Lord Jim (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

A man continues to run from his past after an accident at sea. 

The Joseph Conrad penned novel isn't really as simple as that. However, that seems to be the general theme of the story. 

Jim has always dreamed of becoming a hero on the high seas. He gets his chance as the first mate of a steamer serving a large number of pilgrims seeking to flee religious persecution. When a storm threatens to sink the ship, the captain abandons his passenger for his own safety. Jim, initially hesitant to leave the ship, decides at the very last minute to flee with the captain.

Thankfully, the ship stayed afloat and the passengers were rescued by a French vessel. However, the act of cowardice on the part of the captain results in Jim losing his certificate to sail. Despite a strong moral objection to Jim's actions, Captain Charles Marlow is intrigued by the lads bravery to being the only crew member to stay for the entire length of his captain's trial and seeks to help Jim find new employment.

Jim flourishes as a ship's chandelier clerk at a port in southeast Asia. The natives respectfully refer to him as Tuan Jim or 'Lord Jim'. It looks like Jim has found a career with a promising future. That is until one of Jim's former crew mates arrives at the port threatening blackmail to reveal Jim's secret shame. But rather than lose face, Jim quits his swank job, running once again from his notorious past.

Originally published as a serial, Lord Jim was written by Joseph Conrad in 1899. A Polish writer who immigrated to the United Kingdom, Conrad's most famous novel is perhaps Heart of Darkness, which Francis Ford Coppola used as the inspiration for the Vietnam war classic, Apocalypse Now. Before becoming a writer, Conrad sailed the world as a merchant marine. At one time, he even captained his own vessel. Though scholars speculate that some of Conrad's exploits might have been anything but honest work. 

In 1979, John Norwood Fago wrote the script for a comic book adaptation of Lord Jim. The story was part of Pendulum Press's Pendulum Illustrated Classics series (formerly Pendulum Now Age Classics.) John's father Vincent Fago was hired in 1970 to produce a line of black and white comics based on beloved works of literature. As the Gilberton Company was in the process of shuttering it's extremely popular Classics Illustrated line of books, Pendulum Press saw an opportunity to fill the void of educational tools in the classroom. 

Pendulum ceased publication of new titles in the Pendulum Illustrated Classics in 1980, after releasing 13 volumes based on the works of William Shakespeare. Pendulum's parent company, Academic Industries repackaged the entire lineup into a series of pocket-sized paperbacks in 1984, called Pocket Classics. Though the books were individually priced for sale, Academic sold the books in a variety of group packages. For one low price, ranging between $19.95-$29.95, parents could buy an assortment that sometimes also included works from Pendulum's biography series. The commercials ran primarily on cable's  Nickelodeon, which after 7pm nightly would morph into the A&E channel. My parents bought me a library set that included all 60 of the classics, including the dozen Shakespeare works. 

In the early 90s, Pendulum would reissue full-color reprints of several of their most popular titles. Plans were to reproduce the original 72 volume lineup, but poor sales and the volatile economy for the comic book industry at the time forced Pendulum to quickly abandon the project. Pendulum folded in 1994. However, the legacy of the company's works live on as several companies have reissued many of the stories under the Pendulum Illustrated Classics banner to the next generation of students.

Artist for Lord Jim (C55) was Frank Redondo.

I loved the artwork. I loved the nostalgia. Hated the story. It's a real downer.

Completing this review completes Task #29 (Based on a classic work of fiction that you've never read) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

1st Issue Special #11 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

A college science experiment for extra credit results in coed Jonathan Drew unlocking his psychic potential. A million-to-one series of events results in the device attached to Drew's noggin to encounter a power surge. At first, it seems that Drew is just a little dazed. But when he asks for a glass of water and telekinetically pours the glass with his mere thoughts, Drew learns that he's one powerful psychic.

At first Drew and research scientist, Dr. Andrew Stone aren't sure what to make with these new found abilities. But when Drew's trial attorney sister, Maria, is killed in a hail of bullets from members of the mob, Drew soon realizes his destiny. He will use his newfound powers to take down the thugs who killed his sister. 

Armed with his new mental abilities and a pistol loaded with tranquilizer darts, Jonathan dons a blue and orange body suit to obscure his identity. His vigilante moniker is Assassin. However, just about everybody knows who Assassin really is thanks to media efforts by Dr. Stone to bring Drew in peacefully before he crossed the ultimate line: murder. But since our hero never kills anyone, he just knocks them out and ships baddies off to jail, I'm not sure whether or not calling yourself Assassin is such a great idea. In Drew's defense, the name Sandman was already taken.

Codename: Assassin was created in a joint effort by issue co-writers Gerry Conway and Steve Skeates, along with Frank and Nestor Redondo. Conway had previously co-created the vigilante character of the Punisher for Marvel. So I think Assassin was supposed to be like DC's version of Frank Castle. Somewhere along the way from Carmine Infantino designing the look of the character and the Redondo Studio putting the final touches on everything, the character of the Assassin went from cold blooded murderer to a much more muscular version of The Shadow. Only they kept the bad boy name. It's like when you have a pit bull named 'Killer' but you have him neutered. The intimidation factor just isn't the same.

Assassin's super-powered foes are almost polar opposites. There's the slinky former circus freak called Snake and then there's the blustering Powerhouse with the ability to siphon off electricity. Both have been hired to protect a mob boss from the Assassin. Snake is really cool looking with his lanky form and green scales. Powerhouse looks like a guy in one of those old scuba suits without the bell helmet. Snake can't be caught; making him a tough foe to nail down. But he's not very powerful. Powerhouse is a shocker but he's about as maneuverable as a bronze statue. 

Just before Assassin is about to tussle with Snake and Powerhouse, the story ends with a cliffhanger. Readers are encouraged to write in for more adventures of Codename: Assassin. Apparently the fan response was rather lacking because it wouldn't be until 2008-09 (roughly 31 years later) until Jonathan Drew would return to print in the pages of a few Superman Family titles. 

In his modern day appearances, the Assassin finally lives up to his name! Working in conjunction with Project CADMUS, Drew killed off several Guardian clones along with project overseer, Dubbilex. Afterwards, Drew would be recruited by General Sam Lane to develop a plan of defense in the light of a potential Kryptonian Invasion. That appears to be the last we've heard of the Assassin... for now.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #43 (Written by 2 Authors) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.