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HAWKWORLD

3-issue Prestige Format limited series

Originally published in 1989

TIMOTHY TRUMAN: Plot, dialogue, layouts, and pencil art

ENRIQUE ALCATENA: Ink art

SAM PARSONS: Color art



Of all the post-CoIE reboots that DC Comics did in the 80s, Tim Truman's Hawkworld was the most controversial, the most misunderstood, and, sad to say, the one that most often gets overlooked by later generations of fandom. That's truly a shame, in my opinion, because I think the Hawkworld mini-series (and, I stress, *only the mini-series* -- more on the ongoing towards the end of this review) holds up *one trillion* times better in 20/20 hindsight than John Byrne's Man of Steel, George Perez's Wonder Woman, Mike Grell's Green Arrow, Green Lantern by Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen, and need I even mention Fr*nk M*ll*r's sequential-art sins committed on Batman?

Because even though Truman was roughly the same age as most of the other people involved in the DCU reboots, he came from a far different branch of fandom -- the Angry, Disenfranchised, Anti-Establisment 70s Youths raised not only on spandex spectacles (if at all), but also on Joe Kubert's Sgt. Rock & Viking Prince & Enemy Ace & Hawkman, Alberto Giolliti's Turok Son of Stone, Don McGregor's Black Panther & Killraven, Doug Moench & Paul Gulacy's Master of Kung Fu, and the best, most psychedelic, and most challenging of the underground "comix" from both that decade and the one immediately before it. When Truman was attending the Kubert School, the only other students with simpatico tastes could be counted on one hand: Steve Bissette, John Totleben, Tom Yeates, and Rick Veitch, all of whom went on to become creators who brought their off-the-beaten-path sensibilities, fully intact, into the comics mainstream.

Truman was no exception. Instead of pouncing on the first available corporate IP, he earned his Hawkworld gig the hard way -- drawing for gaming companies to pay the bills, while finding himself far more in tune with the indie publishers of the 80s, particularly First (for which he drew and co-plotted the cult favorite "Acid-Noir" series Grimjack), and Eclipse (for which he wrote and drew Scout, one of comics' few post-apocalyptic scenarios of the 80s that remains scarily plausible today, even if some of Truman's educated guesses at which countries would do what, and which ones would still be around after the fire, were not quite on the money; Truman also edited and co-plotted Eclipse's 80s iteration of Airboy, transforming the gee-golly kiddie adventures of the Golden Age original into a sort of "A-Team-With-Monsters" which, for better or worse, put Chuck Dixon on the comics map -- and before anyone objects, I reiterate what I've said in the past: Dixon's a talented writer with a big mouth, whose politics seem off-base even to a lot of his fellow conservatives, let alone to moderates and liberals.)

Above all, Truman was (and still is) a comics creator whose talent is matched only by the extra thought & effort he puts into even his paycheck jobs. So by the time DC offered him the big brass ring in the form of the Hawkman reboot, he was ready, eager, willing, AND enough of a business-savvy realist to know going into the project that creators can only push the envelope so far with corporate IP. And that's what makes Hawkworld so remarkable from a modern perspective -- it's not as gonzo or as violent or as subversive as Truman's indie work, yet readers familiar with his indie work will immediately recognize that, despite the superhero/science-fiction accoutrements, Truman does not compromise one iota on his convictions, or on his opinions on mature, complicated Real Life topics:

- Class warfare? Check.

- Institutionalized racism? Check.

- Inter-galactic (read: international) warmongering? Check.

- Colonization as glorified rape and pillage? Check.

- Hypocrisy and cover-ups from the closely intertwined government and military? Check.

- The disenfranchised on the streets making hard, sometimes deadly, and often no-win choices just to keep themselves alive?

- Generals, politicians, and the rest of the ruling class in their glass towers, high on drugs, spirits, and the most depraved forms of decadence? Check.

- Outsourcing? Check.

- Loss of previously sacrosanct tradition and culture? Check.

Admittedly, that's one hell of a lot of stuff to pack into only three double-sized installments, and if Hawkworld could be said to have any real flaws, it's that, while the first two-thirds are impeccable, the final third feels a bit truncated, as if Truman was determined to squeeze in everything he wanted to say, regardless of whether or not the story would lose some of the depth and substance of the first two-thirds. But even with its horror-movie-ish climax, and a perfunctory ending (possibly editorially mandated over Truman's wishes?) which too blatantly sets the stage for the ongoing series, Hawkworld nevertheless emerges as a near-masterpiece. Everything that fans loved about the Silver Age Hawkman is still there -- winged space cops swooping from dizzying persepcitves, action aplenty, operatic vistas of outer space -- but something extra, something special, had been added to the mix. Unfortunately, many readers at the time were too distracted by what was on Hawkworld's grimy, edgy, challenging surface to appreciate that it was the closest to The Best of Both Worlds that a mainstream comics reboot of an all-ages superhero could ever hope to deliver.

Truman was taken to task for showing his protagonist, Hawkman-in-the-making Katar Hol, as deeply fallible, drug-addicted...



Years later, in an interview from the mid-late 90s, Truman plainly stated that all he was trying to show through his portrayal of Katar Hol was that, in his words, "heroes aren't created instantly by seeing a bat fly through the window." In that same interview, he also claimed that, in the immediate aftermath of Hawkworld, many fans on the convention circuit had been verbally abusive towards him, some even threatening him with physical abuse!

And, unfortunately, things would only get worse from there with the Hawkworld ongoing series. Despite the pedigree of co-plotter/scripter John Ostrander -- who'd been Truman's frequent collaborator in the 80s, most notably on Grimjack, and a good friend -- and despite Truman himself sticking around long enough to co-plot the first several issues, I've always regarded the ongoing as a qualified success at its best, an abject failure at its worst. I felt, and still feel, despite not having re-read the ongoing for many years, that the ongoing preached shallowly to the converted where the mini-series made its best effort to show both sides of difficult topics; that the personalities of Katar/Hawkman and his partner, Shayera/Hawkwoman, so complex and shaded in the mini-series, quickly degenerated in the ongoing into Good Cop-Bad Cop caricature and cliché; and that the alien-cops-on-planet-Earth setup failed to jell into anything satisfying or plausible, even by superhero comic standards.

Thus, I was not at all surprised when I learned a few years ago that Truman's original concept for the Hawkworld ongoing was to have Katar and Shayera land on Earth circa 1940, and to chronologically retell the Golden Age and Silver Age stories with the same respectful-yet-modernized approach which had worked so well on the mini-series. DC, in their infinite wisdom (HA, HA) vetoed Truman's proposal, and forced him and Ostrander to set the ongoing in the present day.

That editorial mandate, in turn, led directly to the infamous, much-debated Hawkman continuity fustercluck, and the beginning of the end for not just this iteration of Hawkman, but, IMHO, for every subsequent one as well, including even the much-lauded Geoff Johns/James Robinson/Justin Gray/Jimmy Palmiotti run in the mid-2000s. No offense to the many people who liked the Hawkworld ongoing and the 2000s reboot, but I, quite simply...did not. The kindest thing I can say is that I loved Kendra Saunders, the 2000s Hawkgirl, and regarded her as a diamond amid the dreck surrounding her.

In the end, what I feel we're left with is a really good, solid graphic novel in the tale told by the Hawkworld mini-series (which was thankfully reissued in trade a few years ago, for new generations to discover, and earlier generations to reassess.) Truman's integrity and work ethic paid off creatively thousandfold, and I'd be remiss not to mention the equally industrious efforts of Alcatena and Parsons. The latter's coloring is especially noteworthy, in that it's far more sensitive and nuanced than, and nowhere near as garish as, the majority of the deluxe-format comics of that time; if I had to make an equitable comparison, the only one I can come up with on the spot is Tatjana Wood's coloring on the justifiably celebrated Swamp Thing run by Alan Moore...and most of Truman's artist/creator friends from the Kubert School. I think that says it all about the level of quality we're talking about here. Just my opinion, of course, but I hope at least some people reading this review will be inspired to find out for themselves.

I have daddy issues. Here, in a forum where I feel safe, I can freely admit that. My dad and I had issues. He was an alcoholic and would keep me at arm's length with his propensity to rage over the least little things. While he served with the Navy, he seemed like he was never there during my childhood, and when he was there, I often wished he was back out at sea. My parents never divorced, but I often wished they had. In some ways I had to be the adult in my family as conflict was a constant, and peace of mind was at a premium.

But, you know what? I loved my dad. Very much. Nearly 12 years ago, cancer invaded my dad's brain, and though the signs were there, I was in such a state of denial that when it took him, it was too late to hash it out with him. It's my biggest regret.

This brings me to Jeff Lemire's The Underwater Welder, an OGN from Top Shelf recommended nearly two years ago in this very thread by Legion World's own Cobalt Kid. I read this 200-plus pager in one sitting last night and really connected with it. I don't think it's a spoiler at this point in my post to say that the title character is dealing with his own daddy issues, both with his father and his own impending fatherhood.

The book has been described as, "the best episode of Twilight Zone you never knew should have existed". In a way, I think that description doesn't do it justice and actually kind of minimizes what the book does. There's a supernatural quality to the story's central events, but there's certainly evidence that quite possibly nothing supernatural happens at all. Part of the brilliance of the book is that this aspect is left open for interpretation. But what it's about more than anything is a man struggling with a huge loss in his life and his own feelings of guilt over it and how it's crippling his own life moving forward.

All of this revolves around his daddy issues, and it connected with me hugely because of the similarities to my own. The father's job as a sea scavenger feels similar to my own's career with the Navy. Both were alcoholics. Both had conflicts with our mothers. Really, some of the scenes felt like they were taken from my life. Being alone in your room while listening to every shouted word of conflict between your parents. Walking into a bar to try to pry your father away from his addiction. Just feeling let down by your parents in big moments.

It all felt very real, and I don't think you have to have had some degree of a traumatic childhood to relate to and feel what Lemire is doing in his story. I think, in any reader, he evokes some real characterization and makes you feel empathy for what is going on as the story and flashbacks unfold.

If you're unfamiliar with Jeff Lemire's art style, it may or may not be a deal-breaker for your enjoyment of this story. His art has a surreal quality, the nearest comparison I can make is to some of the illustrated children's books you may have read growing up. Maybe not so much the ones that you can name readily, but the ones that peek in and out on the edges of your memory. The scratchy faces. The impressionism. The suggestion, if not the absolutely on-spot rendering. That's what Jeff Lemire's art evokes. Often, that's not suitable for most comic stories, but I think it absolutely works here in a story that plays off on fuzzy childhood memories and feels more like the children's book for adults we never read more than some Twilight Zone episode.

I don't know if Underwater Welder is for everyone, but it was most definitely for me. And if you are looking for something that is much more than cookie-cutter comics and has some humanity and mystery to it, I don't think you will be disappointed. And if you, like me, have daddy issues, there's probably some bonus content in there for you.



I guess I owe ya, pal!

I'm so, so glad you finally got around to reading it! From our various personal conversations over the years, I had a feeling (perhaps more of a hope) that you would connect with the Underwater Welder, and I remember distinctly that when I finished it, I couldn't wait to recommend it here on LW, hoping you'd see it and buy it.

It's a pretty masterful piece of art, touching on a difficult and human topic in such a great way. It's definitely made Jeff Lemire a "must-watch" creator, even if some of his non-creator owned / writer-only work doesn't compare to the high level of quality of UW.

Wow, if this book made you think of what you knew of my daddy issues to some degree, this just proves how well you know me.



Definitely. It has me thinking about getting his Essex County, which is what he made his name on. UW was imperfect but really brilliant for those imperfections as much as it was for its perfections.

I was thinking also as I read it about what a great, srtful movie it would make, though I'd fear most filmakers might miss the point.

Yeah, it's a topic we've talked about over the years (including a great story you've told about your Dad reading one of your old comics when you were a kid). I perhaps didn't know just how well it would connect with you, but it definitely made me think you'd want to read it.




I've also thought about checking out Essex County, which people have raved about for years. Haven't done so yet, but its on my radar too. I also never checked out Sweet Tooth, probably because it just didn't "look" like it was for me, and now I'm second guessing that decision.

A fun, and thought-provoking web comic by some locals I know. It's called Superbutch. I'll let the title character describe herself for you:

"At my job, I pretended to be White. At home, I pretended to be straight. And with my friends, I pretended my parents weren't rich, because I wanted them to think I was tough and streetwise."

http://superbutchcomic.com/comic/chapter-1-page-1/

The story flashes back and forth between 1988 and the 1940s. Our heroine is the classic combo of crimefighter and "girl" reporter. It's humorous, done in a loose watercolor style that makes it very "down-home" and touching, too: even with the serious overtones about identity and disguise referred to above.

There've only been a few pages posted so far, but I'm staying tuned in to see where it goes.

L'Histoire Secrete, vol. 25-33, by Pécau & Kordey

I got impatient waiting for the translation of the next volume(s) of The Secret History and got them in French, two omnibus collections and one individual volume. Bit of a slog, and I missed some of the slang, but well worth the effort.

These are beautifully rendered, complex stories of deep conspiracy through the ages.

The brief summary of the story premise: "Since the dawn of time, Dyo, Reka, Aker and Erlin - the four Archons who headed the Four Houses - have fought each other to control the fate of humankind. While Archons have risen and fallen, the world continues to change and time remains their constant antagonist."

Volumes 25-28 cover 1987-1994: Iran-Iraq war, Bosnian war, Aristide/Haiti, drug cartels, Chernobyl. The next omnibus, Volumes 29-32, deal with some Tibetan cult operating in Switzerland (based on a true story? I don't know), the Bush presidencies, 9-11, sinkholes (they're not what you think!), the culmination of Erlin's grand plan and Reka's downfall.

The story of the four Archons seems to end with Volume 32, but the creators are putting out further publications, filling in stories from the past. Volume 33 (a stand alone volume) tells the story of Jesus and the flight from Herod, with the four sibling Archons heavily involved.

These two collections, in addition to the Archons, feature two characters throughout the stories: Bob, a hippie-like CIA operative and O'Neill, a straight-laced FBI agent. Their presence throughout these tales provides further coherence, linking the various events.

That's a super brief summary. The stories are mesmerizing and will certainly merit a second reading. If your French is passable, get out your dictionary and take the plunge into The Secret History!

The latest volumes sound really fantastic! Too bad my French is terrible--I'll have to wait for the English translations.

I can't wait to see the Jesus / Herod story! I was hoping they might be able to return to the past a bit at some point. There's so much potential and the way they fully develop the past (regardless of what era) is incredible, almost a blueprint for other historical fiction creators who either don't go deep enough or get stuck in the ennui.

Volume 17 is now available from both online and old-fashioned booksellers.

Yeah, I have one.

Secret Weapons by Valiant. I think it is on issue 4. I've only managed to wrangle a couple.

It's very much like the X-Men used to be, and that's not just me saying that. A super human weapons program decided to go defunct and murder all of its less useful/weaponized super humans. They go on the run. The most kick butt character is a woman that can talk to birds. There's a guy that can teleport things to him but he dosn't have any control over what he summons. AND there is a guy that can turn to stone. (Stone Boy ... so its like the Legion of Substitute Heroes as well ) The characters have to make the most of their not very useful powers to defend themselves while on the run. We get to see them get better at using their powers which reminds me of the old X-Men comics when they would be clever with their powers, like Storm would slick the ground with ice instead of throwing a hurricane at someone. Also,these super humans are not very popular with humans and police either and they are a stand in for all sorts of minorities and underdogs.

One of the more weaponized super humans tries to help them and take them under her wing. She is like the Engineer and Computo wrapped up in one.

There is a Super Adaptoid or Fury like creature that the company that made the super humans is having hunt them down and kill them.

It's cool, arts pretty good too.

There is an extended preview (you have to scroll down a bit)


Secret Weapons 1 Extended Preview

Once again, Lardy has steered me right! I got a really good bargain on a deluxe edition trade collecting the first 11 issues of Scalped, a series that Lardy promoted in this forum with even more passion than he usually gives in his posts about comics he considers exceptional.

A lot of other people on the web have termed Scalped as being "The Sopranos on a Native American reservation," but even though it's meant as a compliment, I think it sells the series way short of its true quality.

I was never into the Sopranos, or any other TV series about the sordid underbelly of modern America. I couldn't even get into "Breaking Bad," quite honestly. Yet I ate up this Scalped collection like a full tray of fry-bread fresh out of the oven. And make no mistake, this series is NOT for the faint of heart! Writer Jason Aaron (who has gone on to become the Marvel Universe's greatest creative asset) interior artist R.M. Guera, with the always-wonderful Jock as cover artist, are unflinching in their depictions of one Native American community as the ultimate disenfranchised in these supposedly united states. To briefly revive the Sopranos comparison, the character who looms largest in this story, activist-turned-entrepreneur-slash-crime-lord Lincoln Red Crow, is more of a Vito Corleone figure than a Tony Soprano figure. He is extremely intimidating, yet also insulated in the dirty business that he runs, dealing with criminals of all stripes, including the worst criminals of all, politicians (my favorite line comes towards the end of this volume, when Red Crow is conferring with a corrupt Native American political liaison, and the latter quips, "Welcome to the white man's world.") Yet nobody in this microcosm of the so-called free world is without sin, and Red Crow's pragmatism, orneriness, and tenacity come pretty close to making him the closest thing to a character I felt like rooting for. Certainly more than the nominal protagonist, Dashiell Bad Horse, a shaven-headed sh*t-kicker with a bad rep who finagles his way into becoming the leader of Red Crow's goon squad (read: the tribal police.) Bad Horse feels to me like a concession to win over a wider audience, all toxic masculinity and sourpuss attitude. But, if that's what it took to get this story told, then so be it.

My favorite characters other than Red Crow are: Dino Poor Bear, a restless teenager who has fathered a baby daughter out of wedlock, and whose poorest-of-the-poor extended family, sickly in mind, body and soul (with the possible exception of the family's steel-willed elderly matriarch) depend on his meager earnings as one of Red Crow's janitors; and Diesel, who is possibly Aaron's most sublimely inspired creation in this ensemble -- on the surface, he's a white-guy-gone-Native-American who throws violent fits every time somebody calls him that, always punctuated by his belligerent assertion, "I'm ONE-SIXTEENTH KICKAPOO!" Yet even Diesel proves to have a poignant, messy backstory that raises him far above the comedy-relief caricature that a lesser writer than Aaron would settle for.

On a personal level, Diesel resonates deeply with me. And that, I feel, is the quintessence of what Aaron has achieved here -- at any given time, in any given part of the world, one community is at the rock-bottom of society's ladder, and paying the price for it. The varied ways that that community's people deal with these seemingly insurmountable odds proves that there are no rigid categories like "good" and "evil," and that modern society's ever-more pitiful and nauseating attempts to simplify the world into something they can control expeditiously are doomed to a cycle of horrifically bitter (yet often darkly hilarious) failure.

I can't wait to read the remaining four-dozen-or-so installments of Scalped.

Thanks, Lardy!

I told Fick this privately when she PMed me a link to her review via Facebook, but it bears repeating: Scalped may very well be the best comic published in this young century to this point in my opinion. Just reading the above review makes me long for and miss it so much! Such a deep, resonant and character-rich work that should be experienced by as wide of an audience as possible. That's why I wish it would get made into a high-quality, faithful TV series, which would stimulate interest in the source. Plus, it's a story that has something important to say about Native Americans.

She hits on the strength of this series--its fascinating, multi-layered characters. There are many to follow across Scalped's 60 issues, and every one of them has a journey that will take them (and you) to unexpected places.

Dash, it's true, can come off as kind of a caricature, but he's a genuinely angry character, who has let his frustrations govern him. I don't think he ever becomes the most interesting character in the book (that is probably always Red Crow, imo), but he does grow and become much more 3-dimensional as the series progresses.

Diesel...definitely more than he appears to be and has a very crucial role to play in the cast and in the series. Fick's angle is a very valid take on his character. Another take is he's a man that very much needs to be defined by something and latches on to what he has. None of this is meant to belittle his claim on his heritage, but it is a part of his character flaw.

I'm gonna have to re-read Scalped in the next few years!!!

I really need to reread that. It's been so long that a lot of the things you were talking about aren't making sense for me.

Barrier just came out. Issue one and two are available.

New Vaughn. Mini series. Looks like a high-quality tv show.

Barrier Mini Series Vaughn

Coipel and Miller have a new book out.

It is called the Magic Order and reminds me of Jupiter's Legacy.

This one is about magicians, focusing on a family of magicians within the larger sect. One of the adult children is naughty, the other doesn't want to have anything to do with magic.

... But some new big bad is hunting them down and killing them.

It looks great, a bit more sketchy than Coipel's marvel stuff, and the character designs are kinda cool with ideas I haven't seen too much of. Lots of the characters have hats, is one thing. This creative team is good at building tension.

Its kinda like Harry Potter with lots of different takes on magicians.

I'd give it a pretty cool rating based on the art and excitement. I'm a little wary because Jupiter's legacy took a long time to finish and then just seemed like a big smack down even though all these cool characters had been introduced.

Quick one here, which I hope to elaborate on within the week:

I splurged on the 1987 Space Ghost Special from Comico, with script by Mark Evanier, pencils & inks by Steve Rude, and colors by Ken Steacy. And if that doesn't already have your mouth watering...

Almost all the great SG rogues show up (oddly, Moltar, the one who talked with the awesome baritone of the late Ted "Lurch" Cassidy, is the one who is noticeably absent.)

And there's a making-of essay about the original SG cartoon.

My copy was perfectly readable, and went for just a little over nine dollars. Worth every cent.

Quantum Age is pretty cool.


Its like an Allred 5 yr gap story ... yet in this case its 25 years.

I think its pretty interesting, it involves a xenophobic earthgov.



The Martian shape changers are outlawed and hunted down and could easily be stand ins for Durians.


No ... daxxamite like characters yet. Some lass and damsel characters though, and some alien looking characters.

Over all its pretty fun and has me interested with its overarching plot. My only criticism would be its a bit text light or light in depth for the price. I am hooked tho!

Also after having read the whole miniseries I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. I think it could've been shorter. They were trying some creative stuff but ... wasn't worth paying for. Lots of textless panels to convey a certain fact but .... I'd rather the story moved along faster.

So this is what I do for fun.

Every once in a while, our local library gets in the new Squirrel Girl TPB. (North & Henderson)

I check it out.

I am currently reading Volume 7, “I’ve Been Waiting For A Squirrel Like You”, which comprises issues 22-26.

Yes, it’s campy and light, but it is also smart. It makes me laugh.

It won the 2017 Eisner Award for “Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)”. It deserves it.

There are also two Squirrel Girl novels (targeting pre-teen readers) by Shannon Hale. I read them also. Also enjoyable.

Seriously, you should be reading The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.

“There is only one you, so always be yourself. Parallel universes not withstanding, where of course there are infinite other yous. Many with superior fashion sense and better hair.”

https://io9.gizmodo.com/this-weeks-squirrel-girl-comic-has-one-of-the-cleverest-1820260621

I've been buying SQUIRREL GIRL in comics form since North and Henderson started her solo title. LOTS of fun, and those little comments on the bottom of most pages... Seconding your rec for USG, most highly!

I LOVE Unbeatable Squirrel Girl!!! I've read the first 2 trades and have the hardcover with the next 2 in it to read soon. I'd recommend it to ANYone in a heartbeat! It's probably the best thing Marvel's publishing these days!

North and Henderson did an original hardcover story, USG Beats Up the MU!... I'm not sure if it's been collected, but it was a hoot and a half! TWO Squirrel Girls and tons of guest stars!

The recent passing of Marie Severin -- http://www.legionworld.net/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=957716 -- prompted me to revisit what I consider her finest hour on superheroes: "Tales to Astonish" #101 and "The Incredible Hulk" #102 (same series, sudden title change; it's too complicated to be worth explaining.) In this wonderfully entertaining 1968 vintage Hulk 2-parter, the mean green fighting machine ends up in Asgard, manipulated by Loki, Skurge, and Amora into basically going on a rampage and causing a free-for-all between the Aesir and the Trolls. Marie, a passionate fan of the old-timey woodcut-style adventure fantasy art of Harold Foster, N.C. Wyeth, and Howard Pyle, got to show how good she was at emulating her heroes. Best of all, you can find it in color, and cheap, in the late 70s/early 80s reprint series "Marvel Super-Heroes," issues #55 and #56. A truly delightful romp in the classic mode!

I think this might be my first recommendation in this thread?

Anyhoo, I just read a new comic cover to cover for the first time in about... 5 years? A long time anyway. I quit the regular hobby once the DCFU started and now just buy the occasional back-issue. But, while researching who dies in Heroes in Crisis for my recent question in the Titans Trivia Thread, I stumbled across one of those free/illegal(?) comic download sites.

And while there, a cover caught my eye. It depicted a man and a woman embracing against a silhouetted southern-Asian temple and a reddy-purple night sky. So far so ho-hum, but, while the colors and dramatic/sensual pose did pop for me, what really drew me in was the title and its font - These Savage Shores, in a font that was very reminiscent of the ones used on those old romance/horror books that my Mum used to read all the time, like Flowers in the Attic or something. I was intrigued - romance? mystery? horror? exotic locales? This'll probably be nothing but I like that mix so let's take a quick look.

I was blown away by how good this comic was. I'd never heard of any of the creators behind this before but they were all across the board excellent - really strong, evocative writing that established the period setting and its intriguing mix of characters wonderfully; absolutely beautiful artwork that used creative panel layouts and paid wonderful attention to not only the important things in a comic like the story beats and character designs and backgrounds, but all the little things too like panel angles, prop/transport designs and clothing details; and last, but certainly not least, that most-ignored (but definitely not by me) of comic contributions, really excellent coloring! The story switches between day and night and city and jungle and two vastly different major locations, and the colorist does a fantastic job of not only differentiating them, but really establishing the mood of the different places - whether it be heat or cold, or safety or fear and so on. There's one wordless page toward the end of the book that just stopped me in my tracks because it uses color so wonderfully to tell the story.

As for the story, I'll say as little as possible in order to allow you to experience the surprises of the comic as suddenly as I did. Basically, in 1766 a European man harboring a deadly secret is exiled to Calicut in India where he is given lodging by the young Prince of the region. But India is an old country with deadly secrets of its own, and "the nights are full of teeth" (which is a really cool line from the book).

What I didn't realize until after I'd finished the issue and was reading up about it, is that some (or most?) of the creators are in fact from India and have infused the story with not only that real sense of location but also real Indian myths and legends and also real Indian people and events from the time period. It lends the story an authentic feel.

So, These Savage Shores. I highly recommend it. If you would like to read the first issue for free in order to get an idea of whether it's something you'd like to buy, PM me and I'll send you a link. I fully intend to buy this title and support these creators myself (either in floppies or as a TPB).

Thanks for recommending this, Blacula. I looked it up, and the reviews are all great!