Kiwi Blitz Review Follow Up
From April to October 2011, HalfSasquatch (link) and I reviewed the First Volume of Kiwi Blitz (link). Not that the review was bad, it was a great example of comedy and I think it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever made, but it wasn’t much of a review and just making jokes. So, I decided to make an in depth follow up to those reviews.
Now, before I go into details, I will only talk about developments occurring in the first volume, sorry; also, spoiler warning.
PLOT
Your basic Superhero fare, but in five issues, or “Tracks”, Steffi only fights three antagonists. The story, like the 160 times more popular Slightly Damned (link) (according to TopWebComics.com), is character driven. The characters are not just superficial clichés, and each facet of their personality is explained within the first two volumes via flashbacks or realistic conversation; which brings me to the dialogue. I judge a story by its dialogue more than by probably everyone else on the internet. The dialogue is highly realistic; and no, not just in comparison with the subject matter. Kiwi Blitz has dialogue that feels like actual people talking and this helps the fantastic impossibilities of this comic seem within reason; a storytelling method Walt Disney called “The Plausible Impossible”.
Now, the first two volumes do technically comprise the first story arc (being that the tracks organically follow each other). But this can be broken down further. I’ll only talk about the first volume’s “Miniarcs”: Origins/Arachbot fight, The Raccoon, and Gear; the last one is cut off in half between both volumes and serving as the set up for the rest of the second volume. I think I’ve raved about the plot enough; now let’s talk about something else: The Characters.
CHARACTERS
While Kiwi Blitz doesn’t have a cast on par with Lord of the Rings, Fullmetal Alchemist, or to reiterate, Slightly Damned, it has a medium-small sized cast that’s amazingly versatile.
Steffi Frohlich is our main protagonist who fights crime using a giant robot she got for her fourteenth birthday as The Blitz. Her biggest facet is the most obvious: She’s missing her left leg, the whole leg, gone. The story of how it happened is given at the end of the second volume. This facet has a great effect on her personality. After losing her leg, Steffi starts thrill seeking; the transition from no leg to Johnny Blaze is given in the last page of the second volume. Steffi’s also got a hero complex, this will be further examined in the second volume and I know I’m saying that a lot but the second volume has much more development and will have a less repetitious review. If there is one major fault that manifests itself in the first volume, Steffi is rash and rushes into a fight without much if any planning. This again is better addressed and deconstructed in the second volume (if you want to, you can make this a drinking game; but I claim no responsibility). Now, I’ve harked about Steffi enough, let’s move on to her friend.
Benzene Contractor is Steffi’s best and possibly only friend. He’s a military enthusiast, intending to enlist into the armed forces when he’s 18. His friendship with Steffi is how his character is portrayed. He serves as Steffi’s voice of reason and when she’s The Blitz he helps her from a command center. He’s also irritated by Steffi’s… well… there’s nothing else to call it: Her shenanigans. Again, he’ll get much more development in the second volume.
Heinrich Frohlich, Steffi’s father, is the CEO of Mecha Macen, which builds giant robots, (their biggest client being Zordon-I mean the military). He’s shown to be acting like someone half his age. He’s a divorcée, his wife having left him, possibly due to his immature behavior. There will be a little more development of him in the second volume.
Completing Team Blitz (I came up with that) is the android 42. She was created by Ishinomori, a roboticist from Japan before a Civil War resulted in the banning of animatronics, and possibly other modern technologies. I’ll examine this, and The Third World War, with other themes later. 42 is there to provide technobabble and comic relief. Now, let’s analyze some other protagonists.
Reed Bahia is a police officer in the New York Police Department. Now, again, I’m saving the shtick with the po-po for the themes later. Reed’s a second generation in the police force, possibly more. While his father, the Police Chief, is very strict and closed-minded, seeing only the worst in others; Reed is more easy-going and open-minded, seeing the optimistic best in his fellow man. Reed is the most prominently featured character outside of Team Blitz. He’s also established via a flashback as a comic book fan who always wanted to help people. This explains his willingness to side with and assist The Blitz in her battles. Reed is usually followed by Cho, his backup. She serves as his voice of reason, like a low-calorie Ben. Well, now that we’re done with the heroes, let’s get to the villains.
Private Barkley is a veteran of The Third World War. His mech (Giant Robot) had a “soothing feminine voice” to prevent Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from developing. Unfortunately, it only caused soldiers to become infatuated with it and Barkley stole his before it could be dismantled. He is by far both the weakest villain and character. He won’t be appearing again in the second volume.
The Raccoon is, according to a reader’s poll (link), is the most popular character as of the end of the ninth track. He is by far the most fun, cracking more jokes than Steffi and Ben combined. He was alluded to in the first track but first appeared in the third track. He’s a kleptomaniac, or a compulsive thief. He’s the first and so far only antagonist to use a theme, a raccoon, in both behavior and costume. He seems to be around twelve and more childish than Steffi. He emanates the feel of a villain on the Adam West Batman TV series. He may steal, but he keeps his word and doesn’t wish to hurt anyone. More details will be happily brought to us in the second volume.
Gear is by far the toughest nut to crack; and the expansion of her character in the second volume only compounds the confusion. Now, that’s not against it, the uncertainty of Gear reminds me of Hamlet and the questions it left unanswered. Was Hamlet really crazy? Did Ophelia truly go mad? What the flying Hell is up with Gear? Good God, Gear gave me nightmares. She is cold, calculating, has no soul. But at the same time she toys with Steffi’s emotions, saying that they’re not that different. She has no qualms with killing anyone!
THEMES
Thematics don’t play that much into the first volume, but they are plentiful in the second one. What does have an overarching theme in the first volume is heroics, a staple of superhero fiction.
Past wars are also a recurring element in this webcomic. The world of Kiwi Blitz seems to take place in the not too distant future (MST3K Joke). In this future, at least two wars had recently been fought; The Third World War, and a Japanese Civil War. The concept of a World War III has been discussed and analyzed from the moment WW2 ended with the Atomic Bomb. Albert Einstein, the man who had helped conceive the bomb, had said that if there ever was a third world war, mankind would destroy itself now that it had the technology. In the world of Kiwi Blitz, The Third World War was fought with Giant Robots. This fact will be a major setback for hardcore Science Fiction fans and especially Trekkies.
Despite what is a common and logical assumption, Japan is no stranger to Civil War and has had more than most countries; with its first being an equivalent to the Scottish Clan Wars (and that’s “clan” with a “C”); in 15901, with Tokugawa Ieyasu’s rise of power; and in 1868 with the Meiji Restoration. But even then, this Civil War is still illogical.
What’s implied is that the Civil War was an uprising against modern technology. Take that as you will considering that Japan’s chief export is consumer electronics (followed by cars, anime, and weird). The only way this could make sense in theory was if Japan also decided to go back into isolation from the western world as it did before the late 1800s. This could be fueled by a Pro-Imperial rule movement which is within conceptual possibility. The Japanese people still revere their Emperor, and his family is the longest unbroken dynasty, running back thousands of years.
On a different note, in this world, the police are forbidden by law from using anything more than a Taser. University of Florida joke aside, this is the most likely scenario present. All that is needed would be high profile cases of police brutality in extremely disproportionate response to petty crimes (FOX News joke).
These three aspects of the world of Kiwi Blitz range from impossible, semi-plausible, to completely possible even today.
FINAL VERDICT
I would give Kiwi Blitz’s first volume an 8 out of 10. It’s good, but it had room to improve and improve it did. This first volume primarily serves the purpose of introducing its primary cast of characters and the second volume is for developing them for what Mary Cagle says is the actual story. This means that the first two volumes are more of a prologue, considering the quality of said two, and that volume two just finished, I’m looking forward to both reviewing volume 2 and reading what is to come.
I hope you enjoyed this review; it’s my first time heavily analyzing something. If you like it, leave a comment. If you have any suggestions, let me know.
Now, before I go into details, I will only talk about developments occurring in the first volume, sorry; also, spoiler warning.
PLOT
Your basic Superhero fare, but in five issues, or “Tracks”, Steffi only fights three antagonists. The story, like the 160 times more popular Slightly Damned (link) (according to TopWebComics.com), is character driven. The characters are not just superficial clichés, and each facet of their personality is explained within the first two volumes via flashbacks or realistic conversation; which brings me to the dialogue. I judge a story by its dialogue more than by probably everyone else on the internet. The dialogue is highly realistic; and no, not just in comparison with the subject matter. Kiwi Blitz has dialogue that feels like actual people talking and this helps the fantastic impossibilities of this comic seem within reason; a storytelling method Walt Disney called “The Plausible Impossible”.
Now, the first two volumes do technically comprise the first story arc (being that the tracks organically follow each other). But this can be broken down further. I’ll only talk about the first volume’s “Miniarcs”: Origins/Arachbot fight, The Raccoon, and Gear; the last one is cut off in half between both volumes and serving as the set up for the rest of the second volume. I think I’ve raved about the plot enough; now let’s talk about something else: The Characters.
CHARACTERS
While Kiwi Blitz doesn’t have a cast on par with Lord of the Rings, Fullmetal Alchemist, or to reiterate, Slightly Damned, it has a medium-small sized cast that’s amazingly versatile.
Steffi Frohlich is our main protagonist who fights crime using a giant robot she got for her fourteenth birthday as The Blitz. Her biggest facet is the most obvious: She’s missing her left leg, the whole leg, gone. The story of how it happened is given at the end of the second volume. This facet has a great effect on her personality. After losing her leg, Steffi starts thrill seeking; the transition from no leg to Johnny Blaze is given in the last page of the second volume. Steffi’s also got a hero complex, this will be further examined in the second volume and I know I’m saying that a lot but the second volume has much more development and will have a less repetitious review. If there is one major fault that manifests itself in the first volume, Steffi is rash and rushes into a fight without much if any planning. This again is better addressed and deconstructed in the second volume (if you want to, you can make this a drinking game; but I claim no responsibility). Now, I’ve harked about Steffi enough, let’s move on to her friend.
Benzene Contractor is Steffi’s best and possibly only friend. He’s a military enthusiast, intending to enlist into the armed forces when he’s 18. His friendship with Steffi is how his character is portrayed. He serves as Steffi’s voice of reason and when she’s The Blitz he helps her from a command center. He’s also irritated by Steffi’s… well… there’s nothing else to call it: Her shenanigans. Again, he’ll get much more development in the second volume.
Heinrich Frohlich, Steffi’s father, is the CEO of Mecha Macen, which builds giant robots, (their biggest client being Zordon-I mean the military). He’s shown to be acting like someone half his age. He’s a divorcée, his wife having left him, possibly due to his immature behavior. There will be a little more development of him in the second volume.
Completing Team Blitz (I came up with that) is the android 42. She was created by Ishinomori, a roboticist from Japan before a Civil War resulted in the banning of animatronics, and possibly other modern technologies. I’ll examine this, and The Third World War, with other themes later. 42 is there to provide technobabble and comic relief. Now, let’s analyze some other protagonists.
Reed Bahia is a police officer in the New York Police Department. Now, again, I’m saving the shtick with the po-po for the themes later. Reed’s a second generation in the police force, possibly more. While his father, the Police Chief, is very strict and closed-minded, seeing only the worst in others; Reed is more easy-going and open-minded, seeing the optimistic best in his fellow man. Reed is the most prominently featured character outside of Team Blitz. He’s also established via a flashback as a comic book fan who always wanted to help people. This explains his willingness to side with and assist The Blitz in her battles. Reed is usually followed by Cho, his backup. She serves as his voice of reason, like a low-calorie Ben. Well, now that we’re done with the heroes, let’s get to the villains.
Private Barkley is a veteran of The Third World War. His mech (Giant Robot) had a “soothing feminine voice” to prevent Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from developing. Unfortunately, it only caused soldiers to become infatuated with it and Barkley stole his before it could be dismantled. He is by far both the weakest villain and character. He won’t be appearing again in the second volume.
The Raccoon is, according to a reader’s poll (link), is the most popular character as of the end of the ninth track. He is by far the most fun, cracking more jokes than Steffi and Ben combined. He was alluded to in the first track but first appeared in the third track. He’s a kleptomaniac, or a compulsive thief. He’s the first and so far only antagonist to use a theme, a raccoon, in both behavior and costume. He seems to be around twelve and more childish than Steffi. He emanates the feel of a villain on the Adam West Batman TV series. He may steal, but he keeps his word and doesn’t wish to hurt anyone. More details will be happily brought to us in the second volume.
Gear is by far the toughest nut to crack; and the expansion of her character in the second volume only compounds the confusion. Now, that’s not against it, the uncertainty of Gear reminds me of Hamlet and the questions it left unanswered. Was Hamlet really crazy? Did Ophelia truly go mad? What the flying Hell is up with Gear? Good God, Gear gave me nightmares. She is cold, calculating, has no soul. But at the same time she toys with Steffi’s emotions, saying that they’re not that different. She has no qualms with killing anyone!
THEMES
Thematics don’t play that much into the first volume, but they are plentiful in the second one. What does have an overarching theme in the first volume is heroics, a staple of superhero fiction.
Past wars are also a recurring element in this webcomic. The world of Kiwi Blitz seems to take place in the not too distant future (MST3K Joke). In this future, at least two wars had recently been fought; The Third World War, and a Japanese Civil War. The concept of a World War III has been discussed and analyzed from the moment WW2 ended with the Atomic Bomb. Albert Einstein, the man who had helped conceive the bomb, had said that if there ever was a third world war, mankind would destroy itself now that it had the technology. In the world of Kiwi Blitz, The Third World War was fought with Giant Robots. This fact will be a major setback for hardcore Science Fiction fans and especially Trekkies.
Despite what is a common and logical assumption, Japan is no stranger to Civil War and has had more than most countries; with its first being an equivalent to the Scottish Clan Wars (and that’s “clan” with a “C”); in 15901, with Tokugawa Ieyasu’s rise of power; and in 1868 with the Meiji Restoration. But even then, this Civil War is still illogical.
What’s implied is that the Civil War was an uprising against modern technology. Take that as you will considering that Japan’s chief export is consumer electronics (followed by cars, anime, and weird). The only way this could make sense in theory was if Japan also decided to go back into isolation from the western world as it did before the late 1800s. This could be fueled by a Pro-Imperial rule movement which is within conceptual possibility. The Japanese people still revere their Emperor, and his family is the longest unbroken dynasty, running back thousands of years.
On a different note, in this world, the police are forbidden by law from using anything more than a Taser. University of Florida joke aside, this is the most likely scenario present. All that is needed would be high profile cases of police brutality in extremely disproportionate response to petty crimes (FOX News joke).
These three aspects of the world of Kiwi Blitz range from impossible, semi-plausible, to completely possible even today.
FINAL VERDICT
I would give Kiwi Blitz’s first volume an 8 out of 10. It’s good, but it had room to improve and improve it did. This first volume primarily serves the purpose of introducing its primary cast of characters and the second volume is for developing them for what Mary Cagle says is the actual story. This means that the first two volumes are more of a prologue, considering the quality of said two, and that volume two just finished, I’m looking forward to both reviewing volume 2 and reading what is to come.
I hope you enjoyed this review; it’s my first time heavily analyzing something. If you like it, leave a comment. If you have any suggestions, let me know.