Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril [Color] [Paperback]

Joshua Dysart (Author), Created by Stephen Vrattos (Author), Pencils- Sal Velluto (Illustrator), Inks- Bob Almond (Illustrator), Joe Rubenstein and Sal Velluto (Illustrator), Colors- Mike Garcia (Illustrator), Letters- Richard Starkings and Comicraft's Alfred Deschesne (Illustrator), Cover- Sal Velluto and Mike Garcia (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Captain Gravity | Publication Date: July 1, 2006

Joshua Jones has arrived in Hollywood, California, as a refugee from the violence and prejudice of the American South. Haunted by his father's brutal murder, he strives to surpass bigotry in the movie industry until an exotic location shot reveals a new life path for the young man. Granted power over gravity by the ancient and mysterious Element 115, Joshua is able to manipulate gravity at will to insure the safety of Los Angeles residents. However, he must cloak his identity in absolute secrecy as prejudice still dominates the American culture. He hides behind the mask of the popular B-Movie character, Captain Gravity, and finds acceptance as a real-life celluloid hero. Joshua's privacy is threatened when his best friend, starlet Chase DuBois, becomes a spy for the American government. As Chase finds herself embroiled in a mystery involving the enigmatic symbol stamped on European war machines, the Swastika, Joshua follows her and discovers that the evil capable of launching the planet into war is an evil that has many faces.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Hollywood, 1939. Josh Jones has escaped rural Mississippi racism and found a makeshift family among other refugees in Tinseltown. His secret life as Captain Gravity is known only to best friends C. F. Avery, a movie director, and Chase Dubois, a starlet. He isn't the only spare-time hero. Chase has been spying for the government, keeping tabs on prominent German archaeologist Jan Gunther. When her worst fears are confirmed at a dig in the Middle East, Captain Gravity must save her and the world. Dysart and team's conception resonates with comics and pulp history from early Superman and Batman onward. Its devices are stock but never unlovable. There are the plucky underdog hero, the beautiful but steely damsel in distress, and those ultimate villains, Nazis. The action is relentless. Yet this is by no means the usual rehashing job. Sal Velluto's art is so in tune with the thirties Hollywood story that you can almost hear soundtrack music. A fresh and loving homage to the pulps, early comics, and sci-fi movie serials. Tina Coleman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

This is such a well written, nicely paced series that the fantastic elements feel right at home; nothing is beyond the realm of possibility which was certainly true in the old serials this is an homage to, and this series has, so far, captured that energy perfectly. It's like Raiders of the Lost Ark, but with a superhero as the male lead. --Andrea Speed, comixtreme.com

This is the Rocketeer story we deserve, and better, it is more than an homage to the past, and... a thoughtful and intelligent work. This book is nostalgic without being a true period piece. --Alexander Ness, popthought.com

This accessible comic boasts a nice balance of action and characterization, and the production quality of this small-press title tops a lot of titles produced by bigger comics publishing houses including Marvel and DC. --Don MacPherson, thefourthrail.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 193 pages
• Publisher: Penny-Farthing Press; 1ST edition (July 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971901287
• ISBN-13: 978-0971901285
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,420,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cliff-hanging scenarios of seemingly inescapable dangers, clever plot twists, heroism and villainy!, November 5, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril (Paperback)

Created by Stephen Vrattos, written by Joshua Dysart, "Captain Gravity And The Power Of The Vril" is an outstanding science fiction adventure graphic novel penciled by Sal Velluto, inked by Bob Almond, Joe Rubenstein and sal Velluto, colored by Mike Garcia, lettered by Richard Starkings and Albert Deschsne, and featuring a dramatic cover by Sal Velluto and Mike Garcia. It's the Golden Age of 1930s movie-making and a young man working for one of the Hollywood studios finds his destiny amid B-movie sets, involved in a pre-war international intrigue, compounded by an archaeological discovery - all of which combine to compel a re-examination of accepted human history. An enthusiastically recommended and wonderfully entertaining read, "Captain Gravity And The Power Of The Vril" most closely resemblances one of those thrilling Saturday matinee movie serials of yesteryear with its cliff-hanging scenarios of seemingly inescapable dangers, clever plot twists, heroism and villainy!

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality Entertainment, February 11, 2010

By 

Peter Mckenzie - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril (Paperback)

Captain Gravity is an excellent graphic novel. A very well paced and thought through story that captures the 30's serial feel with some excellent twists. It maintains a modern feel due to the attack the story takes with it's core issue. I won't spoil it though it is revealed early (it's possibly even in the product description) why the super hero must go masked. Land of the free? Home of the brave certainly :-)

A must for any serious comic collector.