"Jenny Panic & the Bible of Dreams"
Writer: Steve Aylett
Artist: Shawn McManus, Wildstorm FX(c)
Publisher: DC
Well, that was strange. Steve Aylett seems to be tapping into Grant Morrison's wild imagination. Perhaps, the dreamstuff was so powerful that it issued beyond Mr. Morrison's brain. In any case, the Jenny Panic story offers a weird antagonist who offers the reader weird moments that just tend to escalate in terms of weirdness.
What distinguishes the story from Grant Morrison's usual forays into dadaism is that the author creates an undercurrent of sweetness behind the surrealism.
The only drawback in the book is Tom Strong. Tom while playing an important role is almost reduced to a second tier in his own book. A charming new character provides the more intriguing aspects.
The artwork by Shawn McManus, known in the super-hero field for Aquaman and Secret Origins: JLA at first displays a relatively realistic style with a slight bend to the cartoony. Some scenes offer an exceptional naturalness that almost resembles the prime work of Curt Swan. The dream sequences become extraordinarily Kurtzman-like in a parody of the Tom Strong Universe.
Within the dream sequences, Mr. Aylett and Mr. McManus offer the reader amusing wish fulfillment in terms of a nasty fate to one character who often borders on the annoying. The value of the--er--enhancement of Tom's wife in the dream is debatable.
All in all, Tom Strong provides an imaginative strong, stand-alone story with excellent characters and an unusual setting. The artwork by Shawn McManus switches from lovely to ludicrous.
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