The Question
Suspended Animation Classic #102
Originally published Dec. 9, 1990 (#49)
The Question Quarterly
By Michael Vance
“I don’t believe in violence. But I don’t believe in being raped, either. So I’m walking around in the ruins of all my fine ideals, and I’m lost and lonely and desperate.”
Such is the underlying philosophy of “The Question”, a hard-edged, gritty look at the underbelly of society. The Question is a vigilante who dehumanizes himself to battle a dehumanizing city. In the current issue, he fights personal and impersonal demons to rush a dying child on the edge of death and the Brazilian rain forest to a Hub City hospital. She has no hope for life under the backwards medicine of South America.
Vic Sage is the face behind the mask, and his struggle is further complicated by an intriguing man named Marco. He prays to the patron saint of martial artists, Saint Bruce. And he saves Vic from almost certain death so that Marco can kill The Question, honorably.
It is not the only complication in this odd mixture of adventure, social comment, karate and pathos. And although young readers may buy the book for its jump kicks and captivating art, adults will find something more. The Question is engrossing stuff.
In what could be a stultifying superhero cliché, writer Dennis O’Neal and artist Denys Cowan forget flash over substance and take the reader inside Vic Sage, Marco, and Myra Fermin. It’s a fascinating study of heroism in the face of despair, of courage and horror growing from the same soil, and is certain proof that there are comics for adults that balance action with thought. Plot, dialog, characterization, and art all work together to make this a standout among comic books.
The only question left is why all comics aren’t this good.
“The Question Quarterly” #2/$2.50, 41 pages, DC Comics/available in comic shops.
Fact: The Japanese read 1.7 billion comics in 1990!
The Question
Suspended Animation Classic #102
Originally published Dec. 9, 1990 (#49)
The Question Quarterly
By Michael Vance
“I don’t believe in violence. But I don’t believe in being raped, either. So I’m walking around in the ruins of all my fine ideals, and I’m lost and lonely and desperate.”
Such is the underlying philosophy of “The Question”, a hard-edged, gritty look at the underbelly of society. The Question is a vigilante who dehumanizes himself to battle a dehumanizing city. In the current issue, he fights personal and impersonal demons to rush a dying child on the edge of death and the Brazilian rain forest to a Hub City hospital. She has no hope for life under the backwards medicine of South America.
Vic Sage is the face behind the mask, and his struggle is further complicated by an intriguing man named Marco. He prays to the patron saint of martial artists, Saint Bruce. And he saves Vic from almost certain death so that Marco can kill The Question, honorably.
It is not the only complication in this odd mixture of adventure, social comment, karate and pathos. And although young readers may buy the book for its jump kicks and captivating art, adults will find something more. The Question is engrossing stuff.
In what could be a stultifying superhero cliché, writer Dennis O’Neal and artist Denys Cowan forget flash over substance and take the reader inside Vic Sage, Marco, and Myra Fermin. It’s a fascinating study of heroism in the face of despair, of courage and horror growing from the same soil, and is certain proof that there are comics for adults that balance action with thought. Plot, dialog, characterization, and art all work together to make this a standout among comic books.
The only question left is why all comics aren’t this good.
“The Question Quarterly” #2/$2.50, 41 pages, DC Comics/available in comic shops.
Fact: The Japanese read 1.7 billion comics in 1990!