By Frank Thorne (Ken Pierce Books)
ISBN: 0-912277-31-9
Frank Thorne is one of the most individualistic talents in American comics. Born in 1930 he started his comics career drawing romances for Standard Comics alongside the legendary Alex Toth before graduating to the better paid Newspaper strips to illustrate the Perry Mason adaptation for King Features Syndicate. He went to Dell/Gold Key, where he drew Flash Gordon, Jungle Jim, The Green Hornet, and the seminal sci-fi classic Mighty Samson.
At DC he did some unforgettable work on Tomahawk and Son of Tomahawk before being hired by Roy Thomas at Marvel to illustrate his belated breakthrough strip Red Sonja, a fantastic fantasy strip that would shape the rest of his career.
Forever connected with feisty, earthy, highly sexualised women, in 1978 he created the outrageously bawdy (some call her vulgar) swordswoman Ghita of Alizarr for Warren’s adult science fantasy anthology 1984/1994 as well as such adult satirical strips as Moonshine McJugs for Playboy and Danger Rangerette for National Lampoon. He won the National Cartoonists Award for comic books in 1963, an Inkpot Award and a Playboy Editorial Award.
In 1984 he crafted this enchanting moody hard-science detective thriller for Heavy Metal, foregoing swords and sorcery for star-ships and ray-guns, but the sassy, compelling strong woman figure is still present in the darkly sexy police agent Lann. Fresh from a rejuvenation treatment that literally takes years off her she’s sent to the decadent Neon-Six to investigate the kidnapping of two girls – apparently the children of the most notorious gangster in the system. But as is always the case things are not what they seem…
With the frankly useless droid Glitch and her old partner and bed-mate Shard (who’s still awaiting his youth treatment) she negotiates a maze of lies and blaster-fire to uncover a dastardly plot that affects the entire system in this very adult, very entertaining romp reminiscent of both Barbarella and Blade Runner.
This slim oversized tome also includes a couple of photo-articles of the artist and his many lovely models plus a fascinating piece on the storyboarding of the (sadly never released) concept video. The accompanying sketches and notes provide a revealing glimpse of how a true original makes it all happen.
Thorne is much more appreciated in Europe than in English-speaking countries but with modern sensibilities we should re-examine the writing and incredible art of this superb comics all-rounder. This is definitely a book any broad-minded, grown-up aficionado will adore. Let’s hope somebody revives it soon…
© 1984, 1986 Frank Thorne. All Rights Reserved.