Aspen Visions: Executive Assistant Iris #1

   What, you may well ask, is Aspen Visions?

   It's apparently a new mini-series that places well-known characters from that company in decidedly different settings.

   This first issue, for example, drops Executive Assistant Iris in Ancient China, fighting what seems to be a never-ending mob of invading Huns.

   That's business as usual for our favorite killing machine, as she calmly dispatches an army of invaders - and faces down a dragon.

   There are, of course, twists to the story that are effective (if perhaps a bit well-worn by now), and the art is excellent.

   The story is continued into the next issue, which features the company's mainstream star - and lots more trouble for our heroes.

Grade: B+

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Executive Assistant Iris #3

   Any good spy drama requires some surprising turns, a few swerves to keep the reader on his or her toes - and that's what this issue of Executive Assistant Iris is all about.

   Part of a cadre of beautiful women who are secretly incredibly capable bodyguards, Iris is hired for what seems like a simple job: acting as a bodyguard for the daughter of a crime lord.

   When the inevitable assassination attempt occurs, she finds herself in the fight of her life - and discovers that nothing about the job is what it seems to be.

   As always, this series is fast, fun and sexy - with a healthy helping of violence added for good measure.

   Solidly entertaining!

Grade: B

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Executive Assistant Iris #1

 
   I like the concept of the Executive Assistant series - beautiful women who are trained to be deadly fighters. They work as security guards - or assassins.

   Aspen Comics is reviving the series - this one stars Iris, a freelance agent who is recruited by a high-powered security agency.

   Unfortunately, the issue doesn't give us much to work with here. There's a quick action sequence and the rest of the issue is given over to a meeting with a recruiter who's trying to recruit Iris.

   And... that's about it. the rest of the issue is the equivalent of the scene in a Bond movie where "Q" trots out the latest gear that you know will show up later in the story.

   The art is nice, but a first issue needs to sweep the reader into the action - and this issue kind of Power Pointed us there. 

    Hopefully next issue will be more on track.

Grade: C+

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Executive Assistant Iris: Enemies Among Us #1

   Aspen has been bringing together some of its disparate characters into a unified continuity - that's what comics companies do, right?

   The next step in that process can be found in the latest version of the Executive Assistant series.

    The series follows the adventures of a number of beautiful young women who are trained to be bodyguards, assassins and permanent aides to the rich and powerful.

   This issue follows Iris, a newly-graduated student, as she starts her job - a lifetime of employment working for Mr. Ching, a mysterious businessman who has dealings with some less-than-savory individuals.

   The story is divided into two parts - the first written by David Wohl, the second by Vince Hernandez - and they feel like two different stories.

   The first part is all backstory and setup, with little actual conflict going on. The second chapter kicks it into high gear, with a fierce battle and an unexpected twist.

   The art is solid throughout, from Giuseppe Cafaro on part one, focusing on the exotic element of the story, while Randy Green and Mark Roslan in part two turn in a strong fight sequence and a big surprise.

   There's still an edge to this series that's hard to dismiss. Aren't the Executive Assistants just prostitutes who fight? (Granted, we don't see any hints of sex in this issue - but the concept is the same.)

   Maybe it's just me. I recommend checking it out and making up your own mind.

Grade: B+

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Executive Assistant Iris #5 (of 5)

   You'd think the bad guys would learn not to mess with the Executive Assistants - especially since it's an organization composed of the world's deadliest fighters.

   But then we wouldn't have a good excuse for a "revenge flick" finale for the ongoing story starring one of the most gifted fighters in the organization - Iris.

   Having rescued a girl named Cherry from her murderous father (Shao), the Assistants realize they face a war - so they take the fight to the enemy.

   Which means the entire issue is given over to a pretty straightforward battle royal, with lots of death and destruction.

   It's a satisfying wrap-up to the story, if a bit too straightforward to be exceptional. But like any revenge flick, it's all in good fun.

Grade: B

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Executive Assistant: Assassins #15

   The question of morality is generally the element that seems to keep me from enjoying this series more.

   Of course, that shouldn't be a surprise when Executive Assistant: Assassins revolves around beautiful women who are trained to be the ultimate assassins.

   This blood-spattered issue focuses on Daisy (all the assassins are named after flowers), who struggles with her own sanity.

   As this issue written by Vince Hernandez ­demonstrates, it's a battle she's losing. In fact, it would be fair to categorize her as a villain, as she goes to great extremes to gain revenge - and to free herself from her tragic past. 

   The art is by Lori Hanson ­is solid with strong layouts, though it's a bit on the bloody and graphic side (this isn't a comic for kids).

   To be fair, the series doesn't make any pretense of focusing on heroes - the title makes it obvious.

    It's more of a personal preference of mine to read stories that focus on heroes. 

Grade: B-

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Executive Assistant Iris #5

   A revenge story can be fun, and this issue brings a finale - and some sweet revenge - to "The Executive Extinction" story.

   It's a team of Executive Assistants (a group of beautiful women trained to be guards and / or assassins) working together - mostly - to track down the man who murdered their friends.

   But the road to revenge isn't easy, and they'll have to form an uneasy team, invade a fortress and survive a final, brutal confrontation.

   The story by David Wohl ties the story together in a grim bow, though the story seems abbreviated somehow - like the setup was more important than the conclusion.

   Even the art by Siya Oum seems rushed. It's technically solid, but the figures are stiff (and sometimes simplified), and the backgrounds are (with a few exceptions) pretty basic.

   But it wraps up the story well and sets up the next series of Executive Assistant stories.

   So if you enjoy spy-genre action and adventure that includes beautiful women, this series is worth a look. 

Grade: B-

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Executive Assistant: Assassins #10

It's surprising to realize that Executive Assistant: Assassins is the only ongoing title Aspen publishes.

The company has quite a few titles on its roster, of course, and Fathom has been published in a number of mini-series over the years - but this title is the only regular comic they publish.

It follows the dark adventures of a group of beautiful women trained to be the perfect assassins-for-hire. Each woman is named for a different flower (Rose, Iris, Aster and Ivy, for example).

But just because they're in the same business doesn't mean they all get along - in fact, this issue wraps up "Executive Extinction" - a war against the organization.

And as you'd expect from a war, there are casualties.

The story by Vince Hernandez would be a bit of a challenge for new readers - there are lots of characters running around and it's not always clear who we should be rooting for. But my biggest complaint is that we get to the end of this five-issue storyline with no real resolution.

The art by Jordan Gunderson and Charlie Mok is good, with clear depictions of each character (not always easy, since they're all beautiful women dressed in (mostly) black.

Like most of the series, this issue offers lots of action and destruction... but the story could use some tweaking.

Grade: B

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Executive Assistant Iris #1

Someday this series will make a fun action movie.

The idea behind the Executive Assistants is that a group of beautiful women (each one named after a flower) are trained to be bodyguards or assassins - whatever the job might be.

That can be a lot of fun, as Iris swings into action against would-be killers and assorted attackers - though I have some trouble accepting that she fights a half-dozen killers who are armed with machine guns - and her weapon of choice is a sword. (The old saying is, "Never bring a knife to a gun fight.")

Still, the comic is the equivalent of an action flick - lots of fight scenes, a difficult mission, some underlying mysteries to solve, and a larger threat looming.

It's all part of a 10-part series crossing over between this series and the Executive Assistant: Assassins series.

The story by David Wohl is fast and fun, but not particularly deep. The art by Alex Lei is good, with a focus on combat and beautiful women, but the layouts are a bit flat in places.

So a bit on the light side, but 'tis all in good fun - and certainly the star is easy on the eyes.

Grade: B

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Executive Assistant Assassins #4

Another day, another comic that stars a scantily-clad female warrior. (The reviewer's life can be challenging, he said tongue-in-cheekily.)

But the Executive Assistant Assassin stories can be a bit challenging ethically.

They're a guilty pleasure, based on the idea of beautiful women who are trained from birth to be the ultimate business associate, capable of defending their clients from attack - which usually involves lots of death and destruction, of course.

All of which would be fine, except the Assistants (as near as I can tell) don't have much choice about their profession - they're part of the program from birth, and their avocation could easily be viewed as a kind of prostitution.

So it's all in how you look at it. The latest issue focuses on "Executive Assistant" Sophora, who is hired to be - of all things - a pirate.

Her life is complicated by the fact that she's in love with a pirate - something her master is not likely to appreciate. And her loyalty wavers when she's forced to commit ruthless acts against innocent victims. But will her training trump her ethics?

It's a solid story by Vince Hernandez, with strong, sexy art by Lori "Cross" Hanson and Jonathan Bolerjack, with lots of action and good girl art on display.

So your enjoyment depends on your take (action bonanza or exploited female?) - but it's a well-crafted comic that you'll enjoy.

Unless you don't.

Grade: B-

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Executive Assistant Assassins #1

I readily admit that my interests cover a wide range of stories.

I like the intellectually challenging work, I enjoy straightforward tales of heroism, I (sometimes) relish the dystopian tale, I relish uplifting stories, and I like the lowbrow stuff.

So I admit that I enjoyed this issue of Executive Assistant Assassins (which probably belongs in the latter category).

It's the latest in a series of stories about trained killers who happen to be beautiful women. (I should also confess that I've never read the previous stories in this series.)

It's a story right out of the best of the "B" movies, as a secret academy trains women from birth to be the ultimate Executive Assistant, able to handle any situation, including business management, (ahem) personal service or bodyguard duties.

This story actually focuses on two different aspects of the academy. The first is the life - such as it is - of Executive Assistant Lily, who has fallen from grace and is forced to dance in sleazy dives to make a living. Of course, she can't leave her violent past behind, and it catches up to her.

We also focus on the academy itself, which faces some unexpected competition, with deadly consequences.

The story by Vince Hernandez clips along at top speed and never really slows down enough to show the flaws in the story. The art is by Jordan Gunderson, and it's solid, good-girl art with some strong action sequences mixed in.

This one is shaping up as an all-out action romp and - eventually - a revenge flick. Don't pick it up expecting deep thought or political correctness - but it is a lot of fun!

Grade: B+

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