Tom Strong: Book Three

Rating:
Summary: Today's Age-Old Hero
Review: Moore has shaped Tom's mythology out of the strong fabric that preceded the Superhero Golden Age: the American pulp and serial hero. Tarzan, Doc Savage, etc. Like them, Tom has a unique origin, being born and raised outside of society by his scientifically inclined mother and father on the lost island of Attabar Teru. Forged in science & nature, Tom returns to his parents' Western world and become the force for Reason & Good that he was invariably designed to be. Moore wants to give modern readers a similar return with Tom Strong, rebuilding the empire of comics darkened by Watchmen with a modern variation on the archetypes from before the superhero genre's rise. Today's comic companies must repeatedly reinvent their heroes to meet society's shifts; Tom is born whole, the product, not just of science and nature, but of innocence and intellect. Who will save these heroes from obsolescence, who will rally and guide the muscle-bound masks and costumes? Tom Strong, the product of the lost pulp/serial heroes and modernity's yen for realism, could just be the right man for the job.

Rating:
Summary: "A true masterpiece" ,or,"Alan Moore latest GN"
Review: This, next to Watchmen, is one of the greatest comic books I have ever read because it has one key element that many comics lack ever since the grim and gritty age. It starts out with an interesting premise: what if a man wanted to make his son a perfect human being by educating him in the far-off island of Attabar Teru, away from societies influence.
By raising him in a low gravity enviroment with his robot nanny, Phneuman and feeding him lots of the goloka root, which gives longevity and physical prowess, he becomes as it seems throughout the book, to become a human version of superman. When Tom turns 11 a quake hits Attabar Teru, and both his parents are killed so he is raised by the Attabar Teru trbe(not very unlike peacful indians.)When he grows up, he heads off to Millenium city and becomes a super hero, or science-hero as their universe calls them.And while the story is incredible, so is the art. Chris Sprouse is the perfect guy to draw Tom Strong because Tom Strong is supposed to be an incredibly smart and, well...,strong version of the BFG, a big guy who makes us all feel safer. I also liked the brief reuniting of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons in the sixth chapter. Overal, this is one of the best graphic novels of all time,suitable for all ages, and something you should read right now!

Rating:
Summary: Great Idea But Only Average Execution
Review: Tom Strong is a tip of the hat to many classic comic book heroes and cliches. Tom Strong is based on Doc Savage, Solomon is based on the intelligent apes that populate the DC Universe, Tom's wife is like a cross between Wonder Woman and Storm of the X-men and so on. Having said that, there is a lot of originality in the book too. Without giving anything away, there are at least two characters in this book that are truly unique. I can't think of any other like them. I think all the characters in it are interesting but I don't think the story is as well executed as it could be. It starts off well but the collection seems to become less fun as you reach the end, although its never bad. Its not the best of Moore's ABC line (according to my experience that is A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) and its no where near his classic works, but its worth checking out if you are a fan. I will buy the next collection, but I don't have very high hopes for it.