Publisher: Dynamite Comics
Writer: Michael Uslan
Artist: Giovanni Timpano
Release Date: 20th August 2014

Within his Fortress of Solitude tucked away deep in the Himalayan mountains, Doc Savage has constructed a Super Collider with the express purpose of discovering the ‘Wells Particle’; the key to unlocking the mystery of time travel. Unfortunately, the device proves to be unpredictable and tears open a wormhole into 1939, swallowing a passenger jet in the process. In that very year, Richard Henry Benson has uncovered evidence of industrial espionage at the heart of his company and vows to weed out the culprits amidst threats and intimidation from his scheming board members.

Bringing together all three of the ‘Street and Smith Publications’ pulp heroes, this first issue concentrates primarily on ‘The Man of Bronze’, establishing his relationship to Richard Henry Benson, otherwise known as The Avenger. The third figure in our classic triumvirate, The Shadow, is a more peripheral figure at this point, but the issue’s conclusion suggests his involvement will be ramped up in the next instalment. The creative team have attempted to recapture the action/adventure tone of the original books, a vision stunningly emphasised by Alex Ross’ cover art, and admirably continued throughout by Giovanni Timpano, who creates a rich visual narrative, featuring a variety of dynamic layouts set within superbly executed establishing shots.

Writer Michael Uslan has clearly immersed himself in the history of the characters, his dialogue an erudite commentary on their origin, laced with allusions to the their creators. Indeed, the title itself is in fact a reference to the first appearance of the The Avenger in 1939. There are also some not-so-subtle nods to The Twilight Zone TV show, in particular the episode ‘Nightmare at 20,000 Feet’ starring William Shatner. The plot is perhaps a little contrived in places, but is driven forward by up-tempo pacing, and explores contemporary scientific theories, such as the ‘God’ Particle, parallel universes, wormholes, and string theory, without becoming mired in long-winded specifics. It’s a blessing and a curse, as although momentum is maintained, some dialogue is rendered trivial.

I’m unsure how much interest there will be in this title aside from those who are already aware of the characters, but for new readers it’s an accessible introduction to some of comic book history’s most significant forerunners.

Rating: 3/5

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PREVIEW ARTWORK.

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The writer of this piece was: Martin Doyle
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