Dark Horse Comics 2015
Written by Victor Gischler
Illustrated Tazio Bettin
While i’m in love with the premise here but something happened this issue that I actually have a real problem with. How many times was the word Fuck used? It’s generally well accepted that Washington didn’t swear and while okay the word might have been used to suggest intercourse at that time it wasn’t until much later it became used in a less vulgar sense that we are familiar with today. All the swearing that happens is in my opinion inappropriate out of place for all characters concerned. A little more research into proper swearing in that era, Google and Bing for instance, would have shown what terms were commonly used then as compared to today. If you can’t tell it really threw me off this issue I just can’t get past it for some reason it really feels that out of place here for me.
Big thanks though to Tazio here because his work on the interiors are flawless! The attention to detail here really is amazing and Guillotine in action was beautiful stuff. Also look at the backgrounds when Bestys is being yelled at and grilled check out the fireplace I mean c’mon Tazio is really an amazing talent.
So last issue the three friends along with Kate were struck by lightning during Ben’s experiment. This issue we see the effects the lightning has on them. Oh boy oh boy so naturally you see Ben’s brain glow through his skull and Paul and his horse bond but it’s what has it granted Kate and George, that he didn’t already have? Just the thought of a team of well for lack of a better term super friends running around in this era is just the kind of thing to capture the mind and imagination of readers.
That the story already has a built in bad guy is pretty nicely done as well. Kate’s Uncle who happens to be George and Paul’s boss is as nasty as they come and he’s got ambitions that go farther than we realize. We learn he has a map and to what it could possibly lead to and if it’s true then I thank Victor for having them actually have landed before the colonists.
These guys are just not going to have much luck now that after Kate kind of forces George to reveal that he indeed cannot tell a lie thanks to his recent events she goes off to her uncles and steals the map and they meet up with Paul and Ben. The pacing is great the way things happen here go smoothly and naturally nothing feels forced or out of place story wise. Though we do finally get to see what Ben is capable of doing now and that’s pretty interesting since he’s an inventor and his brain has been seemingly expanded, so he “can see the entire universe at once” now.
This is incredibly good, solid and well thought out concept and one that we as an audience can get behind. Swearing does seem out of place here though and i’m surprised it’s so prevalent but that’s Victor’s choice. They have abilities now and a mission and someone trying to stop them oh and there’s a bit of romance too which lights up the past in new and wonderful ways.
I actually like this swearing aside it’s fun, interesting and adds a new element to history plus the interiors are just that darn good you can’t help but admire them. Plus there’s a mystery and an adventure along with a good old fashioned stopping the bad guy. Dark Horse can find some great works to bring to life and this is no exception.