#every chapter except for vs chun li + guile and vs balrog is kind of a character assasination for literally everyone involved

[mr-president]

i have more to say now that i’ve processed it but basically cody’s just the most insufferable asshole and he doesn’t even deserve like any of the ego or rapport that he apparently has because the comic’s just him getting his ass kicked

the idea that cody lived in the bubble of metro city, and thus, is truly naive and narcissistic for even thinking that he’s a great fighter is unfortunately an inherently terrible idea because of who cody is. when you have an already established character with a very defined skill, personality, and gimmick, it comes off as completely lazy from the writers. it’s a complete character assassination of everything previously established about him.

cody’s issue is that he wants a fight that will satisfy him. he picks fights with strong opponents and tough guys similar to ryu, except while ryu looks to improve himself and learn, cody does it to relieve the otherwise apathetic dull boredom of his life. and cody’s other issue is that he’s so absurdly strong that he literally can’t get a fight that will satisfy him, which is why he keeps fighting because he feels like he has nothing to learn/satisfy him.

so making comic cody lose, over and over, is kind of the problem. he still carries himself with that apathy and the attitude that he’s the best—that he is absurdly strong—and it just makes him a narcissist unlikable punching bag and removes anything novel or interesting about his character. the tragedy of cody (game) is that he could genuinely do incredible good with his skills; he just doesn’t want to because it doesn’t satisfy him.

also, like the basic gimmick of the final fight characters is that they’re really good at fighting multiple opponents, but in the first chapter (vs eagle, lee, and ryu), he just gets choked out, loses, and haggar and guy have to save him

like, each chapter just feels like it’s trying to convince you that cody’s your average narcissist white guy (which he is don’t get me wrong), but in a way that just makes him just an uncompelling side character.

the worst part is the last chapter (vs jamie) because it treats his mayoral election the same way they do in the games, but cody has literally done nothing to deserve any form of redemption or even likability to celebrate this achievement. not to mention, he’s weirdly…devoted to the role? which counters how he’s written earlier in the comic and his game version.

also jessica shows up and is like “*swoons* oh cody it’s been years we should date again even though i should seriously have my own life outside of you and also you sacrificed our relationship for fighting in either canon so really you’re a walking red flag” which is (if you can read between the lines) a wholly undeserving and unnecessary plot point. this cody is somehow less deserving of jessica than his game incarnation.

honestly, even though this makes me kinda bad by how inaccurate it is, i do think it’s funny jamie kinda kicks comic cody’s ass. is it an absolute character assassination? yea. does comic cody deserve it? oh hell yeah, especially with how he just gets jessica back for no reason.

i wish i could recommend any of this, but i cant! look at it for the art i suppose.

i finally had time to read the street fighter v final fight comic and wow it is laughably awful in terms of writing. what the fuck did they do to you cody. holy fuck it’s so bad.