As I have mentioned innumerable times before, DC, particularly in the bronze age of comics, revived the horror genre within the industry. With the public being highly critical of the gory and violent stories of the 1940s, it eventually led to the Comics Code Authority, which heavily censored comic books to the extreme, meaning that many writers found it difficult to actually write a script. Throughout the 1960s, the code’s censorship was beginning to become more lenient, leading to DC publishing a number of horror characters. For example, and most famously, Swamp Thing, created in 1971 by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. However, before that in the dawn of the bronze age, the dying comic named Strange Adventures heaved one last time to create a new character, before going reprint with issue 217. That character was Deadman, created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino in 1967. It proved popular and despite Infantino quickly leaving the title after just one issue, the popularity increased when young commercial artist Neal Adams draw his first work for DC Comics in Strange Adventures 206. For some, this features some of Adams’s best art, making him into a household name for DC. However, if Strange Adventures was cancelled not long after Deadman’s creation, were the stories even any good?
In the first of two reviews covering the Deadman stories from Strange Adventures, I will be reviewing:
Who Has Been Lying in My Grave/An Eye For An Eye! --- Strange Adventures 205-206
What Makes A Corpse Cry? --- Strange Adventures 207
How Many Times Can A Guy Die? --- Strange Adventures 208-209
Hide and Seek/How Close To Me My Killer? --- Strange Adventures 210-211
The Fatal Call of Vengeance/The Call From Beyond! --- Strange Adventures 212-213
Strange Adventures 205-211 were published monthly from October 1967 to April 1968, with issues 212-213 being released bi-monthly in May/June and July/August respectively (possibly due to Adams writing and drawing the stories. The stories were written by a number of creators, such as Arnold Drake, Jack Miller and Neal Adams, with Carmine Infantino, George Roussos and Adams doing the art. Lastly, I have read
these stories in the Deadman: Book One tpb. Also, with the exception of the first story, I will be reviewing the art by Adams at the end of the review.
Who Has Been Lying In My Grave/An Eye For An Eye! --- Written by Arnold Drake with art by Carmine Infantino, George Roussos and Neal Adams
THE STORY
In Hill’s Circus, aerialist Boston Brand prepares to head out on stage as Deadman when he has an argument with the circus’s owner, Lorna, about his egotism. Strongman Tiny then bashes through the door, telling Boston that he is meant to be out there in ten minutes. Annoyed, Boston walks off to his performance, leaving Lorna and Tiny concerned. Outside, Boston finds mystic Vashnu arguing with a constable, who doesn’t want him near the circus. However, Boston interferes, with the constable threatening him before leaving. Thankful, Vashnu tells Boston that Rama Kushna watches his fate and that Boston has been chosen. However, he just ignores Vashnu and continues on his way. Boston then punches an alcoholic acrobat and catches a barker named Leary stealing money from the circus. Afterwards, Boston, as Deadman, begins his circus act by climbing a tall ladder and swinging over the crowd with a rope. However, Boston is shot, and he falls down to the ground, where Toby the Clown discovers that he has died. While Lorna holds onto Tiny and cries, Vashnu believes his death is the beginning of Rama Kushna’s fate for Boston. Later, after the funeral, Tiny speaks alone to Boston’s grave, telling him that he was a rat and that its his fault Lorna is now alone. Meanwhile, Deadman experiences the moments after his death, telling everybody that he isn’t dead, but they can’t see or hear him. He then hears the voice of Rama Kushna, telling him that he is in fact dead, yet he has the power to enter a person’s body to control them, which will cease when Deadman finds his killer. Deadman then finds Tiny and enters his body, before walking away to find his killer. At first, Deadman believes his killer could be Heldrich, who was fired by Boston before he died for drinking. Heading to his house, Deadman discovers Heldrich and the constable from earlier making a deal. Using Tiny’s strength, Deadman breaks into the house, but he is beaten by Heldrich and the constable. However, when leaving the house in Tiny’s unconscious body, Deadman becomes the constable and knocks Heldrich unconscious. The police arrive and arrest the two of them for drug smuggling, while Lorna worries how she will cope without Boston…
After receiving his special powers and stopping Heldrich and the constable, Deadman screams about how he can never rest, unless he avenges his own murder. While Tiny recovers from his injuries, Lorna’s brother, Jeff visits her. Although the conversation starts happily, Jeff admits to her that he needs $10,000, shocking her as she doesn’t have anything close to that. However, Jeff tells Lorna that as Boston Brand was insured by the circus and is now dead, they will receive $250,000. Deadman enters the room and watches Jeff try to take money from his sister, which she refuses to do. In anger, Jeff pushes Lorna to the ground before leaving. He is followed by Deadman, who then enters his body. He then discovers his address through his wallet and heads towards there on the motorbike. However, Deadman meets with Jeff’s biker gang, who demand to know where the money from Lorna is. However, Deadman makes an excuse and heads to Jeff’s home, where he discovers a gun which Deadman believes is his murder weapon. Afterwards, Deadman speaks to Morty, a gang member who wants the money from Lorna, telling him that he refuses to do it. However, Morty threatens Deadman, telling him he has pictures of him (as Jeff) killing somebody with the gun, which Morty organised, but he won’t mention it when releasing the pictures to the police. After discovering that Jeff’s victim died around the same time as him, Deadman believes that Jeff isn’t his killer and heads to the location where Jeff’s victim was killed. However, he is attacked by the police, but manages to escape by leaping from car to car. Then, Morty appears with a gun, telling Deadman that he was the killer as Jeff failed. Deadman then knocks Morty out before he is killed. Later, at the police headquarters, Deadman possesses Morty’s body and confesses everything, proving Jeff innocent. Yet, Deadman continues to search for his killer with a hook hand.
MY THOUGHTS
The aspect which makes this story great is something which carries throughout all the Deadman stories, which is Boston Brand’s character. In the usual yarn, the main character is a good person who is heroic and kind and if they died, then it would be seen as a sad moment. However, in this story, Boston Brand is a complete a*shole. I mean, for most of the first story he goes around the circus criticising everyone and everything and he is simply a bully. This is a great piece of character as it feels so different to other stories seen before and it allows the character to actually grow into somebody who is more heroic. In fact, Brand seems to become much kinder when he is dead and while he does have a sense of justice before his death, becoming Deadman allows him to carry out those tasks. Most of the first part is taken up by Deadman meeting Rama Kushna, a character that while I don’t care too much about, does work here in the beginning, simply because it provides an explanation for how Boston Brand becomes Deadman. The scenes in which Boston discovers his new powers are very good and mysterious, adding to the mood of the book. The funeral of Brand is also another great moment in which Tiny, who was bullied by Brand, tells his grave that he was a right b*stard. Again, there is a great sense of character and for a comic of the 1960s, characters feel much more developed than seen in other titles. Although the actual crime-fighting story in the first part is short and simple, with Deadman taking out Heldrich and a police officer who are involved with drugs, it works and its just pretty standard. Apart from that, the actual premise of Deadman having to hunt his killer is good, even though it’s never really explained why he was chosen. That said, Vashnu does play an important part as he can see Boston’s future, knowing that his fate is one of a deadman.
Right, I know its only the second issue of the Deadman saga if you will, but I have to say the second part of the first story is just crap. It starts off well as it concludes aspects from the drug smuggling story, but when it gets into the biker gang and the feud between Jeff and Morty, it just feels very confusing and if the story had to be told, it should have been done so later. First of all, I know this was published in the late 1960s, but the whole biker gang thing seems incredibly dated and boring. Plus, it adds nothing to the real story, since most of the drama surrounds Jeff, who is controlled by Deadman, and Morty. That plot is just a complete mess, since it involves some random murder which Jeff committed, but then he didn’t, and it was actually Morty. It doesn’t help that both of their two characters are exactly the same and there isn’t much difference. That being said, I do like how characters from the circus like Lorna and Tiny feature, since they aren’t just forgotten about, but the actual plot of that second issue is just lame and confusing, which is a shame after a great first part.
Carmine Infantino and George Roussos draw the first issue and its pretty average. Usually, I love Infantino’s art, since I think his Flash and Batman stories look great,
especially when inked by Joe Giella or Murphy Anderson. Roussos isn’t bad, but he is
nothing great. Infantino’s Deadman looks rather strange and that may be because I’m so used to Neal Adams’s Deadman, but I’m just not a huge fan here. Now, its worth mentioning that I have read this story in the Deadman: Book One tpb and because of that, Strange Adventures 206, the first to be drawn by Neal Adams, has not only been recoloured, but also reinked and partly rewritten. This is infuriating, as it completely throws away the original version which begun Adams’s long DC career. The recolouring is awfully glossy and messy. The reinks look horrible and the nerve that DC had to add an extra line of dialogue or two is just criminal to me. Publish the original story. Sure, Roussos’s inks over Adams’s may not be flawless, but still, just reprint the untampered original. The colours can be remastered faithfully to the original, but this isn’t ruining what was great about the original…
Story: 6/10
Art: 6.5/10 (mainly because of ugly reinks and recolours)
What Makes A Corpse Cry? --- Written by Jack Miller with art by Neal Adams
THE STORY
As Deadman watches Hill’s circus being taken down for good, he remembers his death once again and Rama Kushna’s mission for him to find his killer. Deadman then finds an old letter to him from Liz Martin, a girl that he once made a promise to. Years ago, Boston entered a nightclub where he noticed Liz was a singer being harassed by somebody. After Boston rescued her, he discovered that she wanted to get out and that he can help her. Sometime later, Liz told Boston that she can’t leave her job because of Rocky Manzel, the club’s owner. After annoying him, Rocky swings for Boston and the two fight. After Rocky concedes that he lost the fight, he threatens Boston, telling him that he will die. Boston then left, telling Liz that one day he will save her. In the present, Deadman wonders if Rocky was his killer and he heads to the club, where he finds Liz speaking to Paul, who wants to go out with her. However, Rocky then appears and tells Paul to leave. In anger, Liz throws her drink over Rocky’s face. Rocky then warns that if he didn’t feel something special towards her, she would be dead. Rocky then drinks to Boston’s death, making Deadman believe he was the killer. Then, Deadman possesses Paul’s body and he asks Liz if Rocky did kill Boston, but she doesn’t know. Deadman then discovers a secret entrance in Rocky’s office down to the basement. However, Deadman is attacked by Rocky when he discovers counterfeit money. Luckily, Deadman manages to beat and escape from Rocky and his men, but he is injured. As Deadman leaves to find his real killer, the police arrest Rocky. Paul whose wounds are healed, is praised by Liz for saving the day.
MY THOUGHTS
Honestly, while some may think this story is rather trivial, I think its probably one of the best Deadman stories of the lot. Seriously, I think its pretty much flawless, mainly because it is very focused on Boston Brand’s past rather than finding his killer. This works for me as in order to make us care about Deadman finding the Hook, we have to know more about him and his character. Once again, we see Brand in the past split between good and bad, since he tries to save Liz from her evil boss, Rocky, while punching him square in the face. What works perfectly about this is that it is well established that Boston Brand has loads of enemies. He isn’t some nice guy that everybody loves. No. There could have hundreds of people that wanted him dead, making the mystery even deeper. The actual story here is excellent as Deadman hopes to discover that Rocky is his killer, but of course he isn’t. Instead, Deadman uncovers that Rocky prints counterfeit money and he uses the body of Paul to do so. This is the first story by Jack Miller after Drake wrote the first two parter and here, its clear that he is up for writing good character too. Every character feels very real and because of their interesting and unique characters, along with an intriguing plot that develops Deadman’s character more, it just works excellently. A basic, yet very enjoyable and great tale. Nothing else to say really.
Story: 10/10
Art: 9/10
How Many Times Can A Guy Die? --- Written by Jack Miller with art by Neal Adams
THE STORY
Wandering in a graveyard, Deadman remembers a fellow aerialist named Eagle, who could be Boston’s murderer. Years ago, Lorna hired Eagle, a St Louis aerialist with a hatred for Boston. Over time, the two constantly argued and one day, Eagle nearly kills Boston in training. The two had a long and dramatic fight which nearly resulted in both of their deaths. Even after the two of them nearly fall to their deaths, they continue fighting, ending with Boston telling Eagle to call himself a sparrow and a coward, which he does in front of everybody at the circus. Eagle then pledged that he (continued)
will one day kill Boston. In the present, Deadman finds a Hill’s Circus billboard, in which Eagle is now their star. Heading inside, Deadman notices Eagle flirting with an uninterested Lorna. Although Deadman’s words cannot be heard, Lorna tells Eagle to leave her alone. However, Eagle reminds her that he is the only thing keeping the circus alive, which Laura is forced to agree with. After making remarks about Boston and trying to flirt with Lorna again, Tiny enters the room, concerned that Lorna is unsafe. Then, Boston enters Tiny’s body and beats Eagle, telling him that he will never replace Boston. Eagle then tells Deadman that he warned that Boston would one day die…
Believing that Eagle was his killer, Deadman leaves Tiny’s body and waits for Eagle to leave Lorna. Once he does, Deadman takes over a circus man’s body and enters Eagle’s tent, writing a letter warning him that somebody knows about Eagle’s crimes. Deadman then quickly leaves the tent from the back as Eagle discovers the note. Eagle then leaves his tent and enters Vashnu’s, who is also a handwriting expert. However, Vashnu refuses to tell Eagle who wrote the note, as he wouldn’t believe it. Afterwards, Deadman notices Eagle speak to two cohorts, warning them both to lay low as they may have been discovered. Later in the city, Deadman finds Eagle and his two gangsters stealing jewellery. Deadman then follows them both to Eagle’s tent, where he possesses another man’s body and again and finds the stolen goods. However, Eagle and his guards are awoken and begin shooting at Deadman, who manages to escape and call the police. Eagle and his men then chase Deadman to a ferris wheel, where Eagle and Deadman fight while Lorna and Tiny are confronted by Eagle’s guards. Luckily, Eagle is beaten by Deadman and the police arrive, arresting him and his men. However, Deadman discovers that Eagle committed similar crimes on the same day that Boston was killed, crossing Eagle off the list.
MY THOUGHTS
This here is really the first major story of the Deadman saga. Technically, it’s a four-parter printed over two issues and it further explores just how much everybody seems to really dislike Boston Brand, which I’m all for since it develops character. The plot really doesn’t get going to the second issue, mainly because the first issue is a long fight scene between Deadman and Eagle in the past, which depicts how much they hate each other. The purpose and conclusion of the fight works because it presents to us once again that somebody else hates Boston Brand. There’s a surprise. Anyway, the first part gets really interesting at the end, when Eagle seems to hint that he was the one who killed Deadman. As a cliff-hanger, this works incredibly well as while I believe the first scene goes on for too long, it does establish that the two characters really hate each other. Because of that, it is very believable that Eagle killed Boston Brand. The second part of the story takes place in the present and it’s a fairly standard robbery story, with quite a few comedic moments. In fact, the second part depicts Eagle as an idiot that nobody likes, since Lorna, Tiny and Vashnu basically all don’t want him there, but he has to be there, otherwise the circus will collapse financially. This actually gives a good reason for why Eagle features again in the story, since if he just randomly turned up one day, then it just wouldn’t feel right. The plot does feel very similar to the previous story as there is a hidden crime which Deadman uncovers to incriminate Eagle, which makes sense, despite the fact that it feels like Miller is reusing an old story with different characters. In fact, character is the real highlight of this story and naturally, everything else is constructed around people like Deadman and Eagle.
My main problem with the story is that the pacing could have been much better. Most of the first issue is taken up by a long fight scene between Deadman and Eagle. While the art does look great by Neal Adams, it just goes on too long, resulting in the second issue feeling very rushed in certain areas. I also mentioned earlier that the plot is incredibly similar to that of the previous issue, yet that isn’t a huge problem since the characters feel very different but are still great. Also, the circus closed down in an earlier issue, but now it reopens without any real explanation.
Story: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Hide and Seek/How Close To Me My Killer? --- Written by Jack Miller with art by Neal Adams
THE STORY
Walking through the city, Deadman wonders if the police are covering his murder case. Taking the body of a police sergeant, Deadman discovers the detective on his case, Riley, was discharged from the force for excessive violence. Leaving the
sergeant’s body, Deadman finds Riley sleeping in his apartment and reads a newspaper about how Riley was discharged due to a testimony from a man with a hook hand. Using Riley’s body, Deadman heads out and speaks to Roy Martin, a witness of Riley’s forceful methods. Although Martin tells Deadman to go away, he follows him to watch Martin feed his birds. Suddenly, Martin begins punching Deadman and the two fight, ending with Deadman demanding to know why Riley was discharged. Martin tells him that he needed the money that the hook-handed man offered to him if he testified. Deadman then finds the address of the Hook and phones the police, telling them that he (Riley) can be cleared because of new evidence against the hook. However, inside, Deadman and an officer find Martin dead, possibly due to the Hook. Deadman and the officer then enter the Hook’s apartment, where they find a travel brochure for Mexico. Although the officer tells Deadman that he is cleared, he isn’t happy about it…
In the apartment, Deadman screams about searching for the Hook and he decides to leave. However, when he arrives in Mexico, Deadman finds his twin brother Cleveland Brand, who he hopes has nothing to do with his death. In the past, Boston and Cleve constantly argued and the two grew to hate each other. One day, their mother tells Boston that Cleve is involved with a gang. After beating up the gangsters, Boston confronted Cleve and beat him, telling him to straighten up. As a result of that, Cleve warned Boston that he will never forget this. In the present, Deadman watches Cleve speak with his daughter Lita, who wants to return to the states. However, Cleve leaves, telling her that he has business to take care of. Later, Deadman watches his brother rescue a group of illegal immigrants and transport them on a bus to the states. Meanwhile in Texas, Alf Jackson makes a speech at a civic community dinner, before heading home and meeting with Cleve. Deadman then discovers that Cleve is bringing the immigrants in for cheap labour. However, as the Mexican authorities have been informed about the immigrants, Jackson orders Cleve to kill the immigrants in order to protect him. However, when it comes to it, Cleve can’t do it and he is about to killed by one of Jackson’s men. Luckily, Deadman takes over Cleve and fights Jackson’s gang, managing to take them out while rescuing the immigrants. While Cleve is sad that his brother can’t see his heroic actions, Deadman continues to search for the Hook.
MY THOUGHTS
The last story by Miller finally develops Deadman’s quest of finding the Hook, since it’s the first time he has really appeared in a story. Also, I know the two issues of the story do have different plots, but they are connected so to me, they are one story. Anyway, the plot of the first issue is great and its story which I wanted to see. The police obviously must have a record on Boston Brand’s death and as Deadman can access them, it makes for a very entertaining detective-like story. The story itself is very curious as it’s clear the Hook is trying to ensure that he won’t be caught for Brand’s murder and what works really well is that Deadman hasn’t met his killer yet. This builds up drama and suspense throughout not just this story, but all of them until the end of Deadman’s quest. This works incredibly well as it shows how intricately the Hook is trying to hide himself, even going as far as Mexico to escape (now that’s good hiding). That plot works incredibly well as up until that point, there hadn’t been much progression of the main story, since most stories just featured Deadman thinking different people were his killer, when none of them were. Let’s move onto the second part, in which the best aspect of it is the introduction of Brand’s brother, Cleve. His inclusion in the story once again adds more detail to Brand’s past while making us think if Cleve murdered his brother. While this works well, it was obvious to me from the very start that he didn’t kill Brand. Instead, his involvement with illegal immigrants, which really comes out of the blue, is the main focus. I’ll get to that in a bit, but Cleve is a welcome addition to the title, despite having a very similar character to his brother. They are twins after all.
The illegal immigrant story really comes out of nowhere and to me, doesn’t fit at all with the main story. Sure, it adds context to what Cleve is doing behind the backs of both his family and the law, but it just feels so random that you can’t really accept it. I think it would have worked as a story in Green Lantern/Green Arrow by Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams, but with characters like Deadman and Rama Kushna, it just doesn’t work. That being said, I do like how Cleve refuses to kill the immigrants, showing that he isn’t an evil character, but I just think Strange Adventures, particularly with Deadman, is a weird title to be tackling social issues…
Story: 6.5/10
Art: 9/10
The Fatal Call of Vengeance/The Call From Beyond! --- Written and drawn by Neal Adams
THE STORY
After receiving a Deadman costume from the circus, Cleve visits Lorna at the circus, but she faints thinking he is Boston. Meanwhile in Mexico, Deadman finds a newspaper claiming that Boston Brand is in fact alive, shocking him. Deadman also speaks to a person attacked by the Hook, but they become suspicious, believing the person that Deadman is using to be a spy. Later, Deadman visits Hill’s Circus, where he discovers that Cleve has become the new Deadman. Cleve explains to Lorna that they are now ready for Boston’s killer to return, as he is expected to come. Later, Cleve, with Deadman following, confronts the lion tamer, who has been torturing a lion with a taser. Deadman then discovers that the tamer lost a hand to a lion once, making him believe that he may be the Hook, who unknown to Deadman, is actually working with the tamer. At night, Deadman follows Cleve into the lion tamer tent, where they are both locked in with the animal. Luckily, Deadman possesses his brother and fights the lion, but he is injured. Then, the lion tamer’s wife arrives and attempts to calm down the creature, but Deadman saves her by shooting the lion. As she is taken away in an ambulance, she explains that the Hook promised to pay her if she drugged the cat in order to kill Cleve. Later, during a performance, Deadman notices the Hook and he chases after him. After grabbing the Hook, Deadman discovers it is the lion tamer, who confesses that he isn’t the Hook. However, the real Hook then appears and shoots Deadman. Lorna and Cleve then appear and discover that Tiny is under the Deadman costume and that he is dying. Elsewhere, Deadman hears the news and screams…
Due to his injuries, Tiny is taken into hospital where doctors state that it is only a matter of time before he dies. Later, Vashnu appears and believes that only the help of Rama Kushna can save Tiny. This gives Deadman an idea and he possesses Tiny’s body, making him fight his injuries, resulting in Tiny being on the road to recovery. Doctor Shasti believes that Tiny was saved through psychic powers and he decides to research into, which angers his son Sammy who rarely sees his father due to his work. Later, Deadman follows Shasti and some doctors to Madam Pegeen’s home, who is a powerful psychic. Inside, Pegeen summons the spirit of a dead woman who was the sister of one of the doctors, making Deadman believe that Pageen can summon spirits. However, this makes Shasti realise that he isn’t equipped or skilled enough to research spirts and when Sammy arrives after following his father, the two decide to leave. However, Pageen is not pleased and she leaves Shasti and Sammy, along with Deadman in the room with a group of large insect-like spirits. But Sammy quickly realises that the spirits aren’t real, but they are made of carboard. In the end, Pageen (continued)
and her accomplices are arrested by the police, Shasti and Sammy walk home, while Deadman continues his search for his killer.
MY THOUGHTS
This story begins Neal Adams’s writing stint on Strange Adventures, and it is diabolical. But first, I’ll start with the positives. I like the return of Hill’s Circus, as these characters have already been established by Arnold Drake and Jack Miller, meaning that Neal Adams won’t f*ck it up and make up a load of new crap ones. With these good old characters, it makes things a bit less confusing. The other thing I like is Tiny’s sacrifice, a moment in the story which feels genuinely sad since he’s a lovable fool. Of course, he doesn’t really die because of Vashnu’s weird psychic powers. Yeah. Well, lets get into this mess…
For starters, the decision to make Cleve become the new Deadman of Hill’s Circus is rather stupid to me. Cleve is risking his life since the idiotic journalists believe that Boston Brand is still alive and because of that, it’s a rather stupid thing to do. Also, the first part of the story is full of strange parts which feel so random. For example, the random lion fight midway through the first issue feels so unnatural and out of place, making me think that Adams just put it in there so he could draw a good-looking page. The dialogue feels incredibly corny and lacks the realism which the previous writers managed to achieve. I mentioned before that the ending to the first issue was good, but what follows is honestly a steaming pile of sh*t. Because of Adams’s clunky dialogue and storytelling (not visually in his art of course, the second part is a chore to read, with Pageen summoning spirits and demons which are actually made of cardboard. Everything is such a mess and I get that the spirits being made out of cardboard was meant to be funny, but as a conclusion to the story, it is just unsatisfactory and woefully pathetic. Sure, there are some nice characters like Doctor Shasti and his son, but what does that really matter in the end when the story they have been placed in is just a pile of messy, unorganised trash. To me, the introduction of all this spiritual crap and Rama Kushna under Neal Adams’s writing ruins Deadman and it isn’t what it should be about. To me, Deadman is about hunting his killer and walking the earth a lonely soul, not becoming integrated to some holy system to do with Rama Kushna. They’ll be more on that in the next review, but for now, it can only get worse unfortunately…
Story: 2/10
Art: 9/10
THE ART BY NEAL ADAMS
With the obvious exception of Strange Adventures 206, which I have reviewed earlier and hated, the art by Neal Adams is fantastic detailed and tells a story in such an imaginative and brilliant way. His art style is incredibly suited to Deadman, with his use of lighting working excellently in dramatic scenes which have a lasting impact. Deadman himself looks great, as if he is some phantom that can be misjudged as a villain, which works perfectly considering Boston Brand’s character and evolution. All other characters are uniquely drawn by Adams and his art compliments their individual characters. His storytelling works incredibly well, with a scene of just two people talking having the same impact as two people beating the hell out of one another. While I prefer Adams when he is inked by the likes of Dick Giordano (and here they still could have benefited the finished art), the stories look incredible and even those plots which are less good or even awful can look fantastic with Neal Adams at the helm. With certainty, his work from the 1960s and 1970s is up there with Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. Of course, his work from the 2010s is down there with Denys Cowan but thank god I’m reviewing some classic Adams here.
VERDICT
Overall, Deadman: How Can a Corpse Cry, or Deadman: Book One, whatever you want to call it, features some good early bronze age stories that shows how excellent DC could write darker titles featuring the likes of Deadman. Most of the stories by the main writer, Jack Miller are very good and there are only a few occasions where the quality drops. The same goes for Arnold Drake too. However, the story by Neal Adams falls short of what made Deadman great and while his art is certainly excellent (the original art that is), his writing will never be as good, which is a shame…
Stories: 7.5/10
Art: 8/10
Next Week: Deadman: The Track of the Hook (Strange Adventures 214-216, The Brave and the Bold 79, 86, stories from Aquaman (vol 1) 50-52). Written by Bob Haney, Robert Kanigher and Neal Adams with art by Neal Adams. Expected by 17/05/2020.
Comments