Tom Strong #11

Written by: Alan Moore

Art by: Chris Sprouse

After a couple of anthology issues, Tom Strong is back with an issue (or 2) long story about a distant planet that resembles our own - but things there aren't quite the way they should be.

The issue opens with a meteor crash; Tom is on the scene and quickly finds out it's no meteor that crash in the center of Millennium City - it's Tom Strange (Terra Obscura's version of Tom Strong). Tom Strange, or Doc as he likes to be called, ran across the entire Milky Way to reach Earth and Tom Strong because his home is in danger. Apparently, a meteor hit Terra Obscura in its formative years that housed a giant alien being. It attacked Terra Obcura and S.M.A.S.H ( the Society of Major American Science Heroes) was defeated. Doc escaped and ran for 30 years to get help.

Tom and Doc suit up the Hypersaucer and head for Terra Obscura; along the way Tom talks about "ghost particles" and Golden Age comics. They finally reach Doc's world and find the fallen Science Heroes trapped in orbit and the invader mining away at the South Pole.

To be continued...

Now this is a comic book adventure. Alan Moore asks the reader to let him take the reigns and is treated to one heck of a ride. No guns, no anti-heroes, no multi-part, dollar sucking crossovers. Just science fiction pulp at its best. Chris's art is stunning as always. This issue and the one that follows put Tom Strong on my list of all time favorite comic series. This story is like fresh squeezed orange juice - pulpy and refreshing.

Go buy it - until tomorrow, happy reading.