Executive Assistant:Assassins #4 Review

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT: ASSASSINS #4
Vince Hernandez – Writer / Lori Hanson – Art / John Starr - Colors
 Introducing Executive Assistant Sophora!

The high seas are growing increasingly dangerous—and fatal--for both voyagers and pirates alike. Enter Sophora, a new breed of Executive Assistant sworn to protect her master on both land and sea! When Tikoté, a budding captain of a pirate vessel decides to up the ante on his competition, he decides to enlist the help of Sophora. However, when the allure of the open sea—and love—beckon, Sophora makes a choice that puts her squarely in the crosshairs of her brutal master!

The first chapter of the new EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT: ASSASSINS story arc “Lost at Sea” starts right now!

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT: ASSASSINS #4 is in stores October 10th, 2012!

As I glanced through this issue before reading it I immediately assumed that this would be something that wouldn't grab my attention. It seemed like just a bland adventure out at sea with no heroics or fun elements that usually attracts me to comics. By the end of the issue I was wrong in my first assumptions. The credit for that can go to the well written story by Vince Hernandez.

It's centered around Sophora (not the make-up store). She is basically an assassin who started out at a school as a youngster that trains children to grow up to become instruments of killing. They are eventually sold out to a buyer who is then known as their master which gives them protection for themselves as they guard and execute tasks for the owner.

Sophora is out on a boat in the middle of the ocean with a crew of men and has a love affair with a man named Landon. He has become uneasy of her relationship with the master, Tikote, and tells her that he will stand up to him. This doesn't go over well with Tikote as he binds Landon's appendages and orders Sophora to execute him on the spot.

Hernandez does a fantastic job in giving insight to Sophora's past actions and creates a great situation to end the issue. It really is open to any ending because of how loyal she is to Tikote, but her love for Landon seems strong enough to disobey her master if she dwells upon it long enough. Lori Hanson matches this story quite well with the art duties. It's all very smooth and clean and the colorist creates good imagery of the night time out on a boat.

I was pleasntly surprised with this issue and am very excited for issue #5 to see Sophora's reaction to the situation.