Tom Strong #15
Writer: Alan Moore
Artists: Chris Sprouse and Karl Story
Published by America's Best Comics
The strongest (heh) issues of Tom Strong have been those fully drawn by Chris Sprouse. Enough issues have featured "guest segments," that one suspects Sprouse may be unable to keep up a monthly schedule, but it matters not. Generally, Moore (or whoever) finds suitable fill-in artists, and crafts the guest stories to the strengths of the artist. Moore has proven adept at crafting his scripts to the strengths and interests of his artists in his decades in comics, and my favourite issues of Tom Strong, I'm trying to say, are the ones drawn completely by Chris Sprouse.
Like this one.
Tom Strong #15 would seem to be a tribute to Lee/Kirby-era Fantastic Four, circa 1964 or so. The cover makes the homage quite clear, as the issue unfolds accordingly: Tesla is abducted by a Mole Man-like "villain," who wants nothing more than to woo her. She is angered by his tactics, but intrigued by him nonetheless, and much like in a real family, hilarity and tension ensue as Tom and Dhalua and Solomon suit up and give chase. And since this is Moore, we also get a science lesson about the adaptability and persistence of life under the most extreme of conditions. A science lesson about actual science, mind you.
I love how Moore uses his ABC titles not only to entertain, but to teach, in his twisted and tongue-in-cheek manner. It resonates with the frequent moments I have in my life, here in my mid-30s, where I'll use a word or concept in conversation and suddenly realize that I was originally taught about that word or concept by Stan Lee, or some other comics creator from my formative years. While I imagine the vast majority of ABC readers are adults, I hope some young minds are taking in Tom Strong and absorbing the fascinating lessons Moore is always slipping under the radar. You wonder where it might lead.
My favourite sequence in this issue is of Tesla and her new suitor alone in the early seconds of their relationship, just before he lays one on her, and just before she clocks him. It's a moment we've all seen before in movies, TV and comics; there's even a name for it, the "Meet Cute." But Moore, as always, uses resonant imagery and emotions to give us a fresh look at his characters, and at ourselves. Believe me, I'd love to make off with Tesla and charm my way into her heart myself.
Amusingly, Tesla counters her Dad's objections to this new relationship by reminding him that she is in her sixties, despite her youthful appearance and behaviour. It's an amusing and frankly mindbending reminder of how life works in the world of Tom Strong, and a humourous meta-comment on aging and continuity in comics, which after six decades of conflicting stories, has a lot of 'splainin to do about a host of inconsistencies. Leave it to the genius of Alan Moore to not only use this ludicrious fact of comics life as a plot element, but to do so in the context of a story about characters that, in the story, are about a hundred years old, but that in reality, our reality, didn't exist five years ago. Jesus, the mind reels with the layers of irony. I love Alan Moore.
We've a new inker this issue, Karl Story replacing Al Gordon. I liked Gordon's inks over Sprouse quite a lot, but Story does a fine job of delineating Sprouse's clean, vibrant storytelling. Next issues promises the first part of a multi-issue storyline. Chris Sprouse appears to be penciling the entire thing. Me happy.