Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #3

By: Peter Hogan (story), Chris Sprouse (pencils), Karl Story (inks), Jordie Bellaire (colors)

The Story: In times of crisis, people turn to their gods for help—sometimes literally.

The Review: At first glance, you’d think six issues would be plenty for what appears to be an old-school, superhero romp. But now that we’re halfway through this series, you’re starting to wonder how Hogan can possibly wrap up his story in just three more issues when you feel like it’s barely started. For a plot wherein the lives of one important character and millions of other innocents hang in the balance, it doesn’t have much of a sense of urgency, does it?

You’re starting to see that Hogan made a mistake when he chose to involve a Justice Society-sized squad of superheroes in a mini, especially since very few of us even know who these characters are. Not that it matters; each of them has apparently gone through some fairly significant changes in this plague era on Terra Obscura, necessitating a bunch of introductions for those out of the loop and a bunch of status updates for those in it.

This wasn’t so much a problem last month when you had just a couple Science-Heroes to work with throughout the whole issue, so Hogan had a good amount of time to explore the characters. But here, he brings in new faces on an endless stream: John Lone Eagle, the Ghost, the Red Queen, Pyroman, the Weather Girls, the Cavalier, Thoth, and Set. Each one of them can support an issue on his or her own, but reduced to simply giving a name and a blurb about themselves, their presence in this story feels just a little pointless.

More than that, cutting off a character just as he starts to get interesting makes you feel cheated out of a good yarn. When Hogan introduces us to Thoth and Set, for example, they reveal that they are former Science-Heroes who have apparently become Egyptian gods incarnate (Set, formerly Mystico, remarks, “I had hoped never to hear that moronic nickname again. Behold, how even a god may know disappointment.”) and you’re ready and eager to hear how that happened—and then Hogan just leaves you hanging. And with only three issues left, you’re not likely to ever come back to that plotline.

Even if you can set aside these disappointments, the story reveals other increasingly prevalent defects. Despite the plight that has infected Terra Obscura, everyone seems to be so darn well-adjusted to the situation that the emotional tension never tightens beyond good-humored resignation.* You also can’t help noticing that the story doesn’t have much depth to it. Usually, in these end-times scenarios, people tend to wax philosophical, but Hogan only touches on that kind of thing a couple times, and briefly, without much exploration. So among other flaws, Tom Strong is missing a coherent theme or point, too.

And for a superhero comic, there has been a surprising dearth of action. Last issue didn’t have much to it either, but this one, outside of a few Zorro-like passes by the Cavalier, barely has any. Sprouse is hamstrung by the script as a result. Although his flexible and keen linework looks as pleasing and wonderful as ever, and Jordie’s colors warm and rich, in terms of substance, you don’t get much more than a bunch of very attractive talking heads.

Conclusion: I’m a big fan of the retro stuff as anyone else, but not at the cost of a stagnant and repetitive storyline, even if you have some great art backing it.

Grade: C

- Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: * Though this could just as easily be a byproduct of the characters’ old-timey values. I knew quite a few Depression/WWII-era folks when I was a kid, and one of the things I remember most about them was their inability to be fazed by anything. “Looks like the West Nile virus has killed quite a few folks this side of town, Edna.” “What a shame. Another slice of blueberry pie, dear?” “Well, I will, if I may.”