It’s an exciting time in the comic industry, with many independent authors looking to get their work in front of readers. The most thrilling indie comics offer the promise of adventure, and one of the most interesting I’ve read recently is Wolverton: Thief Of Impossible Objects #1, created by Michael Stark and Terrell T. Garrett. The comic features gentleman thief, Jack Wolverton on a mission to pilfer and pinch mystical objects from across the globe. Stark and Garrett sent The Comic Vault a copy of the first issue in exchange for an honest review.
The setting of the story is 1910 and that immediately appealed to the history geek in me. It’s a time of change, where the world is shrugging off its superstitious past and embracing an age of science and technology. The story begins in a storm off the coast of Tenerife. A ship is caught in the maelstrom and it’s transporting mysterious goods. Wolverton is aboard and attempts a daring heist. Instead of stealing jewellery, he’s after a cursed monkey paw.
It doesn’t take long for the heist to go awry and the captain sets his men on Wolverton. Magic and mayhem follow, with Wolverton having to do battle with an animated statue. Wolverton uses the monkey paw to make his escape and has to be cut out of the belly of a whale by a priest called Father Patrick. The dynamic between Wolverton and the priest is hilarious, with Father Patrick acting like a crotchety, disapproving father and Wolverton trying to lighten the mood at every opportunity.
Wolverton is revealed to be the agent of an organisation that safeguards the world from magical threats. His next mission is to retrieve the Hope Diamond, but he needs the help of his former lover Isabelle Conte. The epilogue sets up their relationship well, with Wolverton promising an adventure to the sceptical Isabelle.
Wolverton is an intriguing protagonist and embodies the classic Errol Flynn swashbuckling type of character. Some people might say that the world doesn’t have room for swashbuckling anymore, and to those people I say they don’t know a damn thing. Wolverton’s overconfidence is amusing, with him even going so far as to leave a calling card every time he steals an object. The comic reads like a grand play, which isn’t surprising, considering Stark and Garrett are scriptwriters.
The art, handled by Derek Rodenbeck and Ellen Belmont, is very detailed. There’s an old-fashioned vibe to the panels, with a lot of grey and black that matches the time period. My favourite scene involved a giant wave crashing down on the ship and the colours really pop.
Wolverton: Thief Of Impossible Objects #1 is a playful tribute to the dashing swashbucklers of yesteryear. It’s available now on Amazon and you can also go Stark and Garrett’s website to find out more.
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