The Ballad of Sang

by Ed Brisson, Alessandro Micelli (Penciller), Shari Chankhamma (Colorist)

Hit writer Ed Brisson (Old Man Logan, Cable) and newcomer Alessandro Micelli present a homage to Takashi Miike films with THE BALLAD OF SANG, the story of a child assassin raised in violence and out for revenge after his master is murdered. When a mistake on a job brings the wrath of Don Minchella down on him, Sang barely escapes with his life. While Sang swears revenge for his fallen mentor, every gang in the city mobilizes to return him to Minchella... dead or alive.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Crime

125 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2019

About the author

Comic book writer.

Credits include: COMEBACK, SHELTERED, THE FIELD (Image Comics), SECRET AVENGERS (Marvel), ROBOCOP, SONS OF ANARCHY, HELLRAISER (BOOM!) and X-FILES/TMNT: CONSPIRACY (IDW). Plus, you know, a bunch of stuff I can’t talk about yet.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting story, but really too dark for me. And not really in a graphic violence sense (though this certainly is violent), but more just in the fact that many of the panels are illustrated in such a way that made it difficult for me to figure out what the heck was going on.

I didn't hate this, but I didn't love it either. So 3 stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me with a DRC of this book.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

A kid assassin is being hunted by the local crime lord for cutting off and stealing his arm. It's full of over the top, graphic violence at least from what I could make out. The art is terrible, very dark with more motion lines than skill. The violence reminded me of Luther Strode. I gotta say I was disappointed given this was by Ed Brisson. His work is usually much better than this.

Received a review copy from Oni Press and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

[Dev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley

actual rating: 4.5

I almost feel silly for giving this book such a high rating, but I just had such a good time reading it that it would feel wrong to round down. There are probably almost infinite other pieces of media that you could compare this to, but I'm going to go with The Warriors for the story line meets I Hate Fairyland for the extreme cartoonish violence and general art style. I'm sure it isn't for everyone [there's a lot of body parts and blood flying all over the place], but I thought it was a really fun revenge story that also had some really great characters and character relationships.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was goddamn nuts and I loved 90% of it!

Sang is a killer. He's also a half blind and mute kid who's trying to just be a normal kid. However, after his master is killed he cuts off the arm of a drug lord and runs away. The drug lord puts out a bounty and all these gangs start to head out to kill him. Sang must survive, with the help of a mother-like figure, to go against all these gangs plus fight back against the drug lord himself.

This is both intense and funny as hell. The dialogue is just enough to build the characters and world plus the humor hits high for me. I also loved the art, over the top and cartoony but just perfect for this series. The pacing is well done, feeling like a movie, and by the end I was wanting more. The only negative is maybe it takes a bit to get sucked into this wacky world and also the main villain is pretty typical save the ending.

Overall, great stuff. Ed Brisson knocks it out of the park here as making a very funny story mixed with heart and extreme violence. A 4 out of 5.

[Lukasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well...

Hmm...

Er...

That is to say...

The art is absolutely stunning. The story reminds me of a Kill Bill on a crack mixed with steroids. It's ultra-brutal, bloody, and fast. The plot is thin, but if you dig the convention that shouldn't be a problem.

Worth reading as long as you don't approach graphic novels too seriously and extreme violence doesn't trigger visceral reaction in you.

ARC through NetGalley

[Etienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5. A very personal style and great originality for the illustration, but unfortunately as far as the illustrations are unique, the story is a highly déjà-vu concept. Too bad because in term of drawing this artist is holding something!

[Skirmish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Reaction: https://nildivision.blogspot.com/2019...
Rating: 5 Stars - absolutely perfect

I received a copy of The Ballad of Sang from Oni Press via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle (not) but wonderful homage to the cult film director Takeshi Miike. What marks his films particularly are depictions of violent martial arts action-drama.
The Ballad of Sang is a fitting tribute to the often bizarre worlds he creates in his movies, the dark arts of his samurai themed epics as well as films more family friendly and dramatic.
Sang is a young killing machine who wields a sword with the venom of a samurai warrior. His master uses him to carry out threats, intimidation and contract assassinations. However, the impetuousness of youth means he gets carried away and oversteps his physical mandate leaving a debtor dead rather than scared and ready to settle his dues.
This brings trouble to his master's door and Sang tries to intervene but must run away. Since the gangster, out of pocket by Sang botching the job, wants financial recompense.
With a palette of rich primary colours to create a vivid comic strip the illustrations come alive with lots of reds as blood is split by the combatants in what because a war of attrition. Contrast this with linking graphics in subtler pastel hues you have a rich and vibrant script.
With a price on his head there are lots of criminal elements prepared to capture the kid. Sang's story and his engaging personality however brings a few helpers along the way to protect him and fight his corner. Unfortunately, although his struggle seems to be one of revenge against the criminal that destroyed his relationship with his master. It ultimately comes down to a final face off. The ultimate theatrical set piece is of movie climaxing proportions.
A simple bright and engaging story littered with rough hoods and interesting characters. Sang is like a feral beast at times but we share his quest to vanquish the bully of the story. Amid the tension and violence there are exquisite moments of humour, throw away lines with genuine comedy and sublime pathos.
A graphic novel of the highest quality and a read of supreme creativity and delight.

[Bexx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy from Netgalley.
Rating is 4/5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this graphic novel the violence of it totally reminded me of the fairyland graphic novels and the two I read of those I enjoyed. I will continue to read these as they come out and I recommend you to check out The Ballad of Sang.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the art in this, it reminded me of Rob Guillory's style.

The story is pretty straight forward. Kid assassin cuts off the arm of a mob boss and price is put on his head to get it back.

It's bloody, filled with non-stop violence and features a mute child assassin who teams up with a former member of an all-girl gang, what's not to love?

I like the concept, it's not particularly original, but it's fun. The added element of Sang not being able to talk is interesting, and adds an element you don't often see in these kinds of stories.

But it kind of reminds me of a Mark Millar book that's filled with gratuitous violence and not much else. I think Sang could have been fleshed out a bit more, because aside from a couple of lines towards the end he's just a child assassin and treated like a terrifying killing machine instead of a child that was abducted and brain washed.

It's kind of hard to reconcile any kind of child assassin = bad message when 90% of the book portrays him as being awesome because of that.

[Valéria. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion, Ed Brisson is really good writer. I loved his Sheltered, I have read some X-Men stuff, and some of back-issues of different kind of series. And I always liked it. The Ballad of Sang is no exception. Art seems pretty good to me, though some people may say it is somehow ugly. I liked facial expressions, also the way how the illustrations look kind of alive when blood is splashed. I liked how Sang communicated, all the gangs and their actions. Some issues are filled with violence and humour (sometimes those lines are super-cheesy, but I liked that too), some of them are more like "ok, let's see what to do next". The reason why Sang was fighting with bad guys all the time is funny and unexpectable, ending was really nice. If you liked brutal funny things like SexCastle, or if you're fan of movies like Ichi the Killer, 13 Assassins or ninja movies in general, I recommend this.

[Ioanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sang, a child assassin is set on taking revenge for his Master's murder. After a job for Don Minchella goes bad, Sang is out on the streets, with his Master dead. But while Sang is seeking revenge, all gangs are out to get him by order of Minchella; dead or alive.

A very well-constructed story, The Ballad of Sang is fast-paced, rough, but also heartbreaking at times. The illustrations are a perfect fit to the story. Fair warning: there's a splatter element to the story. Definitely recommended for fans of graphic novels.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ultra-violence courtesy of an unassuming-looking child is not exclusive to Hitgirl et al, but this book only suffers by coming so late to the party. There is a bit of novelty, in that he's mute, and the helpful sidekick who guides him from one fight to the next as he is sought by the Big Bad is a grown woman. But there's also the scuzzy-gang-of-the-month aspect, too, as every issue a separate collection of unlikeable drop-outs face the "oh you tried to kill him and failed? well, we really can't care too much" problem. Luckily there is just enough story-telling nous to make sure something much better enters proceedings, and the end result is actually quite likeable. Not a great book, but one you would do well to stick with. It would have been better if it didn't make you doubt the worth of seeing it out, though. A slightly begrudged four stars.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing beats the hunger and carnage of intergang violence.

And so when a genius assassin in the form of a mute child goes a bit too far, it should come as no surprise how the sequence of events that unfolds thereafter turns the city upside down. A mob boss eager to expand his territory. A troupe of hipster sycophants who photograph drowning dogs. A food truck lady who used to ride with doom-bringing roller derby girls. Yes, this assassin kid, Sang, is right at home.

THE BALLAD OF SANG is wonderfully violent and lovingly uncluttered in its rendering of the consequences of said violence. Sang's overkill of a Japanese gangster precipitates an equally riotous response from the other side of town, which gets his abusive master killed, which puts him out on the streets, which places him in the hands of Lucy (the aforementioned food-truck owner). All of which, again, rolls shit downhill: houses are set on fire, restaurants are torn to pieces and a lot of people get their arms and legs chopped off. Good stuff.

Sang is equipped with a pair of machetes but not much else. So when cars blow up or someone gets their intestines eaten by wild dogs, it's good to know there are other forces hard at work to make these people's lives truly miserable. THE BALLAD OF SANG is the book-version of a number of underground gangster films whose tale of corruption spreads in all directions and never ceases until just about everyone is bloodied and bruised and dead. For readers who are uncomfortable with eyeball-plucking, this isn't the right book to sate one's curiosity. But for readers who love old school HK cinema, THE BALLAD OF SANG is clever and kinetic and doesn't skimp on the feel-good ending.

Also, Micelli's art is highly addictive. The book's street scenes use tight, low angles and a slew of eternally visceral close-ups to bring the violence closer and closer with each passing moment. The character designs are brusque and the attitude they bring with them leaves little room for error or waste. The coloring is okay but the inking is where it's at. With such dark themes and so many moments of pure, dynamic violence, the inking goes a long way toward ensuring the action keeps the story in motion, from one blow to the next.

[Samantha Beard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A digital copy of The Ballad of Sang was provided by Oni Press and NetGalley for review.

Sang is a child assassin in a world full of violent and vengeful adults. His world is populated by people starving for money, drugs, food, and any kind of purpose. He was forced to grow up far too fast, and now he faces a scenario no one his age should have to deal with. His life is up for ransom, and he must defend his life or die trying.

The characters in this graphic novel are nothing short of colorful. You have a troupe of rock n’ rollers, hipster Gatsby wannabes, and a gang of kick-butt roller derby women. At some point throughout the story, they each take a stab at Sang.

Sang’s one ally, Lucy, seems to be the only person with any kind of decency left in the world. Everyone else is perfectly willing to sell our Sang for the promise of personal gain.

This story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing material things control your life. It warns against forgetting that no matter how different or multifaceted the people around you may be, they all deserve respect. Perhaps most importantly it teaches that when you seek violence you can’t be surprised when violence finds you.

Though I appreciate what the book is saying, it came off as a bit heavy handed to me. There were also moments that felt a bit overly gruesome, but that’s more a matter of personal taste. I did enjoy the art, it has a very 80s high action vibe that was a lot of fun. If you enjoy bloody violent graphic novels with lots of heart, I definitely recommend this one!

[Sheldon Wiebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb of The Ballad of Sang - "Hit writer Ed Brisson (Old Man Logan, Cable) and newcomer Alessandro Micelli present a homage to Takashi Miike films with THE BALLAD OF SANG, the story of a child assassin raised in violence and out for revenge after his master is murdered. When a mistake on a job brings the wrath of Don Minchella down on him, Sang barely escapes with his life. While Sang swears revenge for his fallen mentor, every gang in the city mobilizes to return him to Minchella... dead or alive" - does not really give you a true picture of the book (even if you know the films of Takashi Miike).

This tale of a kid who's been trained to be a killer is filled with more violence and general mayhem than most readers will not be ready for - all the while never forgetting that the architect of some of the nastiest mayhem is a kid, nor giving us reasons for his (and all the other) violence in Sang's story.

The Ballad of Sang is a pretty quick read but that does not mean it's an easy one.

Edward Brisson's script is so quickly paced that there almost no chance to catch your breath, while Alessandro Micelli's art is as appropriately nasty as the story requires - and Shari Chankhamma's colors are glorious.

The Ballad of Sang is not for everyone, but for anyone within whose wheelhouse this falls, it's first-rate stuff.

[TC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sang is a spiky haired Filipino kid who carries out contract killings, sometimes working for the Mafia, sometimes taking on the Yakuza. His surrogate father and the man who negotiates the contracts is Chinese. Sang doesn’t talk. He communicates in sign language to his surrogate father and gives notes written in misspelled English to everyone else, including the people he is about to attack with his sword. The reader eventually learns why Sang is a mute killer, although it is pretty easy to guess.

A contract goes wrong and Sang has all the criminals in the city looking for him. He used his sword to take a gangster’s arm and the gangster wants it back. What follows is . . . violent. Really violent. The story introduces a group of violent rollerblading women called the Black-Eyed Betties who accept a contract to capture Sang before a former Betty resets their moral compass.

The artwork is angular and edgy. Black lines almost scratch out Sang’s face when he’s mad. The Thai artist who drew this has a unique style that makes the book worthwhile. The coloring is suitably bold. Lots of red, most of it from blood. If you’re looking for violent and edgy, The Ballad of Sang is a good choice. The story isn’t special, but it’s entertaining and the art is vivid.

[Cibele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bloody, colorful, and violent.
The Ballad of Sang follows Sang, a hit man raised by the one who kidnapped him once he was a kid back in the streets of his home town.
With no voice, he communicates with nods, signs and with writing.

After a mission gone wrong, with his now master and 'father figure' dead, Sang see's himself on the run as the mob gang is after him, putting every group in the city after the bounty of his head. Him and the stolen arm he carries now with him.

It was a nice read, fast, with lots of colors and fast paced action. But even with how I'm very so in love with action, my man do we have lot's of blood around; We can put all the 12 Golden Cloths, as well the Silver and Bronze ones from Saint Seiya! That's how much blood is around.

We meet more characters as the groups go after him, the rollerblade gals who want to use the bounty money to help the community center, the rock and roll dudes, the hipsters. Lot's of mob henchmen. But Sang is not backing down, and he will go to it until the end.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Ballad of Sang' by Ed Brisson with art by Alessandro Micelli is an homage to the films of Takashi Miike. Which explains to completely over the top amount of violence inside.

Sang is a deaf child who is really good at killing. When he chops off and takes a warlord Minchella's arm, that warlord puts an ever increasing bounty on him. This pits one ridiculous gang after another against Sang. There are biker gangs and roller derby gangs and hipster gangs. Sang finds allies and chops his way through the rest.

It's a very visceral story and the overblown violence is cartoonish. The art style feels like it was drawn quick to match the story pace. Sang's ultimate reason for going after Minchella felt like a blown payoff and took some of the drive of the story away from me. It's not a very deep story, but I liked this quick cinematic read.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Wes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhhhhh. I wanted to like it more than I did. Some of the writing missed the mark for me as well as some of the art. Which is surprising, because I normally find beautiful what others seem to find ugly. (Paul Pope, JRJR, Frank Quitely, to name a few) That's not to say that Ballad of Sang is ugly, by no means is it that. I just think there were some art choices that pulled me out of the story in ways that other artists have not.

Finding out Sang's motivation at the very end is the best part of the comic.

Read it if you're looking for a standalone, John Wick, action revenge piece with some offbeat elements thrown in.

[Daniel Kovacs Rezsuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

On one hand, we have a story that combines high concept ideas with entertainingly gory and borderline subversive grindhouse tropes, on the other, the art, lettering, and even the coloring are extremely janky, on par with mediocre webcomics. If you want to read a comic akin to movies such as The Warriors, Kill Bill, and Machete and you don't care about the quality of the visual representation, go ahead, otherwise, you'll be disappointed.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

If something is described as an homage to Takashi Miike, of course I am going to read it. And in this case, it is an accurate description. Sang is mute, but he is one of the most foulmouthed and cuttingly witty characters you will encounter in a comic this year. A whole lot of brutal fun.

[Boujee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stylish, funny, action-packed, emotional, with an endearing lead character -- this has everything I want in a graphic novel. People not reading this are committing a crime against themselves.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much like "The Warriors" except more gore and more female characters.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning, strong language and violence but in context.

[Nasty Knob · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is kinda weak, and there isn't much in the way of a plot or character development that doesn't rely on exposition. It's full of action, however, and the violent subject matter is enticing enough. Not bad for a Dollarama blind buy.

[Jaclyn Hillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Old Man Logan would surely enjoy this. This book is brutal, but it is worth sticking with to the end. You never know someone's story, and you should always stick up for what you believe is right.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Electric art and enjoyable story punctuate The Ballad of Sang. For comics fans, this is a wonderful journey and one that I can recommend if you are looking for a solid graphic novel read. Most enjoyable.