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Terra Obscura #2
Terra Obscura: Volume 2
Bestselling comics writer Alan Moore (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) spins a brand new graphic novel from the cosmos of his fantastical retro-futuristic science-hero Tom Strong. As security firm Terror Inc. prepare to seize back America's cities from the grip of crime and chaos, a field capable of nullifying electricity is spreading out from the Grand Canyon. From it spring monsters and demons. Are the two events related? A motley array of science heroes hurl themselves into the growing anarchy to find out! With its alternate realities and universal themes, Terro Obscura shows once again why Alan Moore is the leading light in comics writing!
144 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2005
About the author
Alan Moore
1,634 books22.2k followersAlan Moore is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. He has also written a novel, Voice of the Fire, and performs "workings" (one-off performance art/spoken word pieces) with The Moon and Serpent Grand Egyptian Theatre of Marvels, some of which have been released on CD.
As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.
As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 30, 2016
I thought in its first three issues that this second volume of Terra Obscura is better than the first one. But I was wrong. Terra Obscura is one of Alan Moore's works which are definitely down below the grade spectrum.
Just when you feel that the solid story carries you until the sixth issue, everything becomes a muddled mash of mediocre golden and modern age stuff conveniently branded as a "time-slip anomally", but in reality what happened in the second half of this volume is utter nonsense.
If you permit me to use this word the second time, convenience is what perfectly describes plot resolution. Lazy lazy lazy.
Terra Obscura is a collection that only Alan Moore conpletists should read and have and totally skippable for anybody else.
Just when you feel that the solid story carries you until the sixth issue, everything becomes a muddled mash of mediocre golden and modern age stuff conveniently branded as a "time-slip anomally", but in reality what happened in the second half of this volume is utter nonsense.
If you permit me to use this word the second time, convenience is what perfectly describes plot resolution. Lazy lazy lazy.
Terra Obscura is a collection that only Alan Moore conpletists should read and have and totally skippable for anybody else.
June 30, 2020
Certainly not Moore's best (It's co-written with Peter Hogan), it's fast-paced and has a playful tone, and for a 'superhero' book, it's better than 90% of the genre I'd say (although i'm certainly not an expert in this genre these days. I grew tired with mainstream superhero books in the late nineties).
This was my first intro to the 'Tom Strong' and surrounding characters' world, so I kind of jumped in part way through, but i quickly understood who the characters were and what was going on. Some of the characters in this volume were well written and fleshed out (Tom Strong, The Terror, The Fighting Yank, Ms. Masque/Di etc), some were a lot more background, and there to drive the narrative along. Perhaps they are focussed on more in other volumes?
The artwork is pleasing enough as are the ideas. I like the different timelines/ realities and the way they merge, and also how the flashback timelines set in the early 50s are drawn in a Fletcher Hanks/ Basil Wolverton/ Bob Kane type of style. I also liked the dialogue and interaction of the main characters, although I thought Pantha was a bit lacking really as a main character.
Overall it was a quick read and worth my time as a fun, disposable romp.
This was my first intro to the 'Tom Strong' and surrounding characters' world, so I kind of jumped in part way through, but i quickly understood who the characters were and what was going on. Some of the characters in this volume were well written and fleshed out (Tom Strong, The Terror, The Fighting Yank, Ms. Masque/Di etc), some were a lot more background, and there to drive the narrative along. Perhaps they are focussed on more in other volumes?
The artwork is pleasing enough as are the ideas. I like the different timelines/ realities and the way they merge, and also how the flashback timelines set in the early 50s are drawn in a Fletcher Hanks/ Basil Wolverton/ Bob Kane type of style. I also liked the dialogue and interaction of the main characters, although I thought Pantha was a bit lacking really as a main character.
Overall it was a quick read and worth my time as a fun, disposable romp.
September 22, 2019
This was cute. Real cute.
March 9, 2020
While I thought that the first Terra Obscura series was a blast, the sequel was a definite step back. It was still fun, reminding me of the delightfully imaginative escapist stories that I read as a child, with just enough modern sensibilities to make it feel current, but unlike Vol. 1, Vol. 2 was too pat, too easy and too surface.
The relationship between Tom Strange and Pantha was fun to see unfolding, and the Fighting Yank made the most of her few pages, but Diana (I can't even find her super-hero name right now) didn't have much depth. Fighting Yank and Tim both have a crush on her, and she's pretty objectified throughout (Paquette's art didn't help on that count), although at least the Yank tries to give Diana room to make her own choices.
The villain of the piece was set up pretty well, building on volume 1's backstory. And the ending, with a time-anomalous Bob Benton coming back to fight his machine-run-amok was a good idea, even if the final chapter was a little rushed.
Like I said, it didn't click on every cylinder but it was still a decent sci-fi romp.
I'm not a big fan of Yanick Paquette. As with the Dodsons and Adam Hughes, I can appreciate his storytelling and illustration, but I'm continually off-put by the objectification of every single female, thrusting her double-D cups out in explicit comic book poses.
+++++++++++++
Funny how a few years changes things - Terra Oscura v.2 still doesn't quite match v.1, but I really enjoyed it this time out. Looking at my previous thoughts ... well, Diana is one of the less compelling characters and Paquette does cheesecake more than needed, but those aspects seem less distracting from the overall scifi fun of it all.
The relationship between Tom Strange and Pantha was fun to see unfolding, and the Fighting Yank made the most of her few pages, but Diana (I can't even find her super-hero name right now) didn't have much depth. Fighting Yank and Tim both have a crush on her, and she's pretty objectified throughout (Paquette's art didn't help on that count), although at least the Yank tries to give Diana room to make her own choices.
The villain of the piece was set up pretty well, building on volume 1's backstory. And the ending, with a time-anomalous Bob Benton coming back to fight his machine-run-amok was a good idea, even if the final chapter was a little rushed.
Like I said, it didn't click on every cylinder but it was still a decent sci-fi romp.
I'm not a big fan of Yanick Paquette. As with the Dodsons and Adam Hughes, I can appreciate his storytelling and illustration, but I'm continually off-put by the objectification of every single female, thrusting her double-D cups out in explicit comic book poses.
+++++++++++++
Funny how a few years changes things - Terra Oscura v.2 still doesn't quite match v.1, but I really enjoyed it this time out. Looking at my previous thoughts ... well, Diana is one of the less compelling characters and Paquette does cheesecake more than needed, but those aspects seem less distracting from the overall scifi fun of it all.
July 28, 2008
A second visit to the Earth 2, Alan Moore created for his Tom Strong Universe.
Not as strong as the first one, as a huge part of the cast gets very little to do and it wanders into 'heroes are dark and messed up' territory with one character that I thought was fairly unique and still had a lot of story potential.
The romance between Tom Strange and Princess Pantha was very cute and it was neat how the time quakes were used to show us some of Terra Obscura's history.
While some bad stuff happened and the 'menace' is treated seriously, the source of the problem was amusing and nicely handled. I like how these minis show that it's not always the big hero with godlike powers that saves the day.
A fun series. Shame that with the Collapse of ABC we probably won't be seeing any more.
Not as strong as the first one, as a huge part of the cast gets very little to do and it wanders into 'heroes are dark and messed up' territory with one character that I thought was fairly unique and still had a lot of story potential.
The romance between Tom Strange and Princess Pantha was very cute and it was neat how the time quakes were used to show us some of Terra Obscura's history.
While some bad stuff happened and the 'menace' is treated seriously, the source of the problem was amusing and nicely handled. I like how these minis show that it's not always the big hero with godlike powers that saves the day.
A fun series. Shame that with the Collapse of ABC we probably won't be seeing any more.
March 5, 2009
Yesterday was a sick day - I was fine but my son was home sick with ear infections and I was home babysitting. While he had his afternoon nap I read Terra Obscura Vol. 2. Alan Moore, you delightful crazy bastard, you. Time to fill out your section of my GoodReads bookshelves a bit more.
January 29, 2009
simply amazing alternate universe adventure.
October 18, 2009
Maybe it's just not a good idea to take ideas by Alan Moore and try and do a straightforward(-ish) superhero tale with them.
Want to Read
March 9, 2010Un sorete Deleted Member borró la edición española (porque sí, como siempre), así que hasta no subirlo queda marcada por default una de las ediciones yanquis.
November 20, 2012
Same as Volume 1:
Lacks the usual Moore magic. The art is OK, but a bit over-exagerated in some cases (does Tom Strange need to have such a humongous chin? ;-)
Lacks the usual Moore magic. The art is OK, but a bit over-exagerated in some cases (does Tom Strange need to have such a humongous chin? ;-)
August 15, 2016
This plays with some concepts . .. . It's almost more than a traditional superhero comic. But ultimately it does not do more than you would expect.
August 10, 2011
better than volume one!
April 19, 2015
Very good modern story using these Golden age heroes. Nice art and writing. Recommended
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews