(A note: while writing this, the Grand Comics Database is down, so this is a lower quality picture, and lacks a link to the statistics page. I'll fix this once the GCD is back up.)
The epic conclusion to the first storyline, which has actually been an origin story for a couple of the characters. What I noted about Duursema's art the other day has ceased to be a problem. There were no moments in this issue in which I felt like I was looking at statues rather than golems, if you'll pardon the referential humour. Even the dialogue has ceased to spell out (I did it again) every movement and action, so, overall, this was a really satisfying read. I notice from the cover date that I was 15, almost, when this comic came out, and I still for the life of me can't understand why I would have given this series up when I did (as I did 3 issues from now). It really seems to sum up just about everything I was interested in at the time. (This was, of course, one year before I discovered sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll.)
I am a little concerned about the series moving forward, as the writing chores are relinquished by Fleisher and handed to Dan Mishkin (whose name appears on this cover, but who is not the scripter of this issue). As with Duursema, I've relatively little work by Mishkin that's not fantasy or sci-fi, two very under-represented genres in my collection and, let's be honest, in North American comics in general. But perhaps that means the he'll have a good grasp of how a fantasy story based on a table-top role-playing game should read.
(I have to note, again, what good shape this comic is in. I must have read it maybe once and then never touched it again. It doesn't even have those little tiny creases along the spine that would earn it a "Very Fine" rating.)
As far as moving forward with this series, I'm enjoying it immensely. The whole run only lasted 36 issues, though, as I've noted, I stopped well short of that number. I only have 3 issues of the next story arc, but I think this is the first series I've come across in this project that I'd like to finish collecting. So before galloping with Timoth into "The Spirit of Myrrth" (a lighter-hearted story, as you might glean from the title) part one, I'll have to find part four first. I do so like a challenge.
See you tomorrow with.....I have no idea.
No comments:
Post a Comment