A by the numbers mafia story mixed with a by the numbers fantasy revenge story. It fit together just fine but it never felt all that compelling. Might be better as a movie?

omg this graphic novel was so damn funny, got me giggling multiple times !!! i’m so damn bad at reviewing comics so bare with me 😩

i really enjoyed the dragon presentation in this book. the idea itself wasn’t really original and also the reason for it being in Green Village in the first place, BUT i really liked the way it looked and what it had to say.
our main guy Sonny Campisi was one hilarious lad who loved solving problems and in such a short period of time, i grew to love his sense of humour and wanted him (and the dragon) to be okay at the end !

as i said, it’s not really original and it all wrapped up rather quickly, but i picked it up wanting something light and quick to read and this just made my day with all the jokes and sarcasm written there. i just really wish it was longer 😩

if you love reading graphic novels and want something fast paced, easy and entertaining, i highly recommend picking this up !!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

CAMPISI: THE DRAGON INCIDENT by James Patrick, Marco Locati is a high-action fantasy. The story revolves around Sonny, who works for the mob. He comes to collect money, roughs up hoodlums, and one day, he's tasked with taking care of a dragon. According to the description, with the arrival of the dragon, "a chain of events begins that will affect everyone who lives in that neighborhood. Especially Sonny."

Overall, CAMPISI: THE DRAGON INCIDENT is an interesting blend of action and fantasy. One highlight of this book is the original premise. I liked watching Sonny as he goes through his day as a "fixer" for the mob. I can't remember reading a graphic novel like this before. I did take off 2 stars, because I just wasn't a fan of the art. The art style is very unique, and I'm sure some people will enjoy it though. If you're intrigued by the description, or if you're a fan of action graphic novels, you can check out this book, which is available now!

Dragon stories always become my favourite. Mixed that with mob gangster story? I think it is interesting idea, even when I dont know how that will happening.

Our MC supposedly is a morally grey mob hitman I think. He also protector the neighbourhood. I saw his internal conflict in this two main roles and the author give a good job to show that. Sadly, the worldbuild kinda loose and lack explanation. I want to know how this fantasy creatures survives its fate and why occasionally come to this small village.

Thanks netgalley for providing my copy.

Right, I have notes.

1. Our main character (the titular Campisi) works for local mafia, who regularly kill off people. Campisi doesn't do the killing, and he doesn't like his boss, but he still works for him - that makes it almost impossible for me to like him.

2. The author seems to try to solve this unlikeability problem by showing people in the neighbourhood being very fond of Campisi, but rarely showing how he actually helps him. It doesn't convince.

3. Campisi is supposed to be funny and witty, but he almost never is, although we get a few characters telling us Campisi is funny. There's an especially egregious bit where a highly intelligent dragon tells Campisi he has a clever mouth on him - I flipped back and reread a couple of pages, he really hasn't. He tends to be slightly sarcastic, in that way movies think is clever, but he's not witty or particularly intelligent.

4. I hope you like crime characters that talk in a way not that far removed from "I-a like-a the paa-staa fazuuul-a!".

5. There's a dragon that is wreaking revenge on the bloodline of people that have killed most of his kin in the past. If the New York neighbourhood doesn't give up that person, the dragon'll burn down the whole neighbourhood. It says something that I was instantly on the dragon's side.

6. Towards the end, Campisi fails to deliver on his promise to the dragon, and he gives a short violence-begets-violence monologue, to a creature who has been on this trail of revenge for what I presume to be centuries, and there is no way that would convince anyone to stop getting revenge.

7. The art works pretty well, but gets too muddy and indistinct during action scenes. The artist makes blood look like black fungus, which also confused me to start with.

8. Campisi tells the neighbourhood people to not mention the dragon flying over. Presumably there are social media at the time of this story, and there is no way this 'incident' wouldn't be all over those.

9. Where is the government in all this? This is a world where dragons, kraken and other monsters regularly show up, and somehow it is up to local crime families to deal with them? Surely there would be a governmental system in place? A dragon flies over a New York neighbourhood and the authorities don't notice?

10. The title is terrible. Nobody knows who Campisi is, and it isn't a name that's interesting or speaks to the imagination.

If you've ever thought "I would love to combine a mob movie with dragons" then this comic is probably for you. Sonny Campisi is a fixer for the mob that controls his small town. But then, a dragon shows up asking for the town to turn over someone or face destruction. It is up to Sonny to figure out who the dragon is there for while dealing with the mafia politics it eventually involves. I loved Marco Locati's dynamic art and James Patrick wrote a very enjoyable story over the four issues.