I don’t know if the superhero crowd can get into this one, even though they should! Our 26th President led as exciting a life as Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark. Only he was real! Rough Riders tell the Teddy Roosevelt story and this issue begins with his daughter’s wedding. We’re also treated to several other historical figures in the Rough Riders title from that era such as Houdini and Thomas Edison. I enjoy my historical fiction and this one is a fine example of real characters in a fictional story.
The Creative Team:
Adam Glass begins this tale in 1906 at the very real wedding of Alice Roosevelt. Proud poppa Teddy is giving her away and he sees a Senator and begins talking shop. This infuriates Alice who chastises him for discussing work on her most important day. It’s a fun intro that draws us into the very real world of the founder of the Bull Moose Party and his day-to-day experiences and then we get a hint of the story to come as Harry Houdini arrives after the ceremony to discuss a mystery. We learn that there’s some animosity between the President and the escape artist as the two discuss how time has not healed past wounds. Glass draws us into the tale with a dose of realism mixed with great storytelling. Great stuff includes why Houdini is enlisting the help of the President and the secret behind the fortune-teller.
Patrick Oliffe recreates early 1900’s America superbly and helps authenticate this story til it seems like a real piece of American history. The art is dynamic and the supernatural sequences fluid, but what I love the most is the attention to detail for that era and in particular, Teddy Roosevelt, himself. Highlights include a nice lead up to the appearance of Houdini: the shot with the rose petals and playing cards on the ground and the final reveal of another real-world character from that era that will lead us into the next issue.
In Conclusion:
This is like the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but instead of fictional characters from literature, this team uses real-world people in an imaginary setting. I love my fantasy books which mix real people, places, and events into the mix, making it all the more fun. The blend of historical fiction and the supernatural is seamless and expected as the creators use real incidents from the characters lives to help ground the story. This issue serves as a build-up for what’s to come and at first seems to just be a standard ghost story until the final page when we meet… to be continued! **** (9.1 rating)
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Writer – Adam Glass
Art – Patrick Olliffe
Colors – Gabe Eltaeb
Letters – Sal Cipriano
Publisher – Aftershock Comics
Author Profile
- Kevin Given has studied with “ Longridge Writers Group †and “ Writer’s Boot Camp †a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the “ Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter †franchise which includes novels and comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of “ Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter †# 1 and “ Files of Karl Vincent †# 1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series “ Dracula Rising †(working title) and developing “ Foul Blood †into comic book form. Don't forget to check out the YouTube show " Comics: Let's Talk " hosted by Kevin Given
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