Akiko #3

• Date: May 1996
• Publisher: Sirius Entertainment
• Cover Price: $2.50
• 2013 NM Price: $3.00
• Stats: 22 black & white pages plus "Letters to Akiko" and "Akiko's Bulletin Board"
• Story & Art: Mark Crilley
• Notable Notes: The gang battles monsters - arena style!

Its Just Dumb Luck!

Akiko and her friends sure are lucky sometimes, and in this issue some pretty fantastic events happen to help them out of some pretty dire circumstances. But hey, that is part of the fun of comics right? This super-fun all-ages comic pushes the borders of willing suspension of disbelief, but I enjoyed it immensely none-the-less!

Synopsis:

Akiko #2 left us hanging as Gax was about to be snapped in two by the giant robot Crusher. This issue begins with an extraordinary stroke of luck that not only keeps Gax alive but makes him a hero as well! Then it is Spuckler's turn to challenge an opponent in the arena - and he gets a doozey when a big, fire-breathing dinosaur comes out to meet him! A combination of luck, skill, Akiko's harsh words and Mr. Beeba's help give Spuckler the edge he needs to stay alive for another adventure. The Sky Pirates then mistake Akiko for someone else and so apologize and give her a new ship, which our friends use to resume their adventure to rescue the prince. Whew - that was a close one!

My 2 Cents:

• The gladiator-style fighting in the Roman-style coliseum was kind of fun. I know that idea gets over-used in many different forms of entertainment, but it worked well here too, and helps to set the stage for the "impossible odds" that this group of characters will face in later issues.
• This issue has a bit of an "un-planned" feel to it, and by that I mean that it seems like Mr. Crilley got the characters in over their heads, and then contrived a fantastical escape. Oh well, if the book wasn't so darned much fun I would be more upset about that!
• Both Akiko and Mr. Beeba show a little bit of soul-stretching gumption in this issue. It was cool to see them get out of their comfort zone and make a real difference in people's lives.

How I Rate This Issue:

• Story:
• Art:
• Fun Factor:

Where To Get Your Own Copy:

• You can get a copy of Akiko #3 at MyComicShop.com.^†
• This story is also collected in the trade paperback Akiko, Vol. One (The Menace of Alia Rellapor, Book One).^†

† - This is an affiliate link.  Learn more on my Privacy & Disclosure page.

(This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on comic-prospector.com on Jan 27th, 2013.)