Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Ripley's Believe It or Not! #1
Published by Dark Horse Comics
24 pages
$2.99.

I don't normally review a comic after seeing only one issue, but in the case of Ripley's Believe It or Not, by Dark Horse Comics, I'm willing to make an exception. Why?

Primarily due to the fact that the format of the book allows it; self-contained stories, with no cliffhanger endings or ongoing character development. Additionally, because I believe Dark Horse has produced a great comic.

What's good about this book? First of all, the stories are of actual events.

Throughout the '40's and '50's, there were many a comic series dedicated to numerous amazing (and some not so) events of history. Today, however, such works seem to be extinct, at least in the mainstream.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like the escapism of fiction as much as anyone, but I also believe that the medium of comic books is a great way to relay historical information. There is, indeed, something to the saying that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. it's certainly the case in this comic, and, thanks to script man Haden Blackman, the content between the covers also tends to be more entertaining than many offerings of today's comic industry.

The art also helps make Ripley's attractive. Cary Nord, who has done so much work in the superhero genre, does a masterful job of dramatically illustrating the stories, in glorious black and white, no less.

"Glorious?" You betcha! Not many artists can pull off the "colorless" work, but Nord not only does it with fine depth, his panels are never obscured; the reader doesn't have to "study" the picture to figure out what's happening.

Tales of "history's mysteries" (Amelia Earhart, D.B. Cooper, the crew of the Mary Celeste) have never looked so good.

Ripley's Believe It or Not is suggested for all ages. (Insert a "breathy" Jack Palance voice; "Believe it…,or Not.")

Look for this comic at comic shops, trade shows and online catalogs.

Mark Allen

Shudder at Vance's Light's End horror short stories narrated by actor William Windom at www.plan9.org.
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