User blog:Markstephens/Missing this comic would be a big MisTECH

I grew up reading Marvel comics in the USA during the 1970’s and have enjoyed staying in touch with the Earth 616 ever since. My attention did drift during the 1990’s, a time I’ve now learned, was graced with a period of successful Marvel UK characters. Despite their popularity, Marvel’s economic hardships sealed their fate… or did it? This is the world of comic books we’re talking about! The land where nobody (good or evil) stays dead forever, right? Obviously, I knew nothing about these characters going into this comic. Would the whole thing get bogged down by back-story? Even worse, would I simply be confused throughout? Not to worry! The book was written with readers like me in mind. Background was quickly, and often humorously, sprinkled throughout the book This story walks a delicate tightrope, managing to make fun of itself and the entire genre while also managing to deliver a legitimate tale of adventure replete with interesting characters. Dai Thomas is a Welsh cop and ex-knight of Pendragon. (He sometimes rents his body out to the noble knight Sir Gaiwan.) Kate Mclellan is a journalist who also used to be a knight of Pendragaon. Oh, she also used to be his girlfriend. They get along surprisingly well. Perhaps they simply drifted apart. Back in action as a team fighting evil looks like it could translate into back in action on the romantic front as well? Union Jack rides a Triumph motorbike through a portal to Avalon as Pete Wisdom wisecracks. (For what it’s worth, I can’t help feeling that this flag bearing cyclist’s adventure is somehow more believable to me than the thought of Steve Rogers jumping a motorcycle from rooftop to rooftop in a crowded USA city like he did so many years ago.) Something is wrong… very wrong in the realm of the “Green Knight”. Omni-Corp is more than just your standard run-of-the-mill greedy evil. It is a front for the UK’s underground mystical evil-doors “Mys-tech”. It isn’t long until “Zombie King Arthur” appears along with his “Zombie Round Table” and things get really crazy. He threatens to “feast on the lazy children of this land and make a dark Briton the world shall fear!” to which Kate McClellan replies “It's like a tory party political broadcast!” Gaiwan emerges to fight nobly. (Could he fight any other way?) Zombie Arthur takes him down. Pete Wisdom manages to overcome his cynicism long enough to request help from Avalon. A giant basketball player emerges to save the day in Britain’s 21st Century style. Kate is horrified by what appears to be Gai’s mortal wound. In the end, not only does Gai not die, Dai gets a passionate kiss on the lips from Kate in our next-to-last panel. Even our cynical pal Pete Wisdom is left with a wry smile and the comment “Hope for the future, eh?” Pick this one up. Missing this book would be an egregious mistake. (Or should I say ‘mis-tech’?)