Alan Moore plots while Leah Moore and John Reppion script this story about the wonder of comics and the taint reality would have on such fantastic characters. If Alan Moore's involvement and the premise weren't enough to get one to see this as something of a younger sibling to Watchmen, Dave Gibbons's contribution as cover artist should serve as a symbolic gesture that clinches it. An interesting premise is revealed later on in the issue, but an effort to develop an air of tension and mystery just ends up confusing the reader in the first half of the book. The book shows promise, but it pales in comparison to its pedigree.
A comic-book collector happens upon an old antiques/junk shop where he finds a treasure trove of old comics, including an old one he's never heard of before. At home, watching the telly, he recognizes a face on a news report. A notorious criminal kingpin is about to go on trial, and the collector recognizes him as being remarkably similar in appearance to a villain from one of the more cartoony strips from his old comics. Elsewhere, in a dank prison that's about to be reviewed by a top official, nasty criminals whose pasts have been buried rattle in their cages.
Oakley's artwork puts one in mind of the style of Phil (Green Arrow, Nightwing) Hester. He boasts a dark, angular approach that conveys intensity, menace and an air of foreboding. His stuff's a little too dark in the opening scenes, as he's meant to be establishing the cast of characters, and it's not always clear what's going on. His incorporation of older styles to convey the scenes from comics succeeds nicely. He differentiates between his regular style nicely, unlike the consistent style Dave Gibbons employed for the "real" scenes in Watchmen and those from the pirate comics the narrative from which mirrored the main plot.
So the government is hiding the heroes and villains of yesteryear in a prison, buried the truth and ignored it. But hints of their adventures and reputations have creeped out through popular culture, through comics. It's a fun premise, but we've seen variations on it before. So far, the writers aren't blazing any new trails, but really, we don't know who all the players are yet.
This is The X-Files, except the government isn't covering up an alien invasion but a colorful and dangerous world of heroes and villains. The problem is that they're not doing a very good job of it. The Janus Stark flashback serves as a signal that the inmates about to take over the asylum because the establishment is asleep at the wheel. My favorite part of this book is how the comics within the comics hint at what's to come. I'm still not taken with Albion yes, as I don't know the characters well enough, but my interest is piqued somewhat. 6/10
