CaptHowdy's Reviews

I have to admit, I haven't read anything Moonstone Books has published except for their Phantom line. Actually it's the Phantom that brought me over to Moonstone Books' website to check them out. While I consume Phantom stories like no other, I also like horror and classic monster story types (there just aren't enough Phantom stories around me!).

Legacy of the Invisible Man is set in present day and involves the descendants of the two folks from the original H. G. Wells story, Wayland Drew and Rochester Ingram.

Wayland Drew inherits the hotel that the original invisible man stayed at, along with all his notes. However, he is no scientist, he has to find someone who can help, enter in a distant relative of the original invisible man, Rochester Ingram.

The two partner up to try an get the invisibility formula working and of course succeed. After they succeed what next?

The story is low scale and just deals with a few characters. In a one issue trade like this, not much character development is done but you get a sense of who is good and who is evil. It's just a matter of is the evil person going to get away with it, or is the good guy going to overcome?

Overall a nice little invisibility story, a fun read, especially if you can recall the old black and white Claude Rains movie at least a bit.

I remember reading these like over twenty years ago. Other than that, I can't really remember much else about them.

I just went through this issue and as in the previous six issues, Spider-Woman is still trying to piece together what happened to her father, who murdered him and all that.

A romance is developing between her and Jerry Hunt, she's becoming increasingly suspicious of Magnus, and Brother Grimm appears yet again for a second.

All this leads to what I hope is the end of her puzzling quest to find out who killed her father, or at least what the heck happened to him.

A pretty average story. I think though that I am personally just getting sick of the searching for her past storyline. I am eagerly awaiting for her to fight baddies for Pete's sake.

I just picked this up to check out after reading a review by a user here, and it isn't that bad.

Tarot, the Witch of the Black Rose quite the buxom young warrior. The pace of the comic is a little too fast for my liking, perhaps it will slow its pace down as the story progresses. I felt pulled along at a breakneck pace, one one half, trying to digest all the action and introduction to the characters and storyline, and the other half trying to keep an eye on all the erm, babes n' other artwork.

Definitely worth following up by reading the next few issues. It's got what I like, some horror, babes, and the beginnings of a descent storyline.

Okay, after the breakneck speed of the first issue the second chapter of the Witch War story slows down the pace quite a bit.

The artwork is still hot, with Tarot in a towel most of the issue while she and her new friend Jon trade secret origins.

Brian Lumley of Necroscope fame should maybe get a royalty cheque on this one folks, but oh well, Jon can talk to the dead and acts as a battery so can draw them out. Tarot is a good witch. Tarot's sister, Raven Hex is a bad one. We even get to see Tarot's whole family unit, Ma, Pa, and all.

The story has caught up with all the action that was in the first issue, it will be really interesting to see what happens coming up. Unfortunately I have this hunch, I hope it isn't THAT lame, but let's see, if all Raven Hex wants to do (the reason she turned evil) is to raise her dead father, and Jon communicates with the dead... I hope it's not some mushy storyline where Jon shows Raven Hex her dead father, her father talks to her and blah blah blah, everything s all fine and dandy now. No, I have to give the writer Jim Balent SOME credit... lets see where this takes us!

So far out of the three chapters in this storyline, this is obviously the weakest of the three, however required to setup what most likely is a pretty epic, and hopefully cool conclusion to this storyline next issue.

We get to see Jon's ex be a sneaky dead bitch by looking out for herself and betraying him, plus we get to see a little more of the love affair that may happen between Jon and Tarot.

Mostly this story however is used to progress Raven Hex's diabolical plot... no longer does she seem satisfied by just raising her father from the dead... she wants all humans to pay for their poor treatment of witches in the past and basically to become queen of some new 'witch world' that she wishes to create over the ashes of the earth. Nothing too drastic.

The battle scene in this story was one to behold. I really like the weird dungeons and dragony, epic-type fighting they put in this comic. The eerie gestures, and witch fire sword movements are fantastic. My only gripe is the stupid EMO looking guy... Jon. Somebody kill 'im already n' let the fiery redhead play!

Aha here it is the exciting conclusion to the Witch War story line.

Man, I think I have a new fetish... blood dripping off of metal spiked nipples (Raven Hex, after using them to poke out some guy's eyes last issue)... incredible.

The story itself was all it was cracked up to be. Everything was resolved... except for that tricky little issue with the ex-girlfriend of Jon's. The battle scenes were cool, it was neat with the spirit goddess behind our favorite witches and well, that's that. I have to thank Comicvine user aztek_the_lost for the past reviews I browsed upon. After seeing them, it made me decide to check this title out.

There's horror, babes, and most of all a good story here... just what I wanted to find.

They are really trying to introduce us to the characters in this comic series that's for sure.

I hate cats... but of course witches need em. Tarot is no exception, her little mutant cat Pooka gets the bio treatment here, well, at least from the moment Tarot and Pooka met.

Wrapped around the bio story is a Dragon Witch that is chasing poor lit'l Pooka for hurting one of her young. The Dragon Witch is out to kill Pooka for revenge, and it's up to Tarot to save her trusty familiar.

What's a great bonus to this story is that Tarot gets dressed only in the last page. The whole story is her running around nude trying to fend off this Dragon Witch. It's a pretty good distraction to a pretty well non-eventful story. Hopefully the writer has accomplished what he wanted by introducing us to the cat and trying to get us to care a little more about that specific character. It'll take a LOT more nekkid Tarot running around for me to care about some mutant CAT!

An interesting diversion, no heavy storyline here... I am looking forward to the next one. One thing to mention though, there are an excessive amount of lettering issues, incorrect words, misspellings, etc. I hope they fix that, soon.

Oh yeah, loved the funny shirts Tarot and her sister, Raven Hex wore.

This issue contains two shorter stories, The Man Who Could Not Die and The Suit!

The Man Who Could Not Die is your typical cursed until they are redeemed story, absolutely nothing new here. The Suit is at least a little more clever, some criminal is gunned down after ripping off the mob, a down on his luck unemployed guy needs a suit, wears it, is mistaken for the criminal, suit seems cursed for a bit, blahty blah.. guy's life seems to be getting a little better.

I know these comics are older, and I know they can't all be classics, this one blows. I'd rather have skipped this issue in its entirety. Nothing much added to the canon of the Spider-Woman (at least that I can see at this time), heck she's barely in these stories, what gives? It's not like this is television where the actress needed some time off!

This is an interesting discovery. Christmas (well mostly) themed short stories with Moonstone's Phantom, Kolchak, Spider, Buckaroo Banzai, and Sherlock Holmes characters.

I enjoy these types of issues as it gives me a chance to check out characters I have never even thought to read, or maybe might be interested in but haven't gotten around to reading them.

The Phantom story is kind of a weak one, however it was obviously written just to pass a Merry Christmas message onto the fans... that, along with Kolchak's story.

Kolchak's story was by far the best of the issue. Funny and interesting, they just may have gotten me to check out a full issue sometime in the near future. I have no idea who Kolchak is (I'm sure he's some pulp comic from the past but don't really know) but it was neat. I love that old time stuff as long as it doesn't get too over the top and carried away. The humour in Kochak was great too. I loved all the 'A Christmas Story' references in it, the leg lamp, the little boy, the 'you'll shoot your eye out' quote. Pretty cool.

Lets face it, aside from the Phantom whom I am a huge fan, I have no idea what any of these characters (or not much about em) are. The Spider? What is that? Oh well, the Kolchak story was great so let's continue onward. The Spider one was the first story in this series that isn't necessarily a happy one. Oh sure it takes place at Christmas, but it's kind of tragic. Average, like the Phantom story... Kolchak still topped my list.

Next up was the Sherlock Holmes story, of course I know Sherlock, but I'm not a big fan of detective stories nor the way Sherlock Holmes explains things...gives me a headache actually... don't like whodunits and never have. The story was okay, another happy Christmas one, but I didn't like the characters. Lastly...

Buckaroo Banzai. When I saw that Moonstone was creating a line of comics for this character I was surprised. I hear there is a cult following for this forgettable 80's flick but I guess I've over estimated it. Heck, I haven't even seen the flick in over two decades and BARELY remember a thing from it. Maybe I should rent it to see what all the fuss is about. The story included in here was like the Spider one, tragic... but also quite incomprehensible... I couldn't figure out what the heck that ending's all about.

Oh well, it's a Christmas special, not supposed to break new ground, but to give a little sampling of all the Moonstone characters and to pass on some holiday themed stories. Worth it having discovered I liked that Kolchak character... I may look into his stuff later.

Another back story issue wrapped around a small adventure.

We are introduced to a ex-lover of Tarot's Boo cat, along with her new lover Licorice Dust. Skeleton Man, Tarot's new interest is in this one as well.

While making out in some field with Boo, Licorice Dust is staked by a group of pissed of men who blame them for all the carnage Tarot and her sister, Raven Hex did to the town last Halloween. It's essentially a lynch mob and Boo carries away Licorice to both escape and get help.

Boo drops Licorice at the Salem graveyard to go get Tarot for help, enter in Skeleton Man.

There's some unexplained creepy bone eaters chasing the girls and I don't know why. The only explanation we get is from Tarot later on... something about monsters will be drawn to Salem because of what they did on Halloween.

One of the weakest stories so far, actually I'd have to say, THE weakest issue I've read. I'm not saying that it's horrible... we got to meet some new characters who look like are going to be recurring, but not much else happened here other than a soap opera-ish, here's my old lover, here's me new lover type story.

What this series needs is some good arch enemies. That Dragon Witch was promising in last issue, heck even battles with Tarot's sister. The next issue is called return of the Dark Witch, AND it's a three parter so I am expecting good things next.

Ah yeah, my favorite Dark Witch is back, Raven Hex.

This is part one of a three parter and surprisingly not much was developed in this story, but I liked the flow of the comic anyway.

Another new character Willowry has shown up. She's wants to apprentice our Dark Witch, reluctantly Raven Hex takes her on.

Skeleton Man and Tarot consummate their love in what seemed like some pretty incredible sex, and Tarot's mother finds out there is someone or something out there that's after her daughters...to kill them.

Lots of good stuff in this issue... nothing too heavy, nothing forced, like I said it flows wonderfully. A nice setup for whatever is coming up in the next couple of issues.

The lettering is still bothering me a bit though... last issue and this one still have missing words and stuff on occasion. I really wish they'd get another person to proofread this comic.

Part Two of Return of the Dark Witch and it continued on at the same pace as the previous issue.

Willowry shows her impatience and well, I don't know if I'll ever see her again, but good riddance if that is it.

Most of the story revolved around Raven Hex which is good, I am finding that when she's around the stories are a lot more interesting at the moment.

Tarot, Tarot's Mother, and Skeleton Man head out to fight some evil but we don't really know what the heck that is yet, and they were only minor characters in this issue.

Some more background came up in this issue, I like the way the comic has slowed the pace with giving us background information. There were a couple of issues where it seemed like they were just rushing through to give us as much information as we could take at the expense of the story (see issue six). Now however, they are fitting it in nicely with the story in short clips. This Raven Hex Goblin Queen back story was short sweet and accomplished what it needed to. It'll be interesting to see that developed in some later issue.

Overall a good read... can't wait for part three.

WHAT!?!? No resolution at the end of this three part story?!?! It continues?!?!

Gawd, okay, this issue is one of the tops I've read so far.

Unlike the previous two entries, this one is almost exclusively about Tarot, Tarot's mom, and Skeleton Man... and their epic battle against the Headless Horsemen.

Tarot, who due to a childhood fear is terrorized by the sight of this Headless Horseman has to basically fight this thing by herself. I dunno, but I can think of many better things to do if I was a hot chick in my early twenties... with boobs that are the most unreal things I have ever seen since Wendy Whoppers came to town. However, they are witches. They have responsibilities you know, and her sister Raven Hex, doesn't seem to own up to them, so it is up to Tarot to take all the blame, and fix all her sisters problems. This time I'm afraid may be the last time.

Action packed, heads exploding, bloody cool.

Tarot is dead... sort of, she is in some netherworld and is given a quest if she wants to make it back to the land of the living.

Skeleton Man is evicted from the side of Tarot's dying body by Raven Hex and her henchwomen.

The Skeleton Man parts of the issue are full of action, while the Tarot parts are kind of acid trippy... suitable for one being stuck in between life and death.

The Dragon witch returns in this issue... I wonder if this is a forshadowing of the possible aligning of the dragons with Raven Hex like she hinted at when we were first introduced to her in issue five (Dragon Witch). She just has a minor role here though, just here to torture Skeleton Man a bit.

Overall I really like the way this comic is headed. It started out with a bang, then I got a little worried around issue six that it was going to fizzle out for me, but no. This new adventure is a good one. However, if you haven't read the trilogy that came before this issue it could be quite difficult to figure out just what the heck is going on.

The Quest for the Black Rose Sword is finished. This was quite a long story arc and not only did it include the two issues from Quest for the Black Rose Sword, but this was also the conclusion to what happened in the three Return of the Dark Witch issues.

Tarot, still in the realm between the living and the dead is on a quest to find the Black Rose Sword. On her way she meets up with MANY different gods and other beings that want to help her find it. Most give her all this magical armour and stuff. It's all nice and shiny... I wonder if she is going to have it in real life after this story is finished.

The story by itself is alright however, its been done many, and I do mean MANY times before in movies, for example What Dreams May Come (1998), among others. Just of course with some differences. The end result is the same though.

I really liked this whole story line, but well, because of the slight unoriginality with the plot in this issue I am a little let down. I feel like I've seen this before many times, like in old trials of Hercules type stories / movies, etc. That isn't to say that this wasn't enjoyable, because it was. Heck, I'd rather watch a nekkid Tarot over a nude Hercules (or ack! Robin Williams!) any day, so by adding in the stuff unique to this comic was its saving grace from me being totally let down.

Doctor Who, wow, I've seen a lot of 'em, but this is the first comic I can recall ever reading of him.

This is the newest Doctor, along with his current (maybe if she comes back next year) companion Martha.

The story is a little swashbuckling blip much like many Doc Who episodes, with the main baddie being a Sycorax who we first met (if you watch the show) in the Christmas Invasion.

The Sycorax I feel are a pretty dumb brute race. They want power, are too impatient to learn how to get it, so just try to seize it using brute force.

This story, only having one Sycorax is a lot smaller in scope.

At first I found the comic quite chaotic... it was tough to follow. I understand they were trying to relay the goofiness of the newest Doctor but it just ended up being filled with calamity on the first few pages. They it settles down for the story. Which is okay. Being a comic book format I do hope they go into stories that are impossible to shoot for television because realistically if this was an episode of the actual show it would have been just an average one.

I expect a lot more from this comic and hope they take it in a much more serious direction with some more intricate plots than what they have shown here.

It was a nice comic to read on a break or something, but so light hearted and easy going it could sit right next to the Archie pile.

This is more like the Doctor Who I want to see. The calamity between Martha and the Doctor is toning down, I can actually hear David Tennant reciting the words from the coming in many instances now. Things are beginning to look good for this comic, something I was really worried about after reading the first one.

Larger in scope, this one deals with a cat-like alien that has been on Earth for a long time, initially posing as an Egyptian god. This cat has been turning people into sand statues...including our Martha!

As the doctor and Martha tour London, they are lured into this whole mess for some reason.. a reason that is still unknown to us even at the end of the issue. We will have to wait until the next one.

The two characters interactions with each other is really starting to resemble the way they talk to each other on the show, and that's a good thing. In the first issue they bantered too outrageously. This issue also is larger in scope. Already in this issue there have been mention of a few diffent worlds involved in this plot line. Of course I don't know how it is all going to turn out, but at least going by this issue, it already feels smarter, and bigger than the first issue.

If the comic continues to grow, hopefully also stays away from being too childish, this could be good.

This is the first issue of Tarot that has no Tarot in it.

It's yet another bio issue telling the story of Boo and Licorice Dust.

Boo's in her little Were-Cat family and when she comes of age is shown along with Licorice Dust's goth background and how she, along with a group of goth chicks all became vampires.

Squeezed in between is Boo heading out to some witch to get a couple of oils for her and Licorice to try out. In a scene that was mildly surprising, Boo almost gets brutally raped by some huge werewolf. The issue all off a sudden started to turn into some Hentai mag but then just as I was thinking that Boo, bent over some table by the werewolf turns and kicks the crap out of him. Still, that was the first time I have seen in this comic where a female is 'almost' treated as a victim. The comic, full of nudity, sexiness, lesbianism, and all kinds of stuff has never really strayed from the 'empowered' strong woman vibe.

Anyhow, eventually, the werewolf is turned away and Boo meets up with her friend Licorice, along with a bunch of cheerleaders for a big erm, getogether.

Better than most of the bio stories that have been in this series, I think the Pooka one in Dragon Witch (issue 5) was probably the best... but this one comes in second.

There can only possibly be a couple more back stories that need to be told can't there? Maybe Tarot's mom, the Dragon Witch, ... that's about it, aside from the introduction of new characters.

Alright, Lovecraft fans should enjoy this one. This first issue '00' is a small offering of a Cthulhu mythos story. What is neat about it is that right from the beginning you are following the actions of the mad Arab himself, Abdul Alhazred!

Alhazred even heads for a tiny bit to the Nameless City and the Dreamlands... pretty cool for a Lovecraft fan. BUT...

All of a sudden we are whisked to the present day where some evil is... I personally haven't figured out who he/it is but like I said, this issue doesn't really go into much detail.

I have high hopes for this comic, I hope they take the Lovecraftian stories seriously... only time will tell because:

That is not dead which can eternal lie...

Okay, there have been witches, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, all that was essentially needed was a Frankenstein's monster... sure enough this is the issue.

Izzy is a nice girl that loved her dolls, not to mention some Ouija board that gives them life. When she is splattered all over the road by a drunk driver, they bring her back... only one thing, she wants some spare parts. If you have read any of these issues of Tarot, I think you know Tarot's got some nice parts so she definitely is on the top of her list.

Come Play Dead With Me is a great little one issue story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I love the Frankenstein's monster deal (reminds me of a cool b-movie called Frankenhooker), and also the little dolls (once again, another movie...those Puppetmaster ones). I hope they come back in the future because this issue while a good story, I think would make for great recurring characters.

This issue for Tarot, Witch of the Black Rose was utterly hilarious.

Okay, maybe I was wrong about goofy Skeleton Man, he's actually a pretty cool guy when he is drunk on Troll Ale, painted green, and screwing everything in sight! I usually get into serious trouble when that happens to me... and so too does Skeleton Man, only his is a little, heck, a LOT weirder.

Lucky for Skeleton Man, his girlfriend Tarot is a pretty open-minded woman. There aren't too many girlfriends that would chase after their drunk boyfriend that performs soo many times with soooo many different erm, creatures.

It's just unfortunate that he doesn't remember it.

After all the seriousness of the last string of issues, it was quite a nice change for this over the top hilarious issue.

This is a phenomenal issue of The Phantom.

It spans generations of Phantoms, all in different chapters, written by different people.

It starts off with the third Phantom on a pirate ship of the Singh Brotherhood. We see that he is 'stealing' some piece of an artifact from the ship, a Jade Dragon.. apparently when all the pieces are put together it is a powerful weapon.

The next chapters go through different times with different Phantoms involving the eleventh, sixteenth, nineteenth, and twenty-first Phantoms. They too are claiming a related piece of the Jade Dragon artifact before the Singh Brotherhood can get to it.

Each story takes place in places like ships, Egypt, a Tibetan monastery, the old west, and so forth.

It was great to see various aspects of different Phantoms and their personality differences. For example the Phantom who was bitter, more violent than the usual, whose wife left him, etc.

The story also shows that no matter how long the quest takes, no matter which Phantom is around, The Phantom takes his job seriously. How each one of these Phantoms kept track of this item is beyond me... I suppose that's why he studies the Chronicles so much. So that whenever one of these pieces was rumoured to be found he was there before the Singh Brotherhood could get it.

The Bone Protector is a little interaction between the Skeleton Man and his ex-girlfriend Crypt Chick.

Crypt Chick seems to constantly have a case of the blues. Perhaps being dead has done this to her. Anyhow she misses being an up an coming rock star.

Meanwhile, some baddies have stolen some bones. Of curse the Skeleton Man is the protector of bones so he's gotta help out.

The story as a whole is just a small interaction basically between the two ex-lovers. Up until now, Crypt Chick wasn't really that nice of a character. In this issue you get to see a little of her humanity that she has left, or left behind which ever way you wish to see it.

The story as a whole offers nothing really substantive other than by leaving the reader with a little more background on Crypt Chick, that she wasn't always a pain, and that Skeleton Man honestly cared, and still cares for her (in a friend kind of a way).

It's the Tarot Halloween Special.

The theme throughout this one is Halloween and Tarot and her sister Raven Hex team up to stop some evil witch cook. First, when the heck do Raven and Tarot team up? Raven, is she a good person now? I have no clue but whatever, inside the cook's house they fall into a sticky chocolate bowl, and without Raven there naked and coated in chocolate, there would have only been Tarot, which isn't that bad in itself but the more the merrier when naked and in a large bowl of chocolate melted all over ya.

Meanwhile Skeleton Man is being a good Samaritan as well by taking the Twins out to trick or treat.

Raven and Tarot meet this hottie baked out of Gingerbread with sweet icing parts named Cookee. The creators of this series must really like Charles Band movies, because killer dolls before this, now killer gingerbread men/women? Band put out flick called the Ginger-Dead Man as well. Odd.

Treated as a holiday special this is a fun little item, but this has been a few short, light hearted issues in a row now... I am beginning to require some substance, some crazy epic battle or something. None of which this has.

The Fall of Cthulhu, yikes. Oh what high expectation this comic is going to have to live up to in order to satisfy Lovecraft fans. Luckily for them, there are probably more Call of Cthulhu game fans (along with their fiction) than actual Lovecraft fans... however, that is a discussion for some other time and place.

The preview issue I had previously read was pretty vague, but had it's elements of cool and easily identifiable Lovecraftian themes... seeing the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred was pretty neat. Now, in this first issue we meet a young couple whose uncle has returned from South America. He chatters with them for a sec then shoots himself in the head. That's kind of odd wouldn't you think?

Some investigative work needs to be performed and the young man sets out performing this task. However, in his sleep where does he end up? In the Dreamlands! That's pretty bloody cool (if you aren't a Lovecraft or Brian Lumley fan then you have no idea what this setting is, but oh well, take it from me, it's always neat to see things take place in the Dreamlands)!

Now, visiting the Dreamlands and actually coming back most definitely helped make up the young man's mind to pursue this mystery further. There are other clues and such but we shall see where they all lead as this specific storyline called 'Harlot' is a five parter.

Ugh!

I really love the Phantom character and basically he is the reason I still read comics.

I really wanted to really like Law of the Jungle but I could not.

I thought interesting this 'wide-vision' concept Moonstone comics is trying out.

Do you like the way I have been writing so far?

I don't.

The Phantom, Law of the Jungle is written page after page in the first person. Now, I like first person writing. Heck, I am a huge Lovecraft fan... but this was utterly awful. If you are going to write in the first person, your sentence structure must be creative. You cannot start every bloody sentence with 'I'. I hate this, I did that, I thought that, it was so repetitive and drab.

Joe Gentile is apparently the writer of this one and he's the editor of most of Moonstone's Phantom comics. I really think he should have known a bit more about being a little more creative with his writing. This writing felt like something I would have written in grade nine after I would have gotten beat up, or lost a girlfriend... maybe the Marilyn Manson EMO crowd could be impressed by this, but I found it so very amateur.

The story drones on and on with the point of view of some guy in military fatigues who is out to kill the Phantom as revenge for killing his dad. Is this what the suicide notes are like for all these junior high school kids in the U. S. that go to school, kill everyone and then themselves? Not to make light on such a tragedy, but it feels like Mr. Gentile used that as the inspiration for this graphic novel. Take a grade nine-ish level personal letter, change the scene to the Bangalla jungle and viola! You have this... Law of the Jungle.

I've loved Moonstone's stuff... all of it that I have tried out, until this. Sure some of the Phantom stories are average, some are Phantastic! Law of the Jungle is not.

Please do not pick this one up if you are just being introduced to The Phantom. There is so much better out there.

Part two of the Fugue obviously carries on from the first issue. We get to visit the Dreamlands, see a crazy priest, and well slowly move the story along.

The atmosphere is quite good in this story. I like how the artwork changes when we go to the Dreamlands. The annoying girlfriend is well, annoying, and I now am plugging along as interested as Cy, our young investigator looking for answers to his uncle's suicide.

Weirdness is ensuing and man if it continues like this, this could very well climb to the top of my comic lists. The writer is doing such a good job of maintaining the mystery, atmosphere and Lovecraftian feel in this comic.

Aside from Cthulhu being mentioned of course what other Lovecraftian Mythos stuff is in this comic?

Nodens is being mentioned quite a bit in here so perhaps that will lead to something.

Once again the atmosphere has been captured in a cool Lovecraftian way. The horror of it all is staring to get creepy, sacrificing Cy's wisdom tooth I think looks like just the tip of the iceberg in gruesomeness. I wonder how far Cy is going to go in order to solve this mystery of what was going on with his uncle, and why his uncle killed himself right in front of him? I was able to see a taste. Just one issue ago I would have thought the Cy would never make a deal with the Harlot in the Dreamlands... now he is wavering. If his fiancee leaves him because of his new obsession (does he still even care about her, or is he totally obsessed?) maybe he will have nothing to hold him back and he will give his whole self to the Harlot.

That's the crazy thing about Lovecraftian horror... rarely do the good guys come through it sane, or alive.

A graphic novel that explores the history of the first Phantom. It is written as if it were from the pages of the Chronicles (The Phantom's diary... the way he keeps his history for all other Phantoms that follow).

At first it was quite difficult to read with the way the lettering is and some of the old language they used to try and give it that authentic feel. However, after several pages in, it was fine. Perhaps because the story was really getting me into it.

For those who came in late: The Phantom was a sailor who was attacked by the Singh Brotherhood. Shipwrecked he washed up on the shores of Bangalla and to make things short, eventually became the Phantom. This is that story.

Being a Phantom fan , I know the back story. However, it has never actually been told in this detail. Usually the comics just have a quick blurb about it, perhaps in a flashback or some such. Now I have the full story which is nice.

One thing that was different for me is that it takes quite a bit of time for the Ghost Who Walks to actually firmly become the Phantom. He doesn't really decide for sure until quite late in the story.... years go by.

The story also gives some great insight into the neighbouring tribes of the Bandar such as the Tougandans, and the Wasaka. The Wasaka are actually the tribe that create events for the Phantom to become who he is destined to be.

Of interesting note is the High Priest of Kua who makes an appearance here. I have a feeling he is the great descendant of another worshiper of the Death God (Kua) that appears in Moonstone's monthly Phantom comic storyline The Invisible Children (issues 17 through 19). I really wish I had read this one before reading that series, it would have made a little more sense. I just skimmed through those issues again while writing this and yes, even the way the Phantom's outfit looks is the same. It is a direct relation to this story.

The Phantom: Legacy is an important read if you wish to follow along with the Phantom stories coming out by Moonstone Books. Obviously with the realization that it is a prelude to the storyline previously mentioned I recommend reading it if you wish to follow the monthly series. Read it sometime before reading the Invisible Children.

Phantom Phans also may just wish to read the 'secret origin' of the Phantom as it's never been told with this much detail.

Ah, I've never had the chance to read DC's version of The Phantom. This is the four issue miniseries, and not the monthly that they had later.

This is the introduction of The Phantom to the DC readers. They vaguely go into what the Phantom is in this first issue. I suspect that the whole origin of the Phantom will have been told by the end of this mini-series though.

This is a twenty-first Phantom story however, throughout the story both The Phantom, and Rex (The Phantom's nephew) read the adventures in the Chronicles, which is currently telling the story of a past Phantom, but strangely enough seem very similar to what is currently going on and with the EXACT same people trying to thwart The Phantom! How can that be? That was hundreds of years ago?

The Ghost Who walks is a pretty good read, I hate the handwritten font but this is an old comic. The issue made me think twice of wanting that tattoo of The Phantom's 'Good' sign, that's for sure.