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,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
By <\/span>Ken Bulmer <\/span><\/strong>& <\/span>Jes\u00c3\u00bas Blasco<\/span><\/strong> (Titan Books)<\/span><\/p>\n ISBN<\/span>:<\/span> 978-1-84576-156-1 (HB)<\/span><\/p>\n So, I’ve just pulled an all-nighter to finish my latest book by deadline\u00e2\u20ac\u201dan obsessive point of pride with me that will kill me someday soon\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand I’m buzzing like a bucket of angry bees. So, too tired to sleep yet, I reach for one of my favourite books to mellow out and wonder again why the hell hasn’t this been rereleased or made available digitally. And why no follow-up releases? Surely, sheer quality must count for something? <\/span><\/p>\n One of the most fondly<\/span>–<\/span>remembered British strips of all time is the startlingly beautiful<\/span> Steel Claw<\/span>. From 1962 to 1973 <\/span>the stunningly gifted <\/span>Jes\u00c3\u00bas Blasco and his small studio of family members thrilled the nation’s children<\/span>,<\/span> illustrating the breakneck adventures of scientist, adventurer, secret agent and even costumed superhero <\/span>Louis Crandell<\/span><\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n Initially written by science fiction novelist Ken Bulmer,<\/span> the majority of the character’s career was<\/span> scripted by comic veteran Tom Tully.<\/span><\/p>\n Our eventual hero began as the assistant to the venerable <\/span>Professor Barringer<\/span><\/em>, <\/span>working to create a germ<\/span>–<\/span>destroying ray. Crandell is an embittered man, probably due to having lost his right hand, which has been replaced with a steel prosthetic. When the prof’s device explodes, Crandell receives a monumental electric shock which, rather than killing him, renders him invisible. <\/span>Although he doesn’t stay unseen forever, t<\/span>his <\/span>bodily transformation <\/span>is permanent. Electric shocks cause all but his steel hand to disappear. <\/span><\/p>\n Kids, don’t try this at home!<\/span><\/p>\n Whether venal or simply deranged, Crandell goes on a rampage of terror against society<\/span>,<\/span>culminating in an attempt to blow up New York City before <\/span>finally <\/span>coming to his senses. The second adventure <\/span>in this astounding oversized hardback volume <\/span>pits the Claw against his therapist, who in an attempt to treat him is also exposed to Barringer’s ray, becoming a bestial ape-man who frames Crandell for a series of spectacular crimes. <\/span><\/p>\n Bulmer’s final tale begins <\/span>our star<\/span>‘s shift from outlaw to hero as the recuperating Crandell becomes involved in a modern<\/span>–<\/span>day pirate’s scheme to hijack an undersea weapons system<\/span>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/span><\/p>\n More than any other<\/span>,<\/span> the<\/span> Steel Claw<\/span><\/strong> was a barometer for reading fashion<\/span>s<\/span>. Starting out as a <\/span>Quatermass<\/span> <\/strong>style science fiction cautionary tale<\/span>,<\/span> the strip mimicked the trends of the greater <\/span>world, becoming a <\/span>James Bond<\/span><\/strong>-like super-spy <\/span>strip with Crandall tricked out with <\/span>outrageous gadgets, and <\/span>latterly <\/span>a masked and costumed super-doer when <\/span>Batmania<\/span> gripped the nation<\/span>. When that bubble burst, he resorted to<\/span> becoming a freelance adventurer<\/span>,<\/span>combating eerie menaces and vicious criminals.<\/span><\/p>\n The thrills of the writing are engrossing enough, but the real star of this feature is the artwork. <\/span>Blasco’s<\/span> classicist drawing, his moody staging and the sheer beauty of his subjects make this an absolute pleasure to look at. Buy it for the kids and read it too; this is a glorious book.<\/span><\/p>\n So, track it down and agitate for more of the same\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a9 2005 IPC Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d By Ken Bulmer & Jes\u00c3\u00bas Blasco (Titan Books) ISBN: 978-1-84576-156-1 (HB) So, I’ve just pulled an all-nighter to finish my latest book by deadline\u00e2\u20ac\u201dan obsessive point of pride with me that will kill me someday soon\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand I’m buzzing like a bucket of angry bees. So, too tired to sleep yet, I reach for one … <\/p>\n