Somebody is stealing animal statues that resided in a Kenyan palace ruins. The statues may lead to a ruby, which as legend has it bequeaths invincibility to the finder. Indiana Jones of course believes "it belongs in a museum."

Mark Evanier neatly characterizes Indy in a fast-paced apocryphal archaeological adventure. He captures the fantastic film approach of George Lucus and Steven Spielberg, and he backs up his story with the ring of truth.

Emir Ali Bey actually existed. The timing and the expansion of the Ottoman Empire fits the African setting. I don’t know if a Turkish castle ever rose from the jungles of Mombasa, but it’s a feasible hypothetical setting. As to the ruby, it's as substantial as the Ark.

The ruby serves as the mcguffin for a good yarn filled with greedy back stabbers, wannabee world dictators and the traps of the ancients designed to thwart grave robbers and archaeologists. Indy takes on whatever or whoever is thrown at him with that same sense of cynical humor Harrison Ford so beautifully conveyed.

Artist Ethen Beavers presents Indy as a man of action. Beavers choreographs excellent fights, making use of Indy's panache for adaptation and his skill with the whip. Beavers' caricature of Indy resembles that of a young Ford, and his Belloq is unmistakable.

Beavers in addition distributes interesting period detail to 1930s New York. For example, it's a trip to see a lovely switchboard operator at a hotel, and Beavers completes the portrait with appropriate hairstyles and couture. Kudos also to Ronda Pattison's color choices, which enhance the timely styles as well as the ruby red drama and the cool blue bouts on rooftops.

I certainly hope Dark Horse continues publishing these Indiana Jones volumes. They're a helluva lot of fun. They capture the spirit of the character, and the animated art is an enjoyable bonus.

---

What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!

---