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The
Phantom: The Singh Web
The Ghost Killer
The Treasures of Bagalla
Ron Goulart, Ben Raab
Moonstone
http://www.moonstonebooks.com
Adventure
Comic book
46 pages
$6.95 US
The Phantom, protector of Bagalla, finds himself facing a wide variety of
foes in these three, self-contained issues.
In "The Singh Web," the Phantom saves a group of archeologists
from bandits and recovers a small, ornate gold box. His curiosity over the
meaning of it leads him to New York City. A mysterious Shaolin Monk who
understands more about the box and its evil contents than any one else
follows him.
In "The Ghost Killer," the Phantom and his wife team up to foil an
arms smuggler who has managed to perfect ways of passing guns through
customs undetected. Determined not to let the Phantom ruin things, he sends
an unlikely assassin, the extremely sexy La Castillana, to track him down.
Ben Raab wrote both of these stories.
In the first issue, he captures the flavor of Chinese mysticism neatly. I
thought the monks were well portrayed. Their actions in dealing with an
injured man, who turned out to be anything but, made great sense. I also
liked the quick introduction to the Phantom, a summary that starts in this
first issue of the series and neatly catches the reader up to the story at
hand.
In the second story, the interplay between husband and wife really shines.
Diana is just as strong and capable as her masked husband. In many ways,
this approach is refreshing. I like the fact that she knows who he is. She
doesn't always easily accept it, because she wants to be a family with him.
He sends her and the kids away from Bagalla, ostensibly so that they can go
to school and she can work at her UN job, but truthfully its so that he
doesn't have to worry about their safety. I think that she would rather stay
home and face the dangers with her husband ... as it should be.
Fernando Blanco is the artist. I loved almost everything he did. His action
scenes are well done and his characters very expressive. Occasionally his
women bother me. I think they are sometimes too hard-faced to be really sexy
or likable, but that may just be my perspective.
The final issue is done by a different team. Ron Goulart is the writer. He
starts off with a team of archeologists packing priceless artifacts so they
may be taken, safely, to a museum. Bandits come to steal this cargo and are
interrupted by the Phantom, who, for once, is overwhelmed by their numbers.
Determined to get the treasure back, he begins, with the help of a reporter,
to track down leads. Unfortunately, his wife has been kidnapped, putting the
case on hold ... or is it?
In these three complete stories, we get a new way to read and enjoy the
Phantom. Some of us, who live in the country and only get the newspaper when
we are looking for work, give up reading things like the Phantom because
it's impossible to keep going. How can you possibly follow the plot when you
are only buying a Sunday paper a couple of times a month? This series cures
that problem by presenting exciting adventures with the same stylistic feel
of the Lee Falk strips.
In some ways, being able to sit down and read the whole story gives us more
room. We have a chance to explore the Phantom at greater depths and see more
interplay between him and the rest of his family. Things that get skipped
for the sake of the much smaller amount of time you get in strips can be
included her. The result is that the reader can get closer to the Phantom
and see him as a human rather than a straight super hero. It also allows us
to read the whole tale, without having to worry about missing the next
issue.
5 out of 5 rings
Cindy Lynn Speer, GWN Reviewer
3-3-03
Kolchak:
The Night Stalker
The Night Stalker
The Get of Belial
Jeff Rice, Joe Gentile
Moon Stone Books
http://www.moonstonebooks.com
Comics
Prestige Trade
2002
64 pages
$6.50
ISBN 0-9710129-3-8 & 0-9712937-0-8
I never saw the TV series, but I do remember, when talking about TV series
that we missed, my parents both agreed that Kolchak: Nightstalker was at the
top of the list. After reading these two installments, I can understand. A
vampire slayer before Buffy came on the scene, Kolchak starts off as a Las
Vegas reporter with a relentless drive to cover the story at any costs.
In the first book of this series, adapted by the creator of the book from
which the TV series sprang, Jeff Rice, Kolchak starts off investigating the
strange deaths of several Las Vegas women. The blood of all three has been
drained dry. Yet, the police and politicians have all agreed to create a
media blackout, denying that anything is wrong ... or more wrong than the
murders of three innocent women. When a hospital is robbed of blood, Kolchak
is convinced that the perpetrator thinks he is a vampire. Kolchak is only
half right.
In the "Get of Belial," Kolchak is covering a mining strike in
West Virginia. At the same time, a mysterious family comes to town. They
keep something in a cage, some entity they treat like family. When the
creature escapes, the owner of the mine is killed. Even though the police
chief is willing to believe that the cause is something rational, such as a
miner going after the man with a pick axe, Kolchak remains unconvinced, and
investigates.
I get the idea from the masthead that these are original episodes of the
program, adapted to the comic book form. While original creator Jeff Rice
tackles this first one, Joe Gentile lends his talents to adapting the second
one. Both writers do something quite amazing ... they write the story with
the same feel to the prose, using the same, utterly Kolchak voice. Kolchak
is a hard-boiled investigative reporter and his narrative is just slightly
cynical, which is what brings greater credibility to him. He would not
easily believe in vampires or werewolves, but after putting the pieces
together, he can draw no other logical conclusion. Instead of going nuts, he
says, "Okay, if the guy thinks he's a vampire, let's treat him like
one. I'll bring the stakes."
There is also a creepiness mixed with wonder, particularly in the second
issue, where there is a healer whose strength and selflessness is really
remarkable. The characterizations are full, whether the person is a
prostitute or a coal miner. The art is also very rich -- in the first issue,
Gordon Purcell pencils and Terry Pallot inks. In the second Art Nichols
takes both jobs.
Whether you miss the series, or like me, were too young to be allowed to
stay up and see it, these comic book adaptations are a satisfying entry into
Kolchak's world.
4 out of 5 stakes
Cindy Lynn Speer, GWN Reviewer
3-03-03
Ruse:
Enter the Detective
by Mark
Waid (writer) and Butch Guice (Penciller)
Cross Gen Comics
ISBN 1-931484-19-8
$15.95 US
www.crossgen.com
July 2002
On the surface, it looks like a simple Victorian detective novel. All
of the elements are there -- you have Simon Archard, a genius who can solve
murders and other such mysteries in a matter of moments. There is also
Emma Bishop, his long suffering partner -- or, if you listen to Simon,
assistant -- a young woman with a need for adventure. In the first few
scenes, Simon solves a crime after a brief study of the evidence, and
the killer takes a hostage in a last ditch effort to escape prosecution.
When the hostage suddenly plummets towards her death, Emma commits the
one act that shatters your preconceived expectations...she stops time.
Suddenly, the whole world and what you think should happen changes.
The City of Partington opens its gates fully, and shows you a world
where gargoyles flit about like pigeons, where magic is possible...but not
widely accepted. Emma herself keeps her powers a secret from Simon, as
part of! some strange wager she has with an unknown person. She has to
learn to trust Simon, despite his highhanded, cold logic ways, because only
if she learns to trust him, will she be able to accomplish her goal -- to
teach Simon compassion.
This six issue story arc also introduces us to Miranda Cross, who I am sure
we'll be seeing more of in the future. Seductive and mysterious, what
the wealthy Baroness wants with Partington is uncertain at first, but her
motives clearly indicate that she is up to no good.
Emma is the person who tells us the story. She is the perfect
narrator, acting the part of Watson to Archard's Holmes, but with much more
intelligence. She's sensible, with a wry sense of humor that makes her
a pleasant companion. She is also very daring, not afraid to dig into
graves or to present herself as bait. Archard is much harder to get
next to, for he is very much like a slightly less misogynistic
Sherlock Holmes. They get along well together, mostly because
she is willing to bend a bit. Sometimes he shows -- never tells -- her
real affection, such as one scene where he cups her face, which gives us the
feeling that if he were to learn to accept any kind of emotion, he would
have to admit some genuine liking for her. But now, she is simply his
hardworking assistant who is usually just this shy of adequate. The
possibility of him softening up -- and her obvious interest in him that she,
herself, probably d! oesn't realize (though no one gets that jealous of a
man she doesn't have some sort of emotional interest in.) gives a nice
romantic tension. Also, Archard's almost supernatural intellect gives
the mystery some spice, because you can't wait to see what clever plan he
has for getting out of the situation. The mystery works well,
unrolling itself sensibly as Emma and Simon chase down the clues.
Perhaps the hardest thing about any serial form is to build hints into the
context. Four or five issues down the line, you may need a
foreshadowing of a character or event, yet it's too late to go back and
place it in. Mark Waid shows a strong grasp of this, tucking in many
hints that worked out well in the story, and laying down many things for
future episodes. The story is wonderful...I really enjoy Emma as a
character, and can find myself admiring Simon.
The art is amazing. In the first part, Butch Guice handled the
pencils, and Mike Perkins added the inks, and in chapter six Jeff Johnson
and Paul Neary took over these duties. I thought each team was great,
creating the wonderful architecture of Partington, as well as making the
women look beautiful, but not overdone. I especially enjoyed the
gargoyles, who fly on the edges of the panels, no two alike. I also
thought Laura Depuy and Dave Lanphear's choice colors were beautiful and
evocative.
Ruse: Enter the Detective has made a wonderful start, and I am looking
forward to seeing how future issues resolve the conflicts began in this
collection.
4 out of 5 inkwells,
Cindy Lynn Speer, GWN Reviewer
11/22/2002
Vampire
the Masquerade:
"Ventrue"
"Toreador"
"Nosferatu"
Moon Stone Books
http://www.moonstonebooks.com
Reviewed By Cindy Speer
On the surface, these three one-shot comic books seem like an introduction.
People who enjoy role playing games will find the title familiar, as it is
also the name of a very popular vampire rpg put out by White Wolf. Venture,
Toreador and Nosferatu are the names of vampire clans that walk the night,
unknown to most mortals. There are other clans...Bruja, Malkavians and
Gangrel, but it is the first three that concern us for now.
These are not the stories of the clans, although Rafael Nieves manages to
place a lot of history within these roughly 46 page volumes. This is
especially true of "Toreador," where a mysterious man named Victor
explains to Jane Fordham the roots of vampire history, starting with their
forefather, Caine. Toreador is about Jane, who seems to struggle with her
alter ego Fanny Fang's glamorous reputation. When she puts on the wig and
fangs, and steps out in front of the camera to commentate on the B horror
film she's introducing, she's another person, famous, risqué and beautiful.
When she goes out on the street no one recognizes her, not even the fans who
congregate outside the station, hoping for an autograph. Vince Locke's
incredible art really helps this transformation. Many times, in this
situation, an artist will simply draw two different women who look
approximately the same. If you pick out a panel with Jane in it, and one
with Fanny, you can compare the two and see that yes, it is the same women.
It emphasizes how expectations and good makeup can make someone a totally
different person. It's an interesting commentary on fame and
expectations...if her fans really looked at Jane, they'd know that their
idol was standing next to them, but since her blonde hair and sensible
demeanor (as oppossed to Fanny's darker sensuality) don't mesh with what
they are expecting to see, they pass her by. It makes you wonder how many TV
personalities or stars you've passed on the street. A special treat is Vince
Locks' art depicting - and capturing - the feel of the old black and white
vampire movies.
As I mentioned, these stories are not about the history of certain clans as
much as they are character pieces. They define the clan they are named
after, especially in the issue "Ventrue." Andy Bennett draws this
story, and his subtlety of emotion in the expressions of the characters is
amazing. Best friends and roommates Beth and Anne meet a nice young man
named Chris...as Chris and Beth become closer, Beth becomes obsessed,
thinking that Chris has to be evil. Though this characterization piece
neatly studies our obsessions and insecurities, I thought it was the weaker
of the three stories.
My favorite story of the three was Nosferatu. A newly-crowned beauty queen
with an overbearing father runs out to celebrate with friends, and finds
herself entangled in the world of the Nosferatu, who are the information
gatherers of vampire kind. A secret prisoner of Malachi, who decides to keep
her, sharing his joy of knowledge with her instead of drinking her blood. A
bit of a demented beauty and the beast story, Malachi has a strange sort of
charm despite his unreal looks. Kirk Van Warmer has a marvelous way of
depicting Malachi's delight in his captive, who is happy to be away from her
life. The story says some very bitter sweet things about masques...and what
is inside of us.
To be honest, I've never really played Vampire: The Masquerade, but I
enjoyed these stories. They are darkly ironic, well drawn tales fit for
anyone who enjoys the dark world of the vampire. |
Three
Fingers