Tom Strong Book 3

Tom Strong Book 3

By various (America’s Best Comics)
ISBN 1-84576-148-0

A light touch is something sadly scarce in super-hero comics these days, so the third compilation of Science’s Ultimate Hero (collecting issues # 15-19 of the monthly comic-book) is a welcome distraction as it features a few old friends and foes – and plots. ‘Ring of Fire’ by Moore and Sprouse with inking by Karl Story sees the living volcano-man Val Var Garm entice the strong Family into his under-Earth city before joining them on a more formal basis as Tesla’s live-in boyfriend (see Tom Strong Book 2 for more information and thrills).

A three eyed galactic drifter then turns up just ahead of a three part Alien Invasion in a tale first hinted at in ‘Lost Mesa’ (Book 2 again). Summoning all the help they can the heroes head for interplanetary space to destroy an armada of giant ants in ‘Some Call Him the Space Cowboy’ and ‘The Weird Rider: Gone to Croatoan’, ‘Ant Fugue’ and ‘The Last Round-up’ all by Moore, Sprouse and Story.

The follow-up was another short-stories issue with Howard Chaykin illustrating Moore’s adventure of Sexual Impolitics in ‘Electric Ladyland!’, Leah Moore, Shawn McManus and Steve Mitchell reviewed the last moments of arch-villain Paul Saveen in ‘Bad to the Bone’ and Alan, Chris and Karl close the book with surreal fourth-wall-ery as Tom and Tesla become trapped inside a comic-book in ‘The Hero-Hoard of Horatio Hogg!’

With an extended section of pin-ups, this knowing, clever pastiche of a simpler time in comics is a fine way to reminisce with some thing new.

© 2005 America’s Best Comics, LLC. All Rights Reserved.