't quite get over how absolutely amazing the idea of a cowboy goddamn ninja is, I wholeheartedly preferred the Mortal Kombat X junior cast. They're almost self-reflective of the series' entire tenure, and that's a rarity - and even rarer is that they're actually interesting, unique characters that I want to read more about, despite being, essentially, just less mature versions of existing fighters.
I think, honestly, that exemplifies both the positive and negative aspects of the way Mortal Kombat X's prequel comic plays out. There is no "cast" here - it literally has a roster of fighters. As a linear story, told with sequential art, it doesn't so much fail so much as just... not even start to try. As a series of casually related action sequences, with dialog eloquently written to expound upon the combatants' motivations, it succeeds. It's one way to write a comic book, I suppose! I just don't think it's really the kind of thing that works especially well when read in a row, as collected editions like this are, y'know... meant to be. I don't really know if there's a way to write a Mortal Kombat comic book any other way, though!
As a fan of Mortal Kombat X, this comic satisfied me substantially. Seeing and reading about characters I already like, in this context, worked pretty well. The action sequences are mind-blowing (often literally), and the characterization is, even despite the almost random assortment of differing tones and genres lent to each member of the cast, pitch-perfect. There's a modicum of respect handed to pretty much everyone here, from the lowliest of bit players to the iconic mascots of the franchise, whether they're conversing about Outworld politics, or just scalping each other with sharp, bladed objects (as is their wont). It's just that, and I can't stress it enough, that's all it gets right. Likable characters, beautiful art and intense, graphic fighting sequences - that's where the quality of this book begins and ends. So, if you read these kind of things for cohesive narrative with a beginning, a middle, and an end? You're fresh out of luck. If you just want to see interesting characters smashing each other's limbs out of joint and ripping vital organs from betwixt their rib cages? Then this is exactly the book you've been looking for your whole life.
Not much else to it than that. 'Nuff said!
September 5, 2021
I think over the years I've lot touch with the Mortal Kombat mythology. This volume confused me in parts because I didn't know who some of the characters were. I know the original of course such as Scorpion, Sub Zero, Goro, Kintaro, etc. but some of the other characters I didn't know. So I started out confused, but as I did enjoy the story more as it went along.
As I've seen from other reviews the more hardcore fans really liked this, so I think this is a case of it being more my lack of knowledge of the mythology rather than any weakness in the story. The art is well done, there's plenty of over the top MK violence, and several old favorites do show up.
I'm going to continue with the series, and if you're a big MK fan, you'll probably enjoy this more than I did.
As I've seen from other reviews the more hardcore fans really liked this, so I think this is a case of it being more my lack of knowledge of the mythology rather than any weakness in the story. The art is well done, there's plenty of over the top MK violence, and several old favorites do show up.
I'm going to continue with the series, and if you're a big MK fan, you'll probably enjoy this more than I did.
January 15, 2018
While the book as wonderful art work I feel like they could of done better with story like focuses more on characters development instead of making it feel rush.
March 31, 2020
Benim için en özel oyun serilerinden biri olan, yıllardır oynamaktan bir dakika bile bıkmadığım ve hikayesiyle büyüdüğüm seri Mortal Kombat. Çocukken hayatıma girdi ve bu yaşıma kadar hala benle olan bu serinin 10. oyunu yayınlanmadan önce DC Universe etiketiyle çıkan 36 sayılık bir çizgi roman serisi de var. Bu 36 sayının üçer sayısı bir "issue" olarak tabir ediliyor, yani 12 issue'dan oluşuyor çizgi roman. Bu 12 issue'nun da ilk 4'ünü(yani ilk 12 sayıyı) koleksiyonlayıp "Mortal Kombat X: Vol 1" olarak yayınlamış DC Comics. Hal böyle olunca, şu sıralar da sürekli çizgi roman okumak isteyen bana, bu koleksiyon çok iyi geldi ve 3 vol'den oluşan serinin ilk volünü iki güne yayarak bitirdim. Yani 12 sayı, 4 issue bitmiş oldu.
İkonik Mortal Kombat karakterlerinin hayatlarını okuyoruz yine. Kötülüğün asla eksik kalmadığı Earthrealm ve Netherrealm'de yeni bir tehdit var. Lord Raiden'ın öngördüğü bu tehdit, şeytani bir gücün bu iki dünyaya hükmetmek için zorla evrenin bir parçası olmaya çalıştığına yönelik bir durum. Lord Raiden, bu şeytani güce karşı kullanılan Kamidogu adını verdikleri hançerleri, belli kişilere emanet ediyor fakat bu hançeri kullananlar da bu şeytani güce bürünmeye zorlanıyor. Öte yandan Netherrealm kısmında İmparator Shao Kahn'ın ölümünden sonra, imparatorun üvey ama öz kızı kadar benimsediği kızı, benim de serideki en çok sevdiğim karakter, Mileena geçmek istiyor fakat Kotal Kahn adı verilen, daha önce Shao Kahn'ın generalliğini yapmış ve yönetme arzusuyla dolan taşan bir kişi daha var ve müttefik toplayarak Mileena'nın tahtta oturmasını engellemeye çalışıyor. Bu çıkacak olası savaş için de Earthrealm'e yani dünyaya gelerek, insanlardan müttefik olmak için yardım istiyor. Biz de bu hikayeye öyle böyle giren karakterlerin başına gelenleri okuyoruz.
Benim için zaten özel bir yeri olan bu serinin ilk cildini okurken inanılmaz keyif aldım. O kadar akıcıydı ki DC Comics okuduğuma şaşırdım resmen. DC Comics çok sevdiğim bir evren değil ama Warner Bros sebebiyle oyunun çizgi romanı bu şirketten çıkmış olsa gerek hatta Mortal Kombat karakterlerinin DC karakterleriyle karşı karşıya geldiği bir oyun bile var. Injustice ve Mortal Kombat dövüşçüleri birbirlerinin oyununa bile konuk oluyor. Ben, çizgi romanın ilk cildini memnuniyetle ve severek okudum, çizimleri çok güzeldi, hikaye zaten inanılmaz akıcı ve eğlenceliydi. Bazı yerlerde flashback sahnelerinin çok olması ve oradan oraya pat diye geçilmesi seri hakkında çok bilgisi olmayan insanların kafasını karıştırabilir okurken fakat ben hakim olduğum için çok zorlanmadım ama yine de bu sahneler biraz daha titiz yapılabilirdi.
Mortal Kombat serisini seven herkesin okuması gereken bir çizgi roman olduğunu düşünüyorum bu kitabın. İkinci cildi yani vol 2'yi de merakla ve heyecanla okumayı bekliyorum.
İkonik Mortal Kombat karakterlerinin hayatlarını okuyoruz yine. Kötülüğün asla eksik kalmadığı Earthrealm ve Netherrealm'de yeni bir tehdit var. Lord Raiden'ın öngördüğü bu tehdit, şeytani bir gücün bu iki dünyaya hükmetmek için zorla evrenin bir parçası olmaya çalıştığına yönelik bir durum. Lord Raiden, bu şeytani güce karşı kullanılan Kamidogu adını verdikleri hançerleri, belli kişilere emanet ediyor fakat bu hançeri kullananlar da bu şeytani güce bürünmeye zorlanıyor. Öte yandan Netherrealm kısmında İmparator Shao Kahn'ın ölümünden sonra, imparatorun üvey ama öz kızı kadar benimsediği kızı, benim de serideki en çok sevdiğim karakter, Mileena geçmek istiyor fakat Kotal Kahn adı verilen, daha önce Shao Kahn'ın generalliğini yapmış ve yönetme arzusuyla dolan taşan bir kişi daha var ve müttefik toplayarak Mileena'nın tahtta oturmasını engellemeye çalışıyor. Bu çıkacak olası savaş için de Earthrealm'e yani dünyaya gelerek, insanlardan müttefik olmak için yardım istiyor. Biz de bu hikayeye öyle böyle giren karakterlerin başına gelenleri okuyoruz.
Benim için zaten özel bir yeri olan bu serinin ilk cildini okurken inanılmaz keyif aldım. O kadar akıcıydı ki DC Comics okuduğuma şaşırdım resmen. DC Comics çok sevdiğim bir evren değil ama Warner Bros sebebiyle oyunun çizgi romanı bu şirketten çıkmış olsa gerek hatta Mortal Kombat karakterlerinin DC karakterleriyle karşı karşıya geldiği bir oyun bile var. Injustice ve Mortal Kombat dövüşçüleri birbirlerinin oyununa bile konuk oluyor. Ben, çizgi romanın ilk cildini memnuniyetle ve severek okudum, çizimleri çok güzeldi, hikaye zaten inanılmaz akıcı ve eğlenceliydi. Bazı yerlerde flashback sahnelerinin çok olması ve oradan oraya pat diye geçilmesi seri hakkında çok bilgisi olmayan insanların kafasını karıştırabilir okurken fakat ben hakim olduğum için çok zorlanmadım ama yine de bu sahneler biraz daha titiz yapılabilirdi.
Mortal Kombat serisini seven herkesin okuması gereken bir çizgi roman olduğunu düşünüyorum bu kitabın. İkinci cildi yani vol 2'yi de merakla ve heyecanla okumayı bekliyorum.
January 7, 2021
So much stuff happens on so many fronts that it's difficult to keep track of everything. I've played a few of the games in the series and saw the older movies as a kid, but never paid much attention to the story. Its complexity comes mostly from the large cast and this might put some readers off, especially ones unfamiliar with this combat-oriented universe. There's some background that tries to show the characters' motivation, but nothing overly impressive. The comic mostly excels on the graphical side.
Story-wise the focus is on another imbalance in the Mortal Kombat universe. An imprisoned god receives help from the mortal realm where an interested party very likely wants to release him from his prison. The good guys must rally to prevent this, but they must first unite under the same banner or risk being defeated one by one.
Takeda, Kenshi's son, is sent to Hanzo's school of assassins after his mother is killed. Fox, Takeda's sparring partner, falls under the influence of a voice only he can hear and which tells him to kill the other students and claim a dagger put into Hanzo's protection.
Kotal Kahn travels to Earth to offer Sonya an alliance against Mileena, but she doesn't trust him and a fight breaks out until Raiden stops them. Kotal is at war with Mileena and her ally Goro after the latter killed his father.
Story-wise the focus is on another imbalance in the Mortal Kombat universe. An imprisoned god receives help from the mortal realm where an interested party very likely wants to release him from his prison. The good guys must rally to prevent this, but they must first unite under the same banner or risk being defeated one by one.
Takeda, Kenshi's son, is sent to Hanzo's school of assassins after his mother is killed. Fox, Takeda's sparring partner, falls under the influence of a voice only he can hear and which tells him to kill the other students and claim a dagger put into Hanzo's protection.
Kotal Kahn travels to Earth to offer Sonya an alliance against Mileena, but she doesn't trust him and a fight breaks out until Raiden stops them. Kotal is at war with Mileena and her ally Goro after the latter killed his father.
May 25, 2015
About as coherent as you would expect a webcomic about a decades old video game franchise would be. Not exactly new reader friendly, if you are like me, and your mortal kombat Mythology knowledge does not go past Mortal Kombat II. It doesn't feel like a complete story in any sense, or even a first chapter in a serialized story. Comics based on existing properties - TV shows, Cartoons and I guess Video Games are usually pretty lame (when they are not published by IDW). I wish I could say this was an exception.
July 4, 2015
I received this book as a preview from Goodreads giveaways.
A visually appealing graphic novel about the new video game. Loved this but found the characters hard to follow because there were so many and I am not a player of the game. I am sure that fans will love this graphic!
A visually appealing graphic novel about the new video game. Loved this but found the characters hard to follow because there were so many and I am not a player of the game. I am sure that fans will love this graphic!
June 22, 2023
A prequel to the video game Mortal Kombat X, this is a garbled mess of a book. Confusing interwoven storylines where nothing is explained, jumping between time periods, locations and dimensions.
The artwork is brilliant though.
The artwork is brilliant though.
November 1, 2015
Cool prequel to the game, but only interesting for fans.
September 6, 2017
It's ridiculous just how much fun to read it is. They nailed the whole MK aesthetic, both visually and in text.
Just turn your brain off and enjoy.
Just turn your brain off and enjoy.
January 20, 2019
A lot better than it has any right to be, yet still not great. Love the art.
Want to read
October 25, 2021I coudnt even read it bro
May 20, 2021
Mortal Kombat has to be one of the best, most memorable videogame franchises of all time. When it comes to comic books, my knowledge just goes as far, but for what I could tell, this works mostly as a prequel to the videogame of the same title, the tenth installment in the canonical timeline, which in many respects isn’t as confusing as other properties over-extending its reaches. The story takes us right from the start to the character of Kenshi (omitted from the previous game’s campaign) running away from the Red Dragon’s clan, with his apparent son. Eventually, Scorpion will join the team-up, and we’ll discover that he’ll become Takeda’s new master, raised by the new Shirai Ryu clan. Raiden, years after, delivers a mysterious dagger called the ‘Kamidogu’, to Scorpion, but this one apparently has a curse related to Shinnok, the god of the Netherrealm, who takes possession over the host holding the weapon, which makes for a bloody conflict between one of Hanzo’s apprentices and the rest of the clan, as well as Takeda. Meanwhile, we also have the chance to be introduced to Cassie Cage, daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, as well as Jaquie Briggs, daughter of Jax. As for Sonya and Johnny, they’re dealing with an Outworld struggle, since they have an encounter with Kotal Kahn, the new emperor, who’s also dealing with the remnants of the former Shao Kahn, who used to rule Outworld, now, conflicted by the events of the previous game, Mileena is looking to get rid of Kotal, with the help of Reiko, and the Prince of the Shokans, Goro, to rule over Outworld once again.
As you can imagine, the twelve first issues in the series are plagued with sub-plots, introductions, retcons and plenty of material that, suffice to say, one needs to be familiar with the previous events in the games preceding this title. Although, I wouldn’t go as far as to the very first games in the franchise, to consult the 2011 video game campaign should be more than enough to be on point with the events placed in here. Nevertheless, I was pleased to find out there’s a re-exploration of Scorpion’s past which, even though it is considerably exploited throughout the 9 games in the saga, I personally never get tired of. I don’t know why, there is something about tragically vengeful characters, especially the ones damned or selected with a supernatural approach. I mean, technically, Scorpion is the video game version of other similar characters, such as Ghost Rider or Spawn, even. So I believe it is a big plus to have plenty of that character, at least for these first twelve issues. For the rest of the story, it works as good as it should, considering it is a prequel series in order to-basically-promote the videogame; it has the storytelling values from the game’s campaigns, so it has a sense of proper familiarity by author Shawn Kittelsen, not to mention the much obliged inclusion of the gore so appreciated inside the franchise, in here, it doesn’t disappoint. Although, not as gruesome as other comic book titles, this is a pretty violent comic book, at least, for DC Comics standards, so it kind of delivers a certain appreciative value for the comic book house.
As for the art department, again, this delivers, although it cannot help but to fall in the category of “cover pages better than the inside art”, which it pretty much defines itself as the definitive rule in mainstream titles, for the most part. Although, Dexter Soy’s (the main artist) art isn’t disappointing or bad, Ivan Reis’s cover art is way superior, and an ideal for these sorts of characters, so I’m a little troubled having the actual rightful artist for this property be limited by comic covers only.
I think this compilation is a good starting point for any fan about to start the X’s game campaign, and well, it also offers some background to this world(s) and lore, which still remains as enigmatic, captivating and attractive not only for video game standards, but for fiction and fantasy in general. A good addition to any collector out there who looks to improve over this franchise in general with something out of the video game media. A nice reading and a nice display of characters and action, enough to please before starting the campaign.
As you can imagine, the twelve first issues in the series are plagued with sub-plots, introductions, retcons and plenty of material that, suffice to say, one needs to be familiar with the previous events in the games preceding this title. Although, I wouldn’t go as far as to the very first games in the franchise, to consult the 2011 video game campaign should be more than enough to be on point with the events placed in here. Nevertheless, I was pleased to find out there’s a re-exploration of Scorpion’s past which, even though it is considerably exploited throughout the 9 games in the saga, I personally never get tired of. I don’t know why, there is something about tragically vengeful characters, especially the ones damned or selected with a supernatural approach. I mean, technically, Scorpion is the video game version of other similar characters, such as Ghost Rider or Spawn, even. So I believe it is a big plus to have plenty of that character, at least for these first twelve issues. For the rest of the story, it works as good as it should, considering it is a prequel series in order to-basically-promote the videogame; it has the storytelling values from the game’s campaigns, so it has a sense of proper familiarity by author Shawn Kittelsen, not to mention the much obliged inclusion of the gore so appreciated inside the franchise, in here, it doesn’t disappoint. Although, not as gruesome as other comic book titles, this is a pretty violent comic book, at least, for DC Comics standards, so it kind of delivers a certain appreciative value for the comic book house.
As for the art department, again, this delivers, although it cannot help but to fall in the category of “cover pages better than the inside art”, which it pretty much defines itself as the definitive rule in mainstream titles, for the most part. Although, Dexter Soy’s (the main artist) art isn’t disappointing or bad, Ivan Reis’s cover art is way superior, and an ideal for these sorts of characters, so I’m a little troubled having the actual rightful artist for this property be limited by comic covers only.
I think this compilation is a good starting point for any fan about to start the X’s game campaign, and well, it also offers some background to this world(s) and lore, which still remains as enigmatic, captivating and attractive not only for video game standards, but for fiction and fantasy in general. A good addition to any collector out there who looks to improve over this franchise in general with something out of the video game media. A nice reading and a nice display of characters and action, enough to please before starting the campaign.
April 12, 2023
As a bit of an MK fan I was delighted to see this in my library's Hoopla. I have a particular soft spot for MKX so seeing its prequel comics available was a real delight! While it might not be my favorite I still enjoyed reading it!
My main concerns came from the treatment of the story. The storyline is very loose and seems to be pushed aside. I find this a bit sad. I really enjoyed MKX's storyline so seeing the setup for it be pushed aside for gore is a little sad. I'm all for highlighting MK's bloodier moments in comics but I felt like it could have been done in a less of a sacrifice to the nature.
That being said the art is well done. It's very traditional comics with thick blacks for extreme shadows. The characters are detailed and the special effects for all of the characters are nice. The gore is good as well. I don't know if its the greatest but it does its job nicely.
One interesting thing about the art is its use of x-ray shots. In the modern NetherRealm games these have been a noticeable inclusion so its natural that they wander into the comic adaptation as well. But their inclusion felt weird. They are done in these small little bubbles to give it a sense of the camera timing like in the games. But they end up looking too small and make them feel awkward and a bit out of place.
I LOVE the references sprinkled in. The author is a clear fan of MK with fun additions like famous phrases like "Round 1. Fight!" or side characters like Reiko and Havok being brought in nicely into the story. It really expands MKX's worldbuilding to include the smaller characters and details of the MK franchiese which is nice.
My main concerns came from the treatment of the story. The storyline is very loose and seems to be pushed aside. I find this a bit sad. I really enjoyed MKX's storyline so seeing the setup for it be pushed aside for gore is a little sad. I'm all for highlighting MK's bloodier moments in comics but I felt like it could have been done in a less of a sacrifice to the nature.
That being said the art is well done. It's very traditional comics with thick blacks for extreme shadows. The characters are detailed and the special effects for all of the characters are nice. The gore is good as well. I don't know if its the greatest but it does its job nicely.
One interesting thing about the art is its use of x-ray shots. In the modern NetherRealm games these have been a noticeable inclusion so its natural that they wander into the comic adaptation as well. But their inclusion felt weird. They are done in these small little bubbles to give it a sense of the camera timing like in the games. But they end up looking too small and make them feel awkward and a bit out of place.
I LOVE the references sprinkled in. The author is a clear fan of MK with fun additions like famous phrases like "Round 1. Fight!" or side characters like Reiko and Havok being brought in nicely into the story. It really expands MKX's worldbuilding to include the smaller characters and details of the MK franchiese which is nice.
June 25, 2018
PL
Pierwszy tom trzyczęściowej serii Mortal Kombat będącą świetnym prequelem do fabuły MKX wydajanej w 2015 roku. Historia jest świetna, wielowątkowa i genialnie narysowana. Są kultowe frazy jak i ciekawe interakcje między bohaterami. Gorąco polecam!
EN
The first volume of the three-part Mortal Kombat series being a great prequel to the MKX story released in 2015. The story is great, multi-threaded and brilliantly drawn. There are cult phrases as well as interesting interactions between the heroes. I would highly recommend!
Pierwszy tom trzyczęściowej serii Mortal Kombat będącą świetnym prequelem do fabuły MKX wydajanej w 2015 roku. Historia jest świetna, wielowątkowa i genialnie narysowana. Są kultowe frazy jak i ciekawe interakcje między bohaterami. Gorąco polecam!
EN
The first volume of the three-part Mortal Kombat series being a great prequel to the MKX story released in 2015. The story is great, multi-threaded and brilliantly drawn. There are cult phrases as well as interesting interactions between the heroes. I would highly recommend!
February 5, 2018
DC made GREAT job with these pre-MKX comic books, the story gave depth to some characters that despite the fact that they have played a big role in the events of MKX, didn't look so interesting to me.. Kotal Khan's Origins is a great example of this! Not to mention Takeda's story! As an MK fan i must say the illustrations are over the top! I wish this series was ongoing. I really don't know if i'd recomend it to anyone that isn't familiar with the MK universe tho, or AT LEAST have played MKX.
May 9, 2020
The continuation of Mortal Kombat 9 and a prelude for the video game of the same name, it's safe to say that the writing in this is better than what we saw in the game. It focused on the right elements - martial arts, sorcery and lots of blood! - instead of trying to sell a new generation of uninspired fighters and a militia group instead of real fighters.
May 13, 2020
Kind of like a modern take on the 90a Image/Wildstar over the top Rob Liefeld style. Except, you know, comprehendable and with strong, it a bit shallow, female lead characters. But it's a Mortal Kombat comic and does a good amount to expand and explore that universe a bit more. It actually builds somewhat of an epic around the One Being and komidogu daggers that wouldn't be out of place on a fantasy novel series. Just a bit gorier and with references to the MK games.
December 31, 2021
This is my first graphic novel read in some time so trying to review this is tricky. I have been out of sync of the MKU but Shawn Kittelsen made it easy to understand the characters and where they've come from. The overall problem at hand is very enticing and it's so interesting seeing how many it affected. The illustrations are also exceptional if you ask me. Nonetheless I would like to pick up volume two but it probably won't happen due to my tbr list. Nonetheless an exciting and fun read!
May 9, 2024
MKX Vol 1: First Time Ever
I never got the chance to read the MKX Comic Book series but I'm glad I'm reading it now, Volume 1 is getting so interesting and for anyone that ever wondered the events that happened before Mortal Kombat X the video game then this is a good start because this right here explains everything that happened leading up to the Video Game release, can't wait to read Volume 2.
I never got the chance to read the MKX Comic Book series but I'm glad I'm reading it now, Volume 1 is getting so interesting and for anyone that ever wondered the events that happened before Mortal Kombat X the video game then this is a good start because this right here explains everything that happened leading up to the Video Game release, can't wait to read Volume 2.
July 31, 2025
Exactly what I'd expect from a graphic novel based on a video game lol. I'm a huge fan of the Mortal Kombat franchise so I had to grab these books. The first volume didn't disappoint. The art was stunning and the story was intriguing. I feel like these books are likely for those who are just getting into the franchise since there's a lot of easter eggs on nearly every page and it serves to introduce the main characters from the video game. But still, it was fun to read through!
November 20, 2016
Action, gore, mythology. This is exactly what a Mortal Kombat comic book should be.
Had a ton of fun reading this, and loved the fact that Kittelsen dove into some of the more obscure parts of the Mortal Kombat universe. Its lore has become pretty deep by now, and it makes sense for a writer to use those elements in an interesting, creative way.
Had a ton of fun reading this, and loved the fact that Kittelsen dove into some of the more obscure parts of the Mortal Kombat universe. Its lore has become pretty deep by now, and it makes sense for a writer to use those elements in an interesting, creative way.
March 12, 2019
This book made me think about ... when ...
It made me think about the first time I saw mortal kombat
The writer is teaching us about ... because ...
How brutal this universe really is
In my opinion, ... is/are ...
In my opinion, is that this is a real action-packed novel with lots of blood and plot twists
It made me think about the first time I saw mortal kombat
The writer is teaching us about ... because ...
How brutal this universe really is
In my opinion, ... is/are ...
In my opinion, is that this is a real action-packed novel with lots of blood and plot twists
January 10, 2023
I know this is a comic based on a fighting game. I really enjoyed MK9 story and this feels like a random generator threw ideas out and they just went with it. I really hope MKX has a better story than this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews