Reviewer: Mathan “Wow” Erhardt
Story Titles: Belzon’s Treasure, Cyclops, Homecoming, The Plague, The Spectre: A Missing Life.
Written by: Richard Corben, and John Arcudi (The Spectre: A Missing Life)
Penciled and Inked by: Richard Corben
Colored by: Richard Corben, Lee Loughridge (Homecoming), and Dave Stewart (The Spectre: A Missing Life)
Lettered by: Richard Corben, and Jack Morelli (The Spectre: A Missing Life)
Editor: Mark Chiarello
Publisher: DC Comics
Solo is an anthology where one artist is showcased every issue. This issue’s artist is the legendary Richard Corben.
The issue begins with Belzon’s Treasure, a horror tale about a treasure hunter whose greed causes him to fall victim to an ancient curse. The second story is Cyclops in which a couple of warriors battle with a Cyclops, that features a horrifying ending.
Third is the story Homecoming is set in the past and deals with the ideas of family and loyalty. Next is the The Plague which feature a King whose kingdom is beset by brutal invaders and a plague, and the measures he takes to ensure survival.
The final story The Spectre: A Missing Life” is a haunting look at the life of Jim Corrigan and how his two lives; as a Detective and as the Wrath of God, occasionally converge.
Corben is an accomplished creator who has worked in the medium for over three decades. His art is phenomenal. The detail on his images makes your mouth water and your skin crawl. Belzon’s Treasure features a terrifying metamorphosis. Cyclops is practically 3-D, and The Plague is shockingly graphic. The final story, The Spectre: A Missing Life is also full of emotion, beauty and gore.
The stories themselves are all well written and plotted. Cyclops features an intriguing twist, and Homecoming fills it’s five pages to the brim. Arcudi does a great job of writing the Spectre, and makes me wish that this tandem were working on a monthly for the character.
