Turning Sergio Leone’s epic spaghetti western trilogy into a comic book is no easy task. The things that made Leone’s films so great – their epic scope, their operatic vendettas and ingenious use of action, their masterful drawing out of pacing – do not lend themselves to the concise form of comic panels.

The first issue of Christos Gage’s adaptation picks up shortly after the third film. Blondie is hunted by both the Union army (for blowing up their bridge) and the Confederates (for stealing their gold).

There are some fairly straightforward action scenes, and not much else besides this set up. Hopefully, as the series unfolds, they’ll be able to develop the more Leone-esque aspects of storytelling.

Grade: B

The Man With No Name #1 is currently available.