Vado, Dan
About the Author:
As well as writing, Dan Vado is a publisher and retail store owner. He lives in San Jose, California.
AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:
2.8 out of 5
(6 books)
The Griffin Book 1
(Art by Norman Felchle and Mark McKenna)
Book 1 of 6. Matt Williams is a normal suburban teenager until he's recruited by aliens to become a super-powered interplanetary soldier, the Griffin. Twenty years later he returns to Earth in the hopes of picking up the threads of his abandoned life there.
This isn't a bad start to the series, with an intriguing premise acting as the main hook. The emotional core of the story is Matt having become weary of being a super-soldier and seeking to return to the life he left behind. However, it's given a bit of a sting in the tail by the fact that Matt's kind of a jerk and never once considers how his absence and return will impact the people he cares about.
Overall, a solid but not exceptional start.
3 out of 5
The Griffin Book 2
(Art by Norman Felchle and Mark McKenna)
The second book sees Matt Williams, the Griffin, contemplating the effects his return to Earth has had on those he cares about. He is soon confronted by Carson, a young super-soldier seeking glory by taking down the renowned Griffin, and their battle causes devastation.
Here Matt shows more maturity and self-awareness than he did in the previous book, making him a more engaging protagonist. The inclusion of Carson also holds a mirror up to Matt, showing him who he used to be and allowing him to contemplate who he wants to be.
3 out of 5
The Griffin Book 3
(Art by Norman Felchle and Mark McKenna)
As Matt recovers from his battle with fellow super-soldier Carson, the militaries of both the Acacian Empire and the United States move to react to the conflict, with the former preparing to invade the planet and the latter secretly getting hold of Carson's body.
There's not much to be said about this book that I didn't say about the previous two volumes, with this being a perfectly adequate but not mindblowing continuation of the series. I do feel I should take this opportunity to say how much I hate the design of the Acacians, however. They're basically humanoid bananas and any scene they're in makes the whole book feel sillier and less credible as a result.
3 out of 5
The Griffin Book 4
(Art by Norman Felchle and Mark McKenna)
Matt Williams, the Griffin, discovers another super-soldier living on Earth; Mary Wayne, the sole survivor of her homeworld and sworn enemy of the Acacian Empire. Whilst Matt attempts to defuse tensions peacefully, Mary is dead-set on taking the fight to the Acacians.
I like the idea of having Matt confront another super-soldier who also chose to desert the Empire and, much like Carson in Book 2, she holds up a mirror to Matt himself. Despite liking her inclusion, however, I struggled to get past the fact that Mary Wayne is her original name. 'Mary Wayne' from the distant planet Assirion. Very jarring.
3 out of 5
The Griffin Book 5
(Art by Norman Felchle and Mark McKenna)
As the military launches a coup to oust all of the Acacian agents on Earth, the planet becomes the centrepiece in powerplays of the Empire.
This book shows us a bit more of the Acacian Empire's internal politics, which adds an interesting new dimension to the storyline. I also liked how none of the agendas involved are necessarily outright evil but all of them are tacitly okay with the devastation of Earth, a nice exploration of the callousness of individuals in positions of power.
The banana-in-a-suit design of the Acacians continues to irritate me, however.
3 out of 5
The Griffin Book 6
(Art by Norman Felchle and Mark McKenna)
The conclusion to the series sees Matt faced with the dilemma of how to peacefully end his conflict with the Acacians in such a way that Earth is safe from reprisals.
This is a slightly disappointing end to the series, really. There's no final clash or confrontation, no comeuppance for any of the antagonists and no satisfying ending for Matt himself. I suppose it could be argued that this negotiated ending where no-one is entirely happy is a more realistic one but, in a story with superheroes and alien empires, was anyone really looking or hoping for a realistic ending? I certainly wasn't.
2 out of 5
Read more...
DC Comics (here)