Sounds
like something out of a 1940’s or 50’s television or radio serial
doesn’t it?
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And
you really almost can, until you sit down and read this wonderful
mini-series from the ever fertile mind of one of my favourite comic
creators of all time - the reclusive Joshua
Dysart.
Eisner-award nominated writer, NY Times best seller and border-line
cult figure to those familiar with his work, Dysart has made a
reputation for great stories and ideas often fantastic in their lack
of outer complexity, yet containing a darker themed core within. His
comics tend to be explorations of the human condition and more often
in regard to our violence and fascination with it and with human
horror. His works such as Violent Messiahs (which I plan to write
about soon, I promise!) are almost seminal works in their own unique
ways.
Never
over-the-top or disgusting or disturbing, Dysarts work simply leaves
you wanting more and yet happy to be finished at the same time. But
still able to be read over and over. To me that puts him in a league
all his own in terms of being a story-teller.
This
particular series however, reads a little bit different from his
usual work and is a tad less dark - partly that’s because this
series is a beautiful little love-letter to the golden age of comics
and characters like The Rocketeer, Buck Rogers, Phantom
and even a touch of stuff like Indiana Jones in the way
it’s all told. (Woohoo!!) And given that he has worked not just on
offbeat stuff like Swamp Thing or on more mainstream
superheroes, but his previous experience in pulp icons like Conan
and Hellboy show that he is no stranger to the style
and sensibility.
