Written by: Alan MooreArt by: Chris Sprouse and Dave Gibbons
Well, the last issue ended with a gloved hand running across a tabletop and Tom's face in shock. We find out in this issue that the hand belongs to none other than Paul Saveen - Tom's oldest and most deadly foe.
Of course, the room is booby trapped and begins to fill with water. Tom quickly dons his custom breather and floats to safety - only to find himself in a room filled with statues of his old foes. A flash back occurs...
... We see a young Tom Strong being called on by Pneuman (Tom's steam powered sidekick) who tells him that a reporter by the name of Greta has gone missing. Tom rushes out and finds her in the clutched of Paul Saveen, who is about to unleash his phlogisten (the liquid form of heat) upon an unsuspecting Millennium City. Tom breaks out, kicks some ass and Paul falls into a vat of the liquid heat...
Back in the present, the statue of Ingrid Weiss comes to life, she and Tom exchange blows and end up in a room with Saveen in a high back char on a stage. Ingrid stops the fight and tells Tom she has a surprise for him. She walks up to the stage and a young boy emerges; Saveen says "Some one is here to see you," - and that's the end.
Nice cliffhanger for an all around nicely paced multi issue story.
As always, Sprouse had a handle on these characters (he did co-create Tom) - every panel is just perfect. Gibbon's art is okay; nothing really memorable in either the good or bad sense.
We'll find out tomorrow who this young boy is and what kind of role he plays in Tom's life tomorrow. If you want to pick this issue up, get it from MyComicShop.
Well done. You have been very faithful with your reviews.
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