By Alex Ross, Sharrieff, Tortosa, Law & Dreamer Design (Dark Horse/TitanBooks)
ISBN: 1-84023-607-8
Older fans may remember the cartoon series from the late 1970s and anime aficionados will tell you it should more properly be called ‘Science Ninja Team Gatchaman’ (if they’re not the smug sort that try to impress you with poorly enunciated Japanese) but this nostalgia friendly revival of the genetically modified band of teenaged superheroes is best remembered as ‘G-Force’.
When picked up and translated by broadcasters outside Japan the show was infamously editorially butchered both in premise and storylines for the protection of the presumably delicate sensibilities of western youth, but in recent years a more faithful, re-mastered version was released leading to talk of a new incarnation and the volume featured here.
Briefly then, when Earth is menaced by extraterrestrial raiders determined to plunder our natural resources only the team of bird-patterned young warriors secretly bred by a maverick governmental advisor has any chance of defeating the overwhelming destructive technology of the aliens. Fast-paced and well-written, the creative team of Munier Sharrieff, Wilson Tortosa, Shane Law and Dreamer Design studios – with some impressive assistance from avowed cartoon fan and all-around Recovering Nostalgic Alex Ross have captured the all-action spirit of the series with great enthusiasm, and the animation style artwork is very engaging.
On slight quibble though is that even with lots of supplemental pin-ups, and covers from the original comic-book miniseries from Image, this is still a frustratingly slim volume. Let’s hope later editions will be a bit more substantial.
© 2003 Sandy Frank Film Syndication Inc. All Rights Reserved.