When a British soldier disappears in a beam of light in 1777 then reappears 177 years later, it’s a case for Professor Mortimer, explorer of the strange and unusual. The fact that said soldier is an ancestor of Mortimer’s only fuels the Professor’s interest. Meanwhile, suspicious-looking men who possess weapons not of this Earth are following Captain Blake, Professor Mortimer’s friend and associate. As the two men’s investigations converge in the western United States, an old enemy makes a sudden reappearance with a plan that could destroy the world.

I LOVE The Strange Encounter--which is the fifth volume in the Blake & Mortimer series. While it may be volume five, this is my first exposure to these characters--so I have no idea if Jean van Hamme and Ted Benoit have remained close to the original vision of Edgar P. Jacobs--the creator of Blake & Mortimer--or if Van Hamme and Benoit went in their own direction. I have to say, though, that they hooked me on their straightforward adventure tale that features likable characters and clever plot twists.

The core concept is a simple one: A scientist and a British government agent investigate strange phenomenon and security threats. From there the story can go anywhere--and it does. The Strange Encounter has mystery, history, adventure, and science fiction elements. It’s a combination that should warm the hearts of fans of Alan Moore’s Tom Strong and Johnny B. Quick.

Van Hamme and Benoit’s Blake & Mortimer is illustrated pulp adventure, similar in sensibility to the kind of stories Gardner Fox and John Broome wrote at DC during the Silver Age of Comics. While some readers might not care for the captions that explain what’s happening in the panel, I find them a charming throwback to an earlier style of storytelling. In Van Hamme’s hands, they add to the reading experience by increasing the drama and giving readers glimpses into the characters’ emotional states.

The science behind key plot points is explained in a clear, concise way that makes sense within the context of the story. Van Hamme extrapolates from known principles in such a way that the results, odd as they are, still seem plausible.

Benoit’s art is clean and sharp looking. While the characters aren’t “realistic” in appearance, neither are they “cartoony.” The best way I can describe the look is that it’s a cross between H.G. Peters’ Wonder Woman and Herge’ s Tintin.

Both the characters and the backgrounds are complete in themselves. Benoit doesn’t give either element short shrift. They have equal importance. Take the characters out of the picture, and you’ll still have a fully drawn background. Remove the background and you still have completely detailed people. Empty space just doesn’t exist in the panels, though they never seem crowded or busy.

Madeleine De Mille’s colors are muted, but not dull. There’s not a great deal of shading, though there are shadows. Each color is distinct. The look reminds me of old Gold Key comics, especially Turok, Son of Stone. De Mille uses a brighter palette than Turok tended to use, but the both books have colors that are more natural looking than those found in DC and Marvel books of the same period.

Though part of a long running series, The Strange Encounter is an easily accessible, highly enjoyable book. There’s no foul language and the depiction of violence is restrained, which makes this the perfect volume for parents to share with children ten and older, and for libraries to put in their children’s and YA graphic novel sections.

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