Katana is no one's idea of a lead character. I'm not sure why DC felt she deserved her own series, but this issue is stellar. The creators really sink their teeth in and deliver a solid comic! It's the first issue! Jump on board! (Plus, she's going to be in the Justice League of America, so this could help you understand this character before seeing her there!) Read Full Review

I can't say it's an instant hit, but it is definitely Nocenti's most respectable DC work in the last year and it has a lot of rather unique qualities going for it. Read Full Review

While Im not entirely sold on the storytelling potential of this latest addition to The New 52, I can absolutely, unapologetically recommend this title on the basis of its art alone, even after one issue. My hope is that as the narrative progresses, well see a little more clarity in direction and this book will be a standout for DC. We need more titles focusing on female leads, not to mention one with a woman of color at the forefront. Im willing to give Katana a shot to live up to its potential. Read Full Review

"Katana" #1 is a chance for a perennial background character to gain some depth and Nocenti and Sanchez waste no time providing that depth in adversaries by introducing Coil, master of the spiral sword and giving her a place to call home. When I saw that DC opted to include "Katana" as one of its fourth wave of the New 52, I set my expectations low, not knowing what to expect. Those low expectations have now been obliterated by a surprisingly good comic book with a strong female lead, written by a female writer with stunning art from an artist I was unfamiliar with before today. Not only do Nocenti and Sanchez hit all of the marks necessary for a strong introductory issue, but they do so with a character that I was apathetic to prior to reading "Katana" #1. Following this issue, Katana has made a remarkable leap to must-read territory for me so long as the quality displayed in this first issue is sustained. Read Full Review

Katana #1 is as good an introduction to the character as you're going to get. Those unfamiliar with her that have interest, or are simply looking to mix up their pull list, should really consider checking it out. There aren't a lot of comics out there that prominently feature ninjas and Katana is changing that. Read Full Review

It's a fresh installment with promise, featuring ninjas and an art style unlike the rest of the DC line-up. For those looking for something new it's recommended to at least give it a try. Read Full Review

Overall, I really enjoyed this issue, a lot more than I thought I was going to. I originally bought this issue believing that it would be my only one of this series; oh how wrong I was. I hope the next issue does a good a job at answering some questions about certain characters for us, while also throwing new questions at us about them and the future. This could turn out to be a very interesting title. I do not think that it will ever become essential reading, but I think if you want to read a decent story with a very intriguing character, then you should check in right here. Read Full Review

The writer successfully demonstrates what a tragic and ultimately romantic figure Tatsu is while at the same time conveying a slightly unbalanced quality in the character. The only real problem with the issue is an inherent aspect of the premise. Given her mission and her history, Katana is an unrelatable figure with which the reader can't possibly connect. Her grief manifests in such an unconventional way that it's almost impossible to see her as a regular person. I hope Nocenti finds a way to bring her down to earth, to instill some humanity in this driven character. Read Full Review

Overall, Katana #1 is not a bad issue, really. I'm just not sure if there's enough here to get me to a #2. Your mileage may vary. Read Full Review

The series tries to do some interesting things, but falls flat for me. Maybe it's better for fans of the character, but as someone who is essentially a new reader, it fails in the first issue's two objectives, to get me interested and caught up. Read Full Review

This is Katana's first solo book, a spin-off from team books Birds of Prey and Justice League of America. I am happy to see DC branching out and taking a chance with an otherwise background team member, and a female Japanese lead to boot. Nocenti did the necessary-- introduced us to Katana's character's flaws, her enemies, and her mission-- but unfortunately, it isn't enough. Despite beautiful visuals, the storytelling never seems to go beyond average. The sad truth is if this were a Batman or a Superman, it would be plenty to go on, since those characters have a long-standing mythos surrounding them, but for some reason all B, C, or D list characters have to compete with extremely high expectations. Read Full Review

Katana is not going to be an easy sell. She has the potential to be a fun character, and I think writer Ann Nocenti knows that. Although she isn't quite there yet. Nocenti drops hints at a much deeper story. However, Katana #1 loses focus when it spreads her story between Kanata's past, the history of Japantown, and the relatively confusing main story. Read Full Review

This is a good introduction to Katana, particularly if you are unfamiliar with her skills and power set and the background of her character. Alex Sanchez's pencils are what really brought this issue to life. He did a fantastic job depicting her character in an interesting way and I definitely appreciate all the photo references he used that made it really feel like the scene was set in Japantown.There were some great moment in this issue where the dialogue and the narration was pretty strong, but there were other moments where it really fell flat. Nocenti had some difficulty explaining Katana's power set during a specific action scene towards the end of the issue, for example.Overall, if you are interested in this character then by all means check out this book. Overall, though, it was sort of average: there are some good and bad moments, but the art is consistent which is a huge plus. Read Full Review

Fans of Ann Nocentis writing and Japanese lore will probably enjoy Katana #1. Shes an interesting character that can carry her own series with Nocentis writing. I just wish the artwork complemented the story and gave it a chance to really shine. Read Full Review

Likewise, Alex Sanchez's art has its highs and its lows, though the former do outnumber the latter. The visuals are more successful during the action sequences though quieter close-ups provide underwhelming expressions that are relatively static compared to the energy of his more expansive panels. Matt Yackey's colors are somewhat less uneven and when he gets down to playing with lights and shadows, there are moments of pleasantly surprising beauty. One gets the sense that Katana could be a compelling addition to DC's lineup, but it's looking like it's going to be an uphill battle from here. Read Full Review

This book's strength lies within its artwork. Sanchez and colorist Matt Yackey draw exciting battle panels, and their depictions of Japantown gardens are vivid, with each bush coming to life. It's much too soon to write off Katana, so we'll just have to wait to see which direction this title takes with its second issue. Read Full Review

Writer Ann Nocenti's story is muddled and not told in a traditional narrative style with clear heroes and villains. Plus she lays on a heavy dose of Japanese clichs and stereotypes that do not translate well. Alex Sanchez' art is good enough but with a David Finch cover, it's a total bummer to open the book and see the stark difference in their styles. It is like when you were a kid and the toy on the commercial looks amazing but when you bring it home and put it together, it looks nothing like the box. That is exactly what Katana #1 is like; all exterior with no real guts. Read Full Review

Look, this is not how it should be done. Katana is not an unheard of character, but she is fairly obscure in the grand scheme of things. The first issue of her solo series needs to be an introduction. It should not read like I've been dropped into the middle of some convoluted story with a character who is a stranger to me. It also shouldn't be riddled with cliches that a more modern take on the character should be trying to grow away from. I'll admit to never being much of a Katana fan. But after reading this issue, I'm even less interested in the character. Read Full Review

To call this comic terrible would be an exaggeration. Unfortunately, it is very, very not good. Ann Nocenti's plotting provides a bumpy ride, her dialogue and narration are groan-worthy, and Sanchez's art displays a lot of potential that isn't fully realized. DC certainily needs more good books with female leads, but the key term is “good.” The first issue of “Katana” isn't good, or even average. It is, sadly, a pretty bad comic, and is already early fodder for the inevitable next wave of DC cancellations — unless, of course, it gets a sizable amount of residual sales boosts from “Justice League of America.” Read Full Review