Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril

Posted: Wednesday, December 6 By: Egg Embry Print This Item

Writer: Joshua Dysart Artists: Sal Velluto (p), Bob Almond (i), Mike Garcia (c)

Publisher: Penny Farthing Press

The Premise: A Rocket Man in the 1930s battling Nazis for the ultimate source of power!

The Package: The handsome presentation of this collection of the second Captain Gravity mini-series [issues 1 to 6 plus the brand new 4.5] foreshadows the contents well. From its white cover beneath the fake [i.e., printed on] torn dust jacket to the cover leafs; it is aesthetically pleasing and exceptionally professional. One of the best packaging jobs on a soft cover I’ve seen.

The Art: The publisher is Penny Farthing Press. Not to belittle PFP [the intent here is to praise them for their top-notch quality on this project by comparing it to others], if this trade had said DC in the upper corner, I wouldn’t have been surprised. Looking through the book before reading it I was struck by the art – flawless. Every character, every background, every color, it is all there and it is all correct. No part of it detracts. Instead, every picture excites with clean story-telling and rich artwork. Each character is distinct; each detail is referenced. Without reading a word, this book works.

Visually, Captain Gravity puts me in the mind of those excellent lower-tier superhero mini-series that DC does from time-to-time. You know, the ones that make you glad to read comics. That is exactly what this book looks like. Penny Farthing has gone to great length to insure quality and beautiful work. Every dollar they spent on this work is evident on the printed page.

The Meat of the Story: One of Captain Gravity’s friends makes a mistake – she agrees to work with the government. [Ha!] Actress Chase agrees to act with the United States’ government to spy on her boyfriend, a Nazi researcher who is searching for the origin of the Swastika symbol.

Normally Nazis in a story would bother me, but this is handled well. This project works around it by embracing the issue of race. By creating a more realistic portrayal of the the lack of racial harmony that existed in the world around this time offers fuller, richer characters and allows the Nazis to come across as humans as well as monsters. Beyond the Nazis, this chronicle deals with race without fear. The main character is a Southern-born black man who escaped to Hollywood. He is trying to break with the oppression that exists for his race at that time. The Nazis are not all evil, most are just in denial about what the future holds for their nation and what evils their people will participate in. Some do not hate Jews. Still, the Jews in the story are not forgiving to the Germans. It adds realism and, though trite to say, flavor.

Nervous about Chase’s plan to follow her Jan Gunther, Captain Gravity begins actively tailing her. She keeps tabs on Jan by joining him for a dig to Axis-occupied Italy during World War II. Captain Gravity follows to discover three things – the Nazis have found the source of his power, they have their own Rocket Men and they have Chase as their prisoner! From there Captain Gravity will span the globe trying to prevent the Nazis from possessing his power and free his friend!

If my review of the opening makes it seem a little deux de machine let me assure you that it plays out better than it sounds. Quality tales are in the subtleties and this book has its share of subtle. The way characters are handled. The art. The pacing. It’s all very subtle. And very well done.

If you enjoy action-adventure and tales of struggle Captain Gravity is the work you have been waiting for! Excellent premise and an amazing comic!

http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/reviews/116543230855457.htm