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5.0 out of 5 stars
Hardboiled Mystery and Comics History, November 28, 2007
This review is from: A Killing in Comics (A Jack Starr Mystery) (Paperback)
Max Allan Collins's A KILLING IN COMICS is both well-researched and a labor of love that's masquerading as a mystery novel. Set in 1948, back in the days when the military was returning from World War II and the usual fiction heroes in comics and the pulps were transitioning to harder-edged fare, the novel is a fun, sort of hardboiled romp.
To an accomplished comics fan, and I admit to my geek factor and claim that title, Collins's portrayal of the industry tensions going on at the time was dead on. Wonder Man is really Superman, and the problems Siegel and Schuster had over trying to claim the rights to their greatest creation is true, and sad. But, as Collins points out, that was the way business operated in those days.
Batwing is, of course, Batman. And that tale offers up yet another depressing tale of a partnership where one partner took advantage of another. Amazonia is Wonder Woman.
I have to admit to distraction during the novel, so I wasn't completely focused on keeping up with the clues. Most of the time I was relating my comics knowledge to the story and how Collins wove in the many details. Richard Lupoff and Don Thompson's ALL IN COLOR FOR A DIME is an excellent resource to go along with this novel. Reading it before or after Collins's book is recommended for deeper enjoyment of everything that was going on at this time.
In the opening chapter of the novel, Donny Harrison, the publisher of Americana Comics, ends up dead at his own fiftieth birthday party while dressed in a colorful Wonder Man outfit. There are suspects aplenty. The two guys who invented Wonder Man are on hand and pretty upset about getting their own invention yanked away from them. Batwing's creator has a way of beating his contract and getting his contract annulled so he can get control of his character back.
But the birthday party is being held at Harrison's mistress's apartment with Harrison's wife in attendance. There are two more instant suspects.
The hero of the mystery is Jack Starr, a licensed private eye who works for Starr Syndicate, the company his father created. The syndicate is currently headed up by Maggie Starr, Jack's stepmother who was an ex-stripper and is also the smartest woman Jack knows.
I liked the breezy way Collins unveiled the story in Jack's first-person narrative. I was immediately reminded of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries with the way Jack worked for Maggie and she refused to leave syndicate headquarter.
Collins makes all the familiar moves of the hardboiled novel, including getting on the wrong side of the cops and the gangsters. While this is welcome in some respects, some it just seemed too familiar. Not hackneyed, but definitely in the old neighborhood of this kind of mystery.
I read the book in a couple of sittings and had a good time. The mystery was well planned, the research well executed, and the dialogue - most of the time - crackled. The time period was a welcome treat to the read.
I don't know how Collins could do any more books about Jack and Maggie Star, but I'd definitely read them if any more are forthcoming. I liked the characters, and getting to see Jack and Maggie back in action would be great.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb period mystery, roman a clef, July 14, 2007
This review is from: A Killing in Comics (A Jack Starr Mystery) (Paperback)
Max Allan Collins, is America's greatest living mystery writer when it comes to penning fictional novels based on true crimes. Although this one uses made up characters, it a thinly veiled roman a clef for the story of how the real creators of Superman got the shaft from the comic book producers.
Set in 1948 in New York City, Collins does his usual masterful job of creating an extraordinarily believable and intriguing ambiance of the time and place.
Aided by his parnter, Terry Beatty's artful comic strip style illustrations, Collins creates a wonderous who-done-it full of fun and intiguing historical information.
The Shamus award winning author has scored again big time with "A Killing in the Comics."
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Immerse yourself in the dog-eat-dog world of Golden Age comic book publishing, July 9, 2007
This review is from: A Killing in Comics (A Jack Starr Mystery) (Paperback)
A clean, fast, involving mystery from the always reliable Max Allan Collins. This one is set in the world of post-World War II comic book publishing and features thinly-veiled versions of Superman, Batman, their creators, and publisher D.C. Comics (which in the 40's was called National Comics and here is called Americana Comics).
Over the course of the book's murder investigation, there's lots of attention given to the comics publisher screwing over the creative talent, certain creative talent screwing over their anonymous writing and artwork assistants, etc., making it interesting to wonder how much of all this cutthroat activity reflects the reality of the time. My bet is, a good bit.
And, Collins being Collins, as fun as these details are, they never keep the story from moving forward and building steam, and Terry Beatty's many illustrations (clean and uncluttered, just like the prose) are a treat, too. A perfect read for comic book fans, "A Killing in Comics" will also be good fun for those who just enjoy a good mystery.
If you like this novel, you might also want to seek out the author's "Nice Weekend For a Murder," a murder mystery set in the world of mystery publishing, which takes place during an annual mystery writers' retreat. That was a lot of fun, too.
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