REVIEW: Spirit of the Tao #1 – 3

Publisher: Top Cow/Image
Creators: D-Tron, Billy Tan, Hoai Truong
Writer: D-Tron and Malachy Coney
Pencils/Co-plot: Billy Tan
Inks: D-Tron with Team Tron
Colorist: Jonathan D. Smith
Letterer: Dennis Heisler
Team Tron: Marcia Chen, Andy Kim, Jeff de los Santos, Jose “JAG” Guillen
Review: Art Bee

In June, 1998 my favorite comic series of all time was released by Top Cow/Image. As you can see by the credits above, a lot of people came together to produce this fabulous art sensation. Spirit of the Tao is the measuring stick to which I place all other comics as I review them. My reasoning for doing so is this comic brings together a masterful story, which is well delivered, along with stupendous artwork.


The comic opens with a page-long introduction to educate the reader about the concept that is being introduced. Here is an excerpt describing Tao:

“The word Tao (or Dao, according to new Pinyin transcription of Chinese) actually covers several ideas. Literally it means ‘The Way.’ Although Tao could also mean ‘Doctrine,’ which is a collection of moral laws proper for guiding human behavior. To Billy and me, however, we see Tao in much the way the ancient Chinese so magnificently represented it, in the image of the Yin and the Yang – the resolution of contradictions and unity of opposites into one. Only by joining the Yin and Yang can we realize ‘The Whole.’ According to Chinese philosophy, it is with the interactions between two opposing forces (heaven and earth, day and night, good and evil, and so forth) that life can exist. Spirit of the Tao embodies all of these struggles, divination, and ambiguities of life.” (D-Tron, Spirit of the Tao #1, June 1998)

The story is well-written and well-structured. This comic doesn’t bog the reader down with a bunch of background in the first issue. Actually, it contains virtually no background information. The story hits the ground running with action as we find the two main characters, twins Jasmin and Lance, basically beginning the fight for their lives while not knowing who they truly are. We find out about them as they find out about themselves. This is a masterful approach to storytelling.


In issue two we learn who these siblings truly are; the offspring of the great dragon spirit. We also learn about the power groups surrounding the lives of these two teenagers, The Jaikap and
Joseph Chamberlain’s group. One of the greatest things about this point of the story is the twins and the reader are not sure which of these groups is good or evil. The entire series lasts seventeen issues, and each one leaves you itching to read the next.


Issue three mostly covers the background as to how the twins are born and the struggle between the Jaikaps and Joseph Chamberlain. This completes the launch of the series and gives the reader a real sendoff to the story to come.


Even though the story is superb, the artwork is this series’ greatest asset. It is a melt-your-eyeballs-right-out-of-your-skull feature of the comic. Each page is filled with amazing colors and details. Throughout the series are double-page images that depict complex themes and scenes. In the first issue there is one on pages 16 and 17 depicting Jasmine swimming underwater with Lance’s face (enlarged) looking down on her while they share a telepathic communication. There is another double page spread on pages 20 and 21 showing the twins meeting the Jaikap. The details in both of these images are amazing. It is almost impossible to notice every nuance.


My only reservation with this series is the dialogue. There are a few grammatical errors and missing words and/or letters throughout the series. I feel this blame falls on the letterer and the editing team. Fortunately this is a minor error in my book.


My recommendation for all of you is to keep an eye out for this series. It is worth buying and reading. I am not sure if there ever was a trade edition for, but that would be a good way to read this amazing story.