Mono 1

The ape-human hybrid secret agent and Queen's assassin, possessed of a deadly prehensile tail and 'the strength of twelve men', made his debut in the pulps of the 1930s and enjoyed a brief revival in the late 1960s and 70s. But can it be that the fiction is closer to historic fact than was ever previously guessed?

Now a series of tales, told in hand-written journals and reported first-hand by those that knew him, reveal Mono as a dual-natured and conflicted adventurer-- savage and noble; civilized, but ultimately untameable.

Writer:

Liam Sharp

Artist:

Ben Wolstenholme

Publisher:

Madefire/Titan Comics

The second of Madefire's releases via Titan this month, Liam Sharp's tale takes a pulp hero from the 1930's and resurrects him. In an intriguing twist it's set in the modern day and acknowledges that time has passed. Only in this case, Mono, an Ape Man who was a spy for Britain during the World Wars, is believed to have to have been a hero created by a pulp writer of the 30s.

Yet looking at the diary unearthed in the modern day by Mono's 'oldest friend', it seems that we overall need to consider that he did exist. Once more, something happened to him to make the rest of the world believe he is just make believe.

Overall it's a tense comic, with an overhanging sense of melancholy. Wolstenholme's decision to not show any of the carnage wrought by Mono, merely the after effects, are powerful and contribute to the overall horrors of the era.

The mystery established and the art work is enough to have me looking forward to next issue.

Cover image courtesy of Mono

Mono #1 is available from Titan Comics or your local comics retailer

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.