Street Fighter II #8

Apr 1995. Cover price 95p.
40 pages. Full colour.
Manga Publishing Ltd.

Edited by Cefn Ridout.

Cover by Masaomi Kanzaki, finished art by Lea Hernandez, colouring by Koto Color.
r: UNKNOWN.

Contents:

 2 Paradise Beseiged! in-house advertisement for Appleseed.

 3 Street Fighter II Battle 10: Final, cont. w: Masaomi Kanzaki, translated by William Flanagan; a: Masaomi Kanzaki, lettering and finished art by Lea Hernandez, colouring by Koto Color. / Indicia

r: UNKNOWN.

 4 Ryu (one fifth page) fact file.

 6 Ken (one fifth page) fact file.

 8 Guile (one fifth page) fact file.

10 Zangief (one fifth page) fact file.

12 Dhalsim (one fifth page) fact file.

14 Blanka (one fifth page) fact file.

16 E. Honda (one fifth page) fact file.

18 Chun-Li (one fifth page) fact file.

20 Street Fighter II poster 8 (of 8); a: Masaomi Kanzaki, finished art by Lea Hernandez, colouring by Koto Color.

r: UNKNOWN.

24 Balrog (one fifth page) fact file.

26 Vega (one fifth page) fact file.

28 Sagat (one fifth page) fact file.

30 M. Bison (one fifth page) fact file.

32 Po-Lin (one fifth page) fact file.

34 Wong-Mei (one fifth page) fact file.

36 Gouken (one fifth page) fact file.

38 Get ready martial arts fans! Next issue we start the official comic adaptation of the great new blockbuster Street Fighter movie (one fifth page)

39 First there was... The World's Greatest Beat-Em-Up - Then there was... The World's Greatest Movie - And now there's The World's Greatest Comic!!.

40 All-Out Mecha Action!! in-house advertisement for Manga Mania #21.

Ryu prepares to battle M. Bison, while Guile informs Chun-Li that he has informed Interpol of Shadowlaw, and the Doll situation on Shad. As Bison and Ryu's fight escalates, the Interpol Special Drug Enforcement Division arrives - Chun-Li calls them to hold off on their attack to give Ryu the time he needs...

Yes, it is pretty much one long fight scene, but the close of the story couldn't have played out any other way without cheating fans of the franchise. The coda is a nice touch: Chun-Li continues to take down drug dealers, Ken agrees to look after Po-Lin and Wong-Mei until they can make it on their own, and Ryu sets out to look for someone stronger than himself. The story isn't quite wrapped up in a bow, with a few questions remaining, though I suppose a sequel is likely in order.

Was it, after so much back-and-forth, a story worth breaking into parts? Probably not. I imagine that I'm not alone in feeling that the story has dragged along in small increments, never quite settling into a natural rhythm.

#07

Street Fighter II

#09