Thunderbirds Volume Two (graphic novel review).
Last year, Egmont released a large volume containing ‘Thunderbirds’ stories http://sfcrowsnest.org.uk/thunderbirds-the-comic-collection-graphic-novel-review/. This year, they have split these eighteen stories over five softcover volumes, with ‘Thunderbirds Volume Two’ being the second of five. All the art is by Frank Bellamy and mostly written by Alan Fennell. If you want to keep the big hardback for yourself, this edition is one you can leave to your sprogs.
The opening story ‘Brains Is Dead’ (originally released 24 February 2068-13 April 2068) has to be one of the best stories ever from these stories here as the dastardly Hood convinces the Tracy family that Brains is dead and then revives and brain washes him to give away all their security secrets and nearly defeats them. There are a couple flaws like how would the Hood know that the family would ‘bury’ Brains in space. Had he been laid to rest at the island or cremated, his plan would have instantly failed. Likewise, wouldn’t Kyrano have recognised his half-brother at the end and what about brainwashing the Hood’s men who now knew where International Rescue could be located? Nevertheless, it’s still a spectacular story.
The next couple stories were short in comparison. ‘The Space Cannon’ (originally released 20 April 2068-04 May 2068) is a three-parter where the boys have to disable the title piece and stop the World Airforce from blasting it.
‘The Olympic Plot’ (originally released 11 May 2068-15 June 2068) is another elaborate plan where criminal mastermind kidnaps two marathon runners in the middle of a race to retrieve some buried treasure. International Rescue has not only got to rescue them but ends up having to rescue but sees Scott do his own run.
Frank Bellamy must have loved drawing rocky scenery as ‘Devil’s Crag’ (originally released 27 July 2068-17 August 2068) has a turnabout situation where the boy International Rescue is supposed to be saving ends up saving injured Scott and Virgil.
All good fun and Bellamy displaying his best work although quite what Alan Tracy was doing while all this was going on is anyone’s guess.
GF Willmetts
October 2014
(pub: Egmont. 50 page softcover graphic novel. Price: £ 6.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-4052-7261-2)
check out website: www.egmont.co.uk
