Green Hornet is the third of three characters to get their own spinoff after the Legenderry series. The steampunk variations work really well for some characters, and the look is great for Hornet and his gadgets. As far as I can tell, there are only cosmetic differences for Kato, but the Black Beauty as an armed airship is a nice twist. 

As with the “standard” Green Hornet, this story is focusing on gangs and madmen. The steampunk just dresses them up a bit differently. In addition to gang warfare and general mayhem, there are a new pair of characters that I’m finding very interesting. It might be a coincidence, but a wealthy man (Grimes), asking a lot of questions about criminals, accompanied by a very confident chauffeur (Mae Jenson) sounds very familiar. I’m wondering if this is some echo of the Green Hornet and Kato themselves. That would be an interesting spin on things.

Plot: The first issue of a limited series tends to be largely setup. If you do that and still make it enjoyable, you’ve done well, and they did. I’m giving this a high 3 out of 5.

Art: The steampunk variations of the characters are nicely detailed, as are the general set pieces. The gangs have some great genre gadgets and the look really nice. My only complaint are a few panels that have no background whatever. Those few ones look unfinished. I’ll give the art a 3.5 out of 5.

Positives: The steampunk look works well for the story and characters. I like how they’re handling the Hornet. It’s an interesting beginning, and I’m curious about how the story plays out.

Negatives: The blank backgrounds that I mentioned were a bit jarring, especially as the rest of the art was really nicely done. One of the characters, the brutal, sociopathic kid, seems a bit uninspired so far. But overall, I really enjoyed it.

The Legenderry series, and the spinoffs, have me following steampunk stories, which I’ve never really had an interest in before. It’s a fun, fresh take on some classic characters, and I’m enjoying the adventure and the story. I recommend these series to anyone with a good sense of fun who is open to new versions of familiar favorites.

Legenderry: Green Hornet 1

Writer: Daryl Gregory
Artist: Brent Peeples
Colorist: Michael Bartolo
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Cover: Joe Benitez and Ivan Nunes