ARTIFICE:LEGENDS Review
DLFerguson
the HEROES Mailing List as more and more readers and maybe even more
importantly, writers are being turned onto this extremely interesting
original superhero fiction site. It may be that ARTIFICE will at last
attract some other writers who will be intrigued by the world and
concept created here and be encouraged to stop by and drop a couple of
stories off here. I know that I want to learn more about this world and
the characters inhabiting it just from the small taste I got from
Artifice: Legends. It's an original fiction site well worth sitting
down with a cold beverage of your choice and giving a good look-over.
The world of ARTIFICE COMICS is more akin to the pulp/science fiction
world of say; George Martin's WILDCARDS series of paperbacks and if
you don't know what I'm talking about, then you oughta just get up
and go visit your nearest used bookstore right NOW to find 'em. The
WILDCARDS series is just a bunch of professionals writing their own
superheroes in their own superhero universe. Kinda like what a lot of
us amateurs are doing right now, hm? But it's done right and it's
done well and it's done with a lot of style and fun.
But back to ARTIFICE COMICS. I've only read two series there so far;
the one I'm reviewing now and Alex Cook's Humanity (more 'bout
that one later) but I was totally impressed by the way Tommy Hancock
told his story with such controlled tension and mounting excitement.
Enough so that I'll be going back to visit the site real soon.
Tommy Hancock sets up an almost WATCHMAN like feel of paranoia and
conspiracy as we are introduced to JC Smithenson, who is in possession
of a controversial manuscript that may uncover many of the secrets of
the Heroes who first appeared back in the 20's, 30's and 40's of
the ARTIFICE universe. There are many dark and dangerous secrets
involved and there are powerful forces that do that want that
manuscript published. Smithenson himself is almost killed but he has
guardian angels in the protection of many of the Heroes who already
know the truth and want to see the book published.
And what a grand and glorious cast of pulpish type characters Tommy
Hancock has for us here: Patch Tatters, an assassin of superheroes who
is what The Punisher REALLY should be like if The Punisher wasn't
such a wuss, Lady Emerald, Alan Risk, The Mystery, Peter Poseidon, G.I.
Joe and my favorite, The Dark of Night (who strikes me as a cross
between The Shadow and The Question) all of whom are sharply
characterized by some truly excellent writing. But I attribute that to
the fact that it's mighty obvious that Tommy loves these characters
and loves the story he's presenting and not being bound by DC or
Marvel continuity, he's free to go all out with these original
characters and map a new trail and he does so with great gusto.
Tommy's more concerned about making sure than the reader understands
the impact that costumed heroes would have on society than whom
they're beating up on. As he describes it, the superhero craze is
something that encourages everybody to don cape and cowl and go on out
there and do their thing, whether it is as a Hero or a Villain. One of
the best scenes takes place in a bar where a group of washed up
henchmen are lamenting the fact that everybody wants flashy, costumed
villains these days and a simple honest crook can't make a
mollyfoggin' living unless he puts on a fruity mask and cape.
But not all of these characters are just mere mortals...oh, no...I
enjoyed the origin of The Blue Genie (hey, Tommy made him a Brooklyn
boy and I'M a Brooklyn boy..so sue me) which was warmly reminiscent
of Billy Batson's origin and there's a downright eerie scene with a
character called The Mystery who I'm not so sure is all there. Tommy
even gives us some good ol' fashioned government conspiracy with The
Persona Project, which was a government effort to create superhumans
for their own use. The experiment had a frightening side effect I
wouldn't dream of giving away here but I applaud Tommy for his
bringing some really chilling elements into this story that fit right
in with the WATCHMEN like feel of paranoia.
Is Artifice: Legends worth your time to read? I most certainly do say
so. The story is a good one and since these are new characters I had no
knowledge of before, there was true and honest suspense in who was
going to still be around at the end of the story and who wasn't. And
Tommy Hancock's prose is simply a joy to read. He writes with an
eerily effortlessly seam between modern day sensibilities and slang and
culture and that of the past. He has the attitudes and style of the
'30's and '40's nailed DOWN, jack.
Go read Artifice: Legends soon and after you do so, go email Tommy and
ask him to write some more, okay?