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4 out of 4 stars
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Saint by J.R. Dunbar is categorized as "Graphic Novels and Comics." And what a graphic novel. Jake Barker is a young adult who, from an early age, always wanted to be a superhero. After years of martial arts training, Jake becomes a vigilante and takes matters into his own hands. After incurring the ire of influential people linked to the drug trade, Jake will have a hard time and will be reborn as a mighty hero.
Although physically a colossus, Jake is sensitive and can be easily manipulated. I can't go into details to avoid spoilers, but the protagonist is shaken when he witnesses an innocent person dying. And that's not just because of his sense of justice: he can feel these people's suffering for something that happened to him in the "After Realm." This "weakness" has a similar effect to what kryptonite has on Superman. There will always be casualties no matter how well a superhero does his job. The hero, however, cannot make this rationalization.
First and foremost, I must clarify that there is not just one aspect worthy of praise in this work. Saint reminded me of my teenage days and has all the characteristics that make such a book a classic: frenetic and non-stop action, beautifully done illustrations, and an impactful hero. However, I especially liked how the author managed to develop the protagonist's psychological conflicts in so few pages. When it is necessary to use violence and dirty methods, the hero can use it without scruples (as long as it is to save innocent people). Still, he can't stop blaming himself for failing to achieve perfect results. The descriptions were all done realistically and without seeming that Jake was gullible. That's what I liked the most about this book.
There's nothing I didn't like about Saint. I couldn't find one single grammatical error: nobody can say anything about substandard editing. The only negative aspect that some harsh reader could point out is that some villains seem to have been inspired by other characters. For example, Li Jun Feng reminded me of the iconic villain Chong Li from Bloodsport. Even so, this detail cannot even be considered a flaw.
All in all, Saint by J.R. Dunbar deserves four out of four stars. Like I said in the third paragraph, it has everything a classic of the genre needs to be successful. I recommend it to all lovers of the genre over 12 years old. There are many gory scenes that are not suitable for children.
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Saint
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I always been fan of superheroes comic books
