Writer/Artist: Sarah E. Byam, Tim Sale
Publisher: Dark Horse, $14.95
Written in 1991, the story is set during 1999 in a post WWIII America where corruption and the class gap have torn the country apart. Billi is the daughter of Ray Chadam, the last honest industrialist in the city who was just recently murdered. What the public doesn’t know is that Chadam was a masked vigilante named the Sword of Toleado, the only source of hope for the oppressed. Following in her father’s footsteps, Billi finds herself hunted by those she thought were her allies as she seeks the truth about her fathers death and justice.
Fans of Tim Sale’s artwork will definitely want to check this out. While I do enjoy his more current work, I have to admit I like a lot of his earlier art a little more simply because he didn’t overuse splash pages back then. In general, his pacing was solid and at times a little more experimental and not just a lot of flash. Which isn’t to say that it’s completely flash these days, but I find I enjoy looking back at his work on Challengers of the Unknown and his earlier Batman work with James Robinson.
Byam infuses the script with a sense of oppression that’s further developed by Sale’s use of darkness and the heavy grey tones. It’s interesting how the sub-plot of the Sword of Toleado is fairly minor in comparison to the murder mystery and the political and economic tones. It’s a great vehicle that underscores the class struggle and moral themes without overshadowing them.
If you like this then try: Tales of the Batman: Tim Sale, Batman Long Halloween, Challengers of the Unknown Must Die, Superman For All Seasons
Related Links: Sarah Byam @ Ponytailers & CBDB
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