In the early 20th century, the white colonizer superhero trope was a big thing. Tarzan, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Doc Savage, and similar Golden and Silver Age heroes are good examples. Another such hero is the space-faring DC hero Adam Strange. Controversial writer Tom King explores themes of heroism, propaganda, race politics, what it means to be a hero, and who gets to be called a hero in his 12-issue 2020 series Strange Adventures.
Our hero, Adam Strange, is on a book tour after spending years on a space adventure. Strange becomes a suspect after one of his fans is killed. He asked Mr. Terrific to publicly investigate him and clear his name. The story unfolds in a haze of political and interpersonal complications.
Many comic fans find King’s work to be hit or miss, but Strange Adventures was a critical hit. The artwork of Mitch Gerards and Evan “Doc” Shaner is a major selling point for the book’s success. This story’s central theme asks questions that may unnerve you. The story demands that you reassess the definition of what it means to be a “hero.” Whether or not that is a good or bad thing is up to you.
I highly recommend that you buy Strange Adventures. It was one of the smartest and most poignant sci-fi stories of 2020.
To review it, I need to explain who Adam Strange is first.
Adam Strange 101
Adam Strange is an old-school DC Comics character. He is basically an analog of Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers. Strange made his debut in Showcase #17 in 1958. Strange is an adventurer and archeologist. While on a dig site in Peru, Strange finds himself instantaneously transported to the faraway planet Rann.
Rann is ruled by a human-like people known as Rannians. Strange falls in love with Alanna, the daughter of Sardath, the lead Rannian scientist. A device known as the Zeta Beam can transport a human between planets and galaxies instantaneously. The Rannians use the Zeta Beam to bring Strange to their planet in the hopes he will defend them from planetary and extraterrestrial threats.
Strange spends years on Rann. He falls in love with Alanna and fights for the Rannians. Still, he goes back to Earth every few years.
Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures is the relaunch of an old title of the same name under the Black Label imprint. Black Label publishes stories with DC superheroes with mature themes.
After Adam and Alanna return from a space adventure, Adam writes a book about their time on Rann. They go on a national book tour. At a book signing, an angry fan accuses Adam of genocide and war crimes in space. Adam wrote about warring with alien creatures on behalf of Rann in a way that does not sit well with some critics.
Soon, the very critic who was yelling at Adam is found dead from a laser blast. Adam’s trademark is wearing jet packs and using a laser blaster. As the public accuses him, Adam reaches out to Batman to investigate him. If Batman says Adam is innocent, people will listen.
Batman won’t do it, but suggests Mr. Terrific, who is just as brilliant as Batman. Mr. Terrific is hesitant. He feels that the public won’t like a Black man investigating a white hero. While Terrific takes the gig, Adam and Alanna are not happy that he is investigating them instead of rubber-stamping their innocence. Also, Terrific’s investigations make the tragedy that happened on Rann worse for the Stranges.
Terrific solves the mystery in a way that complicates the lives of all involved.
The Review
The genius of Strange Adventures is that the story is told in two timelines. We see what happened on Rann and in the present day. There is a stark contrast between how Adam and Alanna fight and survive on Rann and how they act on their publicity tour on Earth.
Artist Mitch Gerads draws the present day, while Evan Shaner draws the events on Rann like an old school pulp comic book. The same characters in different circumstances are demanding respect and acknowledgement for their action based on their terms to uninvested, hostile, or indifferent audiences.
Are you a hero only because you publicly proclaim yourself to be one?
Is Adam really a hero to Earth humans because he fought aliens on a faraway planet? Does killing aliens because he loves Alanna make him a hero? Alanna is not even human; Alanna is an alien who looks human. Does Alanna deserve the respect of humanity because Adam fights for her love on an alien world?
We get insight into the Stranges’ actions, choices, and mindset on Rann that makes the viewer have to ask such uncomfortable questions. Adam Strange went to a strange land, fought alien savages, fell in love with the hot chick, and fought to protect the native savages, relative to Earth. Who gets to decide he is the hero?
Even if you hate Tom King, you might still like this story. Keep an open mind and you will enjoy it. While I enjoy Tom King, the artwork of Gerards and Shaner is the major attraction here.
Strange Adventures: The Deluxe Edition is a 448-page hardcover. It collects all 12 issues of the series. Buy it now at Amazon for $47.
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