Gun Honey: Doubles Down #1 is written by Charles Ardai and published by Titan Comics. Artwork is by Ang Hor Kheng, colours by Asifur Rahman and letters by David Leach. Main cover art (left) is by Artgerm.
Gun Honey: Doubles Down #1 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
When a botched attack on the dictator of Russia sends three identical-looking men fleeing Moscow for Siberia, Finland, and the Black Sea, Gun Honey Joanna Tan is offered $10 million to separate the real target from his doubles – and make sure the right man dies.
Review
A new chapter in the long-running Gun Honey franchise launches in comic book stores today. Charles Ardai’s latest pulp adventure puts Joanna Tan in the spotlight for an adventure which echoes real-world political landscapes in amongst its high stakes, sexually charged action. As is always the case with a Gun Honey title though, it’s Ardai’s inspired espionage storytelling which is the series driving force.
Gun Honey: Doubles Down starts innocently with Joanna relaxing on the beach, low key for Ardai right? Wrong… it takes a matter of mere moments for her to knock out a guard with a gas bomb masked as a tourist camera. Ardai is wasting no time in getting down to business for this Russian-inspired story. But not one to rest on his laurels and simply ask the audience to follow along, we dip back and forth between Joanna’s mission and flashbacks to fill in the context on why she’s there.
We learn that Joanna has been sent to take out a rather nefarious target. But there’s a twist. This Russian dictator is hiding behind a series of body doubles, hence the title. Joanna has to hope for the best and take out the target first time or her mission could be exposed, sending the real dictator even further underground. She seemingly also isn’t afraid to do anything to get an answer as to whether this man is her real target or not. Here Gun Honey: Doubles Down does lean into its “male-gaze” territory through an explicit sex act. But this wouldn’t be an Ardai book if it didn’t sprinkle in a little of that X-rated action. For a book which holds its female heroes in high regard the moment does feel a little extreme. But it’s difficult to argue that Ardai doesn’t empower all of the women in his books outside of these moments.
Unsurprisingly Kheng’s artwork leans in heavily to the adult-only aesthetic. But let’s not sensationalise the issue. The action right across Gun Honey: Doubles Down looks great. The third act chase sequence packs a heavy punch and is absolutely overflowing with all of the energy we would find in any male-led spy series. That’s important to ensuring this book lands for what it really is which is a genuine action-adventure which shouldn’t be judged purely for its more salacious story beats.
With both a compelling lead and an enthralling mystery, Gun Honey: Doubles Down is off to a flying start. At this stage in its life cycle it’s doubtful anyone who is likely to be offended by the series’ more adult-orientated elements is running out to grab a copy. But I urge you to look past that and really dig in to the kind of classic spy story which is the reason why characters like James Bond and Ethan Hunt are as popular as they are today.
Verdict
Gun Honey: Doubles Down #1 launches an exciting new chapter for the title. Ardai continues to seamlessly blend a mix of classic espionage with pulpy sensibilities. All whilst empowering its heavily female-skewing cast to save the world.
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