Monday, July 13, 2020

Strange Adventures #3 Review

Fake News

Writer: Tom King
Artist: Mitch Gerads, Evan Shaner
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: July 15, 2020

It's time for another Strange Adventures where I struggle to review a book that I should probably wait until it's over to start reading, let alone review.  You see, Tom King plays the long game with a twist. Things sometimes change in odd ways by the end, which makes aspects of the book null and void.  Something that seems significant at the moment (Barda's eyes changing color in Mister Miracle, The Puddlers in Heroes in Crisis) end up never coming up again or get explained away by exposition, making them seem silly rather than important.  But, it's my so-called job to do this and away we go.

The issue begins with Mister Terrific leaving the meeting he had with Adam Strange and his wife, Alanna.  After ending the first two issues with the same cliffhanger leading into it, I was hoping we'd get to see some of it.  Instead, we get a pissed off Alanna and a nervous Adam.

I get that Adam would be nervous with what's going on, but Alanna's anger transforms into an Adam Strange media blitz to convince the court of public opinion he is still a good guy.  I know it's questioned in the book as well, but what the hell is going on?  Adam begged for the Justice League to investigate him!

That seems to be a part of the mystery here, but I have another issue that bothered me while reading this.  I think the plot is already getting convoluted and confused after three issues.  There is too much on the table of what Mr. Terrific is looking into.   Is the big concern the Pykkts and supposed war atrocities, or the guy who got murdered in the first issue?  Throw in the mystery about Adam's daughter and the fact that we don't get to follow Mister Terrific in his investigation, and I am having a hard time getting invested in the story and characters here.

The book continues to jump back and forth between the gritty stuff on earth and the adventurous stuff on Rann.  I like both artists a lot in this book, but the lines between the stories blur a bit more as we go on, and I can't say I am interested in the Rann stuff beyond Doc Shaner's art.

The book ends with Batman trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and that might be playing right into Alanna's hands, maybe.  The only thing I know is Alanna needs to cut back on the smoking; it's not good for her!

I said it at the beginning of this review, this book is hard to judge as a single issue.  We have not gotten much plot progression in three issues, and I was bored through most of this one.  I want to get involved, but Tom King doesn't seem to want the reader to play along.  There aren't enough moments to care about the characters and the book has a sullen and miserable overcast to it.  I don't even know what the main focus is right now.  I love both artists, but I am getting nothing from the story so far. 

Bits and Pieces:

After three issues, I am struggling to stay interested in this book.  Tom King gives readers a mystery without clues and an off-panel investigation, which makes it nearly impossible to play along.  It's a whisper down the lane plot that keeps changing focus and thus gets nowhere.  Tom King likes to play the long game, but I need something to keep me interested in each issue, and the great art isn't enough already.



  1. I'm with you. I want to like this book, but something feels off. Why is Adam so sniveling around Alanna? Why is she smoking... Rann has cigarettes? I was underwhelmed by Mister Miracle, and I'm starting to feel the same way with this. The art is fantastic. tho...

  2. She is hooked!!! Yea, this isn't great!!!