REVIEW: Spirit of the Tao #1 – 3

Publisher: Top Cow/Image
Creators: D-Tron, Billy Tan, Hoai Truong
Writer: D-Tron and Malachy Coney
Pencils/Co-plot: Billy Tan
Inks: D-Tron with Team Tron
Colorist: Jonathan D. Smith
Letterer: Dennis Heisler
Team Tron: Marcia Chen, Andy Kim, Jeff de los Santos, Jose “JAG” Guillen
Review: Art Bee

In June, 1998 my favorite comic series of all time was released by Top Cow/Image. As you can see by the credits above, a lot of people came together to produce this fabulous art sensation. Spirit of the Tao is the measuring stick to which I place all other comics as I review them. My reasoning for doing so is this comic brings together a masterful story, which is well delivered, along with stupendous artwork.


The comic opens with a page-long introduction to educate the reader about the concept that is being introduced. Here is an excerpt describing Tao:

“The word Tao (or Dao, according to new Pinyin transcription of Chinese) actually covers several ideas. Literally it means ‘The Way.’ Although Tao could also mean ‘Doctrine,’ which is a collection of moral laws proper for guiding human behavior. To Billy and me, however, we see Tao in much the way the ancient Chinese so magnificently represented it, in the image of the Yin and the Yang – the resolution of contradictions and unity of opposites into one. Only by joining the Yin and Yang can we realize ‘The Whole.’ According to Chinese philosophy, it is with the interactions between two opposing forces (heaven and earth, day and night, good and evil, and so forth) that life can exist. Spirit of the Tao embodies all of these struggles, divination, and ambiguities of life.” (D-Tron, Spirit of the Tao #1, June 1998)

The story is well-written and well-structured. This comic doesn’t bog the reader down with a bunch of background in the first issue. Actually, it contains virtually no background information. The story hits the ground running with action as we find the two main characters, twins Jasmin and Lance, basically beginning the fight for their lives while not knowing who they truly are. We find out about them as they find out about themselves. This is a masterful approach to storytelling.


In issue two we learn who these siblings truly are; the offspring of the great dragon spirit. We also learn about the power groups surrounding the lives of these two teenagers, The Jaikap and
Joseph Chamberlain’s group. One of the greatest things about this point of the story is the twins and the reader are not sure which of these groups is good or evil. The entire series lasts seventeen issues, and each one leaves you itching to read the next.


Issue three mostly covers the background as to how the twins are born and the struggle between the Jaikaps and Joseph Chamberlain. This completes the launch of the series and gives the reader a real sendoff to the story to come.


Even though the story is superb, the artwork is this series’ greatest asset. It is a melt-your-eyeballs-right-out-of-your-skull feature of the comic. Each page is filled with amazing colors and details. Throughout the series are double-page images that depict complex themes and scenes. In the first issue there is one on pages 16 and 17 depicting Jasmine swimming underwater with Lance’s face (enlarged) looking down on her while they share a telepathic communication. There is another double page spread on pages 20 and 21 showing the twins meeting the Jaikap. The details in both of these images are amazing. It is almost impossible to notice every nuance.


My only reservation with this series is the dialogue. There are a few grammatical errors and missing words and/or letters throughout the series. I feel this blame falls on the letterer and the editing team. Fortunately this is a minor error in my book.


My recommendation for all of you is to keep an eye out for this series. It is worth buying and reading. I am not sure if there ever was a trade edition for, but that would be a good way to read this amazing story.

REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian Annual #11

By James C. Owsley and Ernie Chan
 Review: Will Dubbeld

"Bride of the Oculist"

Robert Howard's steely-eyed Conan the Barbarian has been looting, slaying, and fornicating his way through popular culture since his birth in 1932. From the pulps that spawned Conan to the deluge of novellas, spin-offs, films, television shows, and comic books that followed, our archetypical ideal of a barbarian warrior has been that of a Cimmerian thief-king.

Although Conan is most probably famous for appearing in movies, Marvel Comics holds the distinction of the longest running licensee having produced comic books featuring Conan starting in 1970 and closing up shop in the mid-'90s.
Annual #11 dropped in 1986 and melds perfectly the Pulp sensibilities and 1980s Marvel feel that we all know and love.

The cover of Annual 11 depicts Conan in full Frank Frazetta form, sword in hand and voluptuous woman wrapped around his leg. Behind him stands a robed group of . . . what appears to be the mutants from Beneath the Planet of the Apes. From his right, flying thorough the air, is some blond guy in a karate gi whose flying missile kick is zeroed in on the barbarian's head.

And we're off to the races.


After that humdinger of a cover, the story opens with a sort of Tales From the Crypt/Haunt of Vault of Whatsis narration as told by Richel the Oculist, a sort of medieval arcane optometrist/recreational surgeon. Via a mix of serendipity and deus ex machina Conan sets out to rob the Oculist's castle, only to run afoul of his wife and her paramour. Unlucky for the Cimmerian, the aforementioned paramour is our Kung fu blonde from the cover. One glorious bout of fisticuffs later, Conan is led away in chains.

Here's where the fun begins.  Richel springs Conan on the condition he'll find his wife, who has absconded with his  fortune and run off with one of her many dalliances. Enlisting the aid of Kung fu blondie, Conan follows a trail of breadcrumbs to the many lovers of the Oculist's wife, all of them afflicted with boils and flesh rot.
The Oculist, it seems, having learned of his wife's infidelity has tainted her perfume with poison. Poison that infects the unlucky with boils and flesh rot...

The duo follows the trail to a baron, followed by a blacksmith, to a whole tavern full of men, a butcher, a baker, a wax worker, and "a small company of the Corinthian army".
All infected with the same flesh-eating plague.

Mrs. The Oculist gets around.

Interspersed with the chase is a healthy amount of barbarian swordplay and wry humor, pulp narrative, a dash of suspense, and at the end of the day the book reeks of fantasy high-adventure. I couldn't be more pleased with this particular Dollar Box find.
Although I'll probably not be spending the time (and frankly, the money) to complete a Marvel Conan set, periodic additions such as this one are equally a welcome addition and distraction from the rank-and-file superhero books.
By Crom . . .

REVIEW: Drag N, Wheels #35

Drag N, Wheels Issue #35

No credits are given to the writers or artists who put blood, sweat, and tears into creating this book and that’s a damn shame.

The split second I saw the cover on this baby; I knew it was my newest adopted child. First off it’s old school fantastically full screen huge, which goes without saying is not a bad thing. The cover is non-stop action from the funny car dragster layin’ rubber across the top of Drag N’ Wheels to the three panel action sequence of Scot Jackson’s (as per the name on the door) black gasser, skidding out of conrol, catching fire, crashing into a guardrail and the man himself, Scot Jackson, bailing out of the flaming wreckage. That’s right, all on one cover that I paid one hundred pennies for. Now granted said cover is definitely showing its age, there are creases, definite browning of pages, and even a few rips here and there but I’ll be damned if it’s not vintage American artistry at it’s finest.


We are going way way back to the magical groovy Summer of Love. That’s right this book was sitting on shelves in July of 1969. It witnessed Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin rock the Atlanta Pop Festival. It witnessed the US troop withdrawal begin in Vietnam. It witnessed Apollo 11 carry the first men to the surface of the moon. It was created in a time of awesome by Americans for Americans…who were probably high or trippin’ balls. Respect the pedigree.

There are multiple short stories behind the fantastic cover and not surprisingly they’re all about racing or driving cars really fast. Win/win across the board. All the cars involved from Jungle Joe Hessel’s ’48 Austin to Connor’s Chevelle “with one of them semi-hemi 427 cubers inside”. Well said, Mr. Connor, well said.
I can totally see kids back in the day, before all this future stuff, getting down on some Drag N’ Wheels…fist fighting with that little bastard Timmy Jones from down the street, over who could win in the quarter mile...

Aside from the fast cars the book has its “guy gets chick” story and its car thief runs Scot Jackson and his ’68 Javelin off the road with his stolen ’68 Camero . . . happened. Scot lands in the river far far below…at first the car thief didn’t stop because the “fuzz” was on his tale. He drove off down the two lane mountain highway, somehow ditches the cops on his tail, returns and pulls Scot out of the twisted wreck that seconds later had been his pride and joy, just as it sinks to its watery grave. The Car thief then begs Scot for forgiveness for his reckless actions and immediately turns himself in to the police. Aww, ain’t that  swell.

The only thing I can’t stand is the smell. The book is printed on a paper with the consistency of modern day construction paper. The pages have started to brown around the edges and there is a definite odor. It’s not the normal sweet sweet smell of “Vintage” Marvel, it is more of a musty basement smell that you feel at the back of your throat. You could say it “affects you negatively” not only  by insulting my olfactory but possibly infecting me with black lung , jungle rot, or the like…maybe I should lick it?

This comic’s fate is to be place in a great place of honor in my “favorites” box. I’ll probably never unseal it from its protective casing….except each July when I bring it out on its birthday and give it a quick lick.