Writers: Various
Artists: Various
Publisher: Heroic
A trio of stories debut in Liberty Comics, and all of them are pretty good. The cut size of the book rarely affects the pleasure in the tales and the artwork. In fact the panels still look bigger than the smaller shot panels of Scooby-Doo for this week.
Liberty Girl, the daughter of a Doc Savage inspired hero and illustrated that way, stars in the first story. Michael Aushenker and Tim Burgard drop Lib into a fifties period piece with ties to an Aztec genesis story that bears some slight alterations.
The story's set against a backdrop when Mexican and U.S. relations were potentially volatile, and it creates the opportunity for Liberty Girl to team up with Mexican masked wrestlers. Ahhhhhh, the cheese.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Santo phenomenon, allow me to elucidate. Mexican wrestlers almost always wore masks; this in fact has an ancient history dating back to the Aztecs. So their appearance in the story is given the plot particularly appropriate.
Santo arguably was the greatest of all the Luchadores. Santo means Saint. Now, what sets Santo apart is that he set the precedent for making the masked wrestlers not just sports heroes but also movie super-heroes. Santo starred as the protagonist in oodles of monster movies, which stretched out his legend. Santo combated a werewolf, Dracula, Frankenstein, zombies, witches, aliens and of course mummies. In these shows and in every day life, he always wore his mask. Santo's identity was secret. His adoring public never knew who he was until he died. The spin of actual secret identity makes the Luchadores unique in the annals of wrestlers and movies.
Having Mexican Masked Wrestlers join Liberty Girl on a search for Aztec "treasure" before the Communists get their hands on it is simply pure gold star entertainment that's enhanced by some luscious artwork that takes the whole thing quite seriously. The artist acts as a talented director given a Saturday morning serial script. This however doesn't mean that the story is meant for laughs. The themes are funny. The characterization throughout is strong, and the fun and games end for the heroes when somebody dies. The slight tragedy allows for some humility to arise from the usually boisterous Luchadores and shows off Lib's heroism.
In the second feature, Dennis Mallonee and Mark Propst relate a stirring Flare and Icicle story that's actually their narrative of The Kriegerin, Flare's mother, a member of the World War II super-group the Vanguard. It's easy to argue that the Vanguard is merely analogous to the JSA, but Heroic Comics isn't DC, and the company doesn't market heroes that have become household names. That gives them a little more freedom. Kriegerin a Valkyrie in fact was seduced by the lure of the Nazis. She looked at them as the inheritors of the Norse ideal. When she confronts the concentration camp burial sites--a very powerful image for such a humble book--she renounces Hitler and declares war on those who wear the swastika. Telling you this doesn't undermine the story or the potency of the art.
The penultimate story by Mallonee and Howard Simpson create friction between a trio of twenties heroes and allies. One bears Liberty Girl's bronze skin. Another is next in line to wear the mantle of Dr. Arcane. The third is the King Arthur to their Lancelot and Gwuenivere. The story's nothing to ignore. It has good dialogue with some period attitude, but Howard Simpson's art deco Erte styled artwork surpasses the written word. The sincerest form of flattery can be seen in each panel.
The final story brings Liberty Girl back to the modern day. The tale’s slight but in terms of writing and art-this time by Jim Webb and colorist Marc Guerro--professionally done. It pits Lib against a crazed arsonist.
Liberty Comics is a quarterly venture by Heroic, and this issue marks an impressive premiere. Don't be deterred by the size or the price. Kudos must also be given to colorists Rod Montero for a particularly attractive shade of bronze and Marolo for his angry reds during Kriegerin’s epiphany.
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