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Rating: 
Summary: Not one of CrossGen's best
Review: As big a fan as I am of CrossGen comics in general, "The Path" is not really a book for me. I've never been the biggest fan of Bart Sears' artwork, and at times it becomes quite difficult to tell the characters apart. The pacing is a bit slow, which usually doesn't bother me, but doesn't suit this book as much as it wants to.The big problem with this collection, though, is that "The Path" is done entirely in double-page spreads. Instead of reading each left-hand page then each right-hand page, like in most comics, the two pages combine. This is fine in a magazine style comic book, but when the pages are reproduced into a paperback edition like this, the middle of each image get trapped in the crease and makes it difficult to read. It's not a bad book, and it deservedly has its fans. I'm just not one of them.
Rating: 
Summary: An Compact Little Epic
Review: As of late, I've developed a tremendous respect for the tales of the samurai, and THE PATH: CRISIS OF FAITH (a first volume of a possible series of trade paperback compilations of the comic book) is a wonderful example of the principle reasons why. (1) The warriors have a code to follow. Much like Zatoichi from the cult series of films, the samurai pledge their loyalty to one another -- not so much to a leader -- and the warrior allows that pledge to influence his (or her) every action. (2) The warriors stay true to their 'paths.' Once they've started down the road toward where their actions will inevitably deliver them, they do not stray from the straight and narrow. It is the quest, not the destination, that compels the warrior -- and, in this case, the reader -- onward. (3) Their stories are told with several layers of complexity that is gradually shaved away by the warrior's choices. One could make a strong argument that -- while they may be seven universal stories in the world -- there is only one samurai story, and it will play out as dictated by the choice of the hero. That said, THE PATH presents us with Obo-san, a warrior fallen from the grace of his emperor due to his allegiance to an oath to protect "the weapon of Heaven" from falling into the hands of the wrong men. His traveling colleagues make the most of pledges to fight with Obo-san against the forces of darkness, most of which only make passing appearances in this first installment. If CRISIS OF FAITH has any weakness, then it is that the tale is far from over at the conclusion of this outing. The story is told at a wonderful pace, with incredibly inventive visuals and dialogue that rings true to other samurai works, and it is an incredibly rewarding experience despite its lack of a real climax. Discover the new wave of graphic novels before they're gone from the bookshelves!
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