Reviewer: Kent Miller, kentthayermiller@hotmail.com
Quick Rating: Excellent!
Story Title: Planet Heist, Part 1
Return of the Accidental Earthman
Written by: Andy Diggle
Penciled by: Pascal Ferry
Colored by: Dave McCraig
Lettered by: Rob Leigh
Associate Editor: Tom Palmer, Jr.
Editor: Eddie Berganza
“Catherine Zeta-WHO?”
[Scene]
Kent: Hey! Did you hear? I’m going to be reviewing
Adam Strange at Com-X-Fan!
Mr. Friend: Strange? Awesome, man. Th’ Sorcerer Supreme, on the scene!
Kent: Umm…no. Not Dr. Strange. This is
Adam Strange, from DC Comics. I don’t think you understand…
Mr. Friend: Oh? Never heard of him then. What’re his powers?
Kent: Powers? Well, he’s pretty smart and he flies with a rocket. Oh! And he’s frequently abducted.
Mr. Friend: Like, by aliens?
Kent: Naturally. But anyway, he likes it.
Mr. Friend: That’s freaky, dude!
Kent: He’s a classic character—I can’t believe you’ve
never heard of him…
Mr. Friend: What can I say man? He’s not a very big name…
[End Scene]
And so returns Adam Strange to the DC Universe. While his fan following is devoted, he is hardly a household name. Despite his pulp sci-fi roots and his infectious persona, Adam has not caught on as some of his contemporaries did. I feel that this is quite a shame. The tales told in
Adam Strange have the trapping of classic comic book science-fiction, and the latest incarnation,
The Return of Adam Strange does not disappoint in keeping the Strange legacy on the forefront of American sci-fi.
Not long ago, when encountering the character Adam Strange, I would have probably reacted much like “Mr. Friend” in the scene above. I’m sorry to say this, but I was not aware of his exploits. I
had heard
of him, but he simply was not on my superhero radar. This title went a long way towards making Strange one of my favorite characters in recent memory.
The creative team here is highly worthy of praise. I had previously been aware of Andy Diggle on his espionage book
The Losers, and I expected the same quality of action and suspense here. Diggle delivers. The dialogue is entertaining throughout—Detective Nowlan gives off a seedy “Agent Smith” vibe when he says “verisimilitude”. Through his words alone Adam not only shows us his intelligence, but also his emotional distance from planet Earth. The retelling of the origin in the beginning does not seem redundant, and why should it? How many of us “newer” readers actually know the intricacies of Strange’s origin by heart? It’s a necessary and useful device showing just what he had to lose.
I also love the name-dropping of prominent figures and institutions in the DCU. Wonder Woman, Arkham Asylum, the JLA, and even Superman are all mentioned, and I feel I know why. Not only does it feel natural, but it also makes a great statement: Adam Strange is part of the DC Universe. You’re probably thinking, “Yeah, I coulda told ya that, smarty,” but really think about it. He is a self-exiled Earthman, but he could be a heavy hitter among superheroes if he so wished. He rubs elbows with Superman and the League, and has even fought alongside fellow Earth heroes in times of need. Adam Strange may seem be a “second stringer”, but that is only because
he keeps himself distant. He
could be as big as the Flash or Green Lantern—he has the brains and more importantly the courage. Being a “back-up hero” is all a matter of perspective.
As far as the art goes, Ferry and McCraig have achieved some very timely affects. The book’s pencil work, expertly and gorgeously drafted by Ferry, goes straight to the coloring, bypassing the inking stage. This is by no means a new process, but one that has only recently become a popular
and viable method of finishing comic art. McCraig’s colors are misty and dreamlike, a breathtaking achievement. The reason I referred to the style of the book’s art as “timely” was because it so reminded me of another pulp fiction, the recently released film
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Both have roots in good old-fashioned science fiction of the 30s and 40s (just look at Strange’s super costume and rocket), and a comparison is not unfounded. The artistic tone is very similar in many places, and the foggy quality is the same. The only problem I’d have to not about the art is the exact same problem I found with select scenes in
Sky Captain: at times the art can be
too foggy and
too unclear. In the early pages of
Adam Strange there are some scenes where it is not only dreamlike but ghostlike. This might suit the tone but it is uneasy on the eyes and can be reigned in considerably. The last pages are extremely improved, much resembling an inked look but without many of the harder edges. As I have attested in my previous reviews, I am a sucker for coloring, and the richness of McCraig’s work certainly wins points from me.
The writing is perfect and the art is nearly as good, so what could possibly hold people back from purchasing this book? The only thing that I can think of is unfamiliarity with the character. One people read this first issue that will change. Although I’ve only become truly acquainted with the character, I feel as if I know him thoroughly. Dodging angry cops to return to his adopted homeworld lets readers know that he is a devoted husband and father, a great romantic. Swiping a speeding jet-pack in mid-plummet shows us that he’s not only a “lateral thinker”, but a real bad-ass when he has to be. There are so many facets to Adam Strange, there is no doubt in my mind that if new readers try this book it will feel like visiting an old familiar friend.
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