Larry Correia launched American Paladin through Ark Press, Peter Thiel’s science fiction and fantasy publishing imprint, with a Kickstarter-funded graphic novel that delivers exactly what fans expect: a tough guy hunting monsters while spouting patriotic one-liners. Dust & Sacrifice is 66 pages of black-and-white, manga-influenced art telling a straightforward story about Mike Spears, a monster hunter investigating disappearances in a small American town.It’s competent, entertaining, and familiar, perhaps too familiar. Correia is essentially transplanting his Monster Hunter International voice into a new property, and while that works for his established fanbase, it doesn’t offer much that’s new or surprising.The Story: Simple and PredictableMike Spears arrives in a small town searching for a kidnapped girl on behalf of her mother. The relationship between Spears and the mother is mentioned but never explained. Spears walks into a bar, beats up some locals who know where the girl is, and acquires an unwanted sidekick in the girl’s brother, who insists on joining the hunt.They track the kidnapper to a remote location where he’s preparing the girl for human sacrifice. The villain is working for or with extraterrestrials, evidenced by a mysterious door standing in the middle of nowhere that leads to an alien dimension. Spears rescues the girl, kills the villain, and then faces an alien that emerges from the door. After a chase and firefight, Spears and the brother kill the alien with conventional firearms. They return home. End of story.I
It’s pulp action stripped to its essentials of investigation, confrontation, rescue, monster fight, resolution. There’s nothing wrong with that formula, but Dust & Sacrifice doesn’t add anything to it. The door to nowhere is foreshadowed early, so you know an alien is coming. The villain is generic. The stakes are personal for the secondary characters but not particularly high. The story works as a proof-of-concept for the American Paladin series, but it doesn’t stand out as a memorable first volume.The Voice: Monster Hunter International ReduxMike Spears sounds exactly like Owen Zastava Pitt from Monster Hunter International. The dialogue, the attitude, the patriotic bluster, it’s all there. Spears delivers lines like “But I’m an American. We can kill anything when we put our minds to it,” which is classic Correia. His fans will recognize the voice immediately and appreciate the consistency.But that’s also a limitation. Correia is writing the same character he’s been writing for 15 years, just with a different name and a slightly different premise. Spears doesn’t have a distinct personality beyond “tough guy who hunts monsters and loves America.” He’s competent, confident, and quippy, but he’s not particularly interesting as a character. The story doesn’t give him internal conflict, moral dilemmas, or character growth. He shows up, solves the problem, and leaves.The supporting characters are even thinner. The girl’s brother exists to be a sidekick and provide exposition. The villain is a generic cultist. The alien is a monster to be shot. None of them have depth or personality beyond their functional roles in the plot.The Art: Manga-Influenced But InconsistentThe artist, Alex Wisner, attempts a manga-influenced style with mixed results. The black-and-white art is competent but not exceptional. There are tight shots, talking-head panels, and action sequences that vary in quality.
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It is of note that the internal title page doesn’t list Wisner as a co-creator, which is a little tacky in modern comic publishing and we recommend Ark Press fix in future volumes:The action scenes are the weakest part. Multiple pages feature zero dialogue, relying entirely on visual storytelling, but the choreography is generic. Characters shoot guns, punch people, and run from monsters, but the compositions don’t convey much energy or dynamism. The lack of backgrounds in many panels makes the action feel flat and disconnected from the environment.The character art is inconsistent. Some panels have detailed faces with expressive features. Others have simplified, almost cartoony faces that don’t match the tone. The manga influence is most apparent in the panel layouts and pacing, which use techniques common in Japanese comics like speed lines, dramatic close-ups, and silent action sequences. But the execution doesn’t capture the fluidity or impact of actual manga.The decision to go with a manga-influenced style rather than a traditional American comic book aesthetic is interesting but doesn’t fully pay off. The artist is clearly trying to evoke that vibe, but the result feels like an approximation rather than a successful fusion of styles.The Script: Minimal DirectionOne of the most interesting aspects of Dust & Sacrifice is the inclusion of Correia’s script at the back of the book. It reveals that Correia provides minimal direction to the artist. He sets scenes with basic descriptions like “Ext: Truck parked off a dirt road in the forest” and then provides dialogue. The artist is responsible for breaking down the scenes into panels, determining camera angles, and choreographing action.
This approach gives the artist significant creative control, but it also means the visual storytelling is entirely dependent on the artist’s skill and interpretation. In this case, the artist did more work translating the script into sequential art than Correia did providing direction. That’s not necessarily a problem, many comic writers work this way, but it does mean the final product’s quality is heavily dependent on the artist’s abilities.The script is short and straightforward, which matches the simplicity of the story. Correia isn’t trying to write a complex, layered narrative. He’s writing pulp action, and the script reflects that.Dust & Sacrifice moves quickly. Once the action starts, the story doesn’t waste time. Spears investigates, finds the villain, rescues the girl, and fights the alien in rapid succession. The pacing is brisk, and the book never drags. For a 66-page graphic novel, that’s appropriate—there’s no room for filler, and Correia doesn’t try to pad the story.The patriotic, blustery tone will appeal to Correia’s fanbase. His readers know what they’re getting: a tough American hero who solves problems with violence and doesn’t apologize for it. That’s Correia’s brand, and he delivers it consistently. If you’re a fan of Monster Hunter International, you’ll enjoy American Paladin because it’s the same voice and sensibility in a slightly different package.The inclusion of the script is a nice bonus. It’s always interesting to see a writer’s process, and having the script alongside the finished art allows readers to compare Correia’s vision with the artist’s interpretation. That transparency is rare in comics and adds value for fans interested in the creative process.
What Doesn’t Work: Predictable and GenericThe story is too predictable. The door to nowhere is foreshadowed early, so you know an alien is coming. The villain is a generic cultist with no personality. The alien is a monster to be shot. There are no twists, no surprises, no moments that subvert expectations. It’s a straightforward monster hunt from beginning to end.The characters are thin. Spears is a competent protagonist, but he doesn’t have depth. The supporting characters exist to move the plot forward. The villain is forgettable. The alien is just a threat to be eliminated. None of them feel like real people with motivations, histories, or internal lives.The art is inconsistent. Some panels are well-composed and expressive. Others are flat and generic. The action sequences lack impact, and the manga-influenced style doesn’t fully succeed. The book looks okay, but it doesn’t look great.The anachronisms and boomer patriotism will appeal to Correia’s core audience but might alienate readers looking for something more nuanced. Lines like “I’m an American. We can kill anything” are classic Correia, but they’re also dated and on-the-nose. The book wears its politics on its sleeve, which is fine if you agree with them but grating if you don’t.Final VerdictAmerican Paladin: Dust & Sacrifice is a solid but unspectacular debut for Larry Correia’s new graphic novel series. The story is fast-paced and entertaining, the voice is consistent with Correia’s established work, and the inclusion of the script is a nice bonus. But the plot is predictable, the characters are thin, and the art is inconsistent.
This is a book for Correia’s existing fans. If you like Monster Hunter International, you’ll enjoy American Paladin because it’s the same formula with a slightly different coat of paint. If you’re looking for something new or innovative, this isn’t it. It’s competent pulp action that delivers what it promises without exceeding expectations.For a first graphic novel, it’s a respectable effort. Correia knows how to write action and dialogue, and he’s successfully translated his prose voice into a visual medium. But the book doesn’t stand out in a crowded field of monster-hunting comics, and the art doesn’t elevate the material beyond its pulp roots.Fast-paced, entertaining, and consistent with Correia’s established voice, but predictable, thin on character development, and hampered by inconsistent art. Recommended for Monster Hunter International fans looking for more of the same in graphic novel form.What do you think? Are you picking up American Paladin, or waiting to see if the series improves in future volumes?
I mean I enjoy boilerplate pulp so I might get it
>>151975946I liked the first chapter of his Always With Honor comic
why not just link the fucking review and give your own thoughts you fume huffing ritalin victim
>>151975946Correia is a poor man’s Chuck Rogers.
