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Terry Hooper-Scharf

Wednesday 17 March 2021

Hexagon Comics: Hexagon Group Volume 1: The Dark Hive



Jean-Marc Lofficier & Juan Roncagliolo Berger & José Luis Ruiz Pérez. 

Cover by José Luis Ruiz Pérez.

Contents:
A CALL TO ARMS
Story: Jean-Marc Lofficier; Art: Juan Roncagliolo Berger 
IN THE DEPTHS OF THE DARK HIVE
Story: Jean-Marc Lofficier; Art: José Luis Ruiz Pérez 
O, BITTER VICTORY
Story: Jean-Marc Lofficier; Art: José Luis Ruiz Pérez 

 7x10 squarebound comic, 

76 pages 

b&w

ISBN-13: 978-1-61227-928-2 
US$12.95
https://www.hexagoncomics.com/shop-hexagon-group-1-the-dark-hive.html

History

The Hexagon Group is a private organization of six super-powered heroes gathered together to protect Earth against superhuman threats. The group is financed by the personal wealth of its members, but mostly Nerotek. It is named thus because a hexagon is the perfect structure offering maximum resistance and tensile strength. The Hexagon Group is headquarted in New York; it has worked together with C.L.A.S.H. and other U.N. organizations. It has at its disposal a vast array of advanced technology, mostly invented by Cletus and Dominik Nero and Sweet.

The FOUNDING MEMBERS of the Hexagon Group were Jeff SullivanDark Flyer (I)Black LysThe Mysterious Archer (I)White MaskAster and Pinky, who were brought together to defeat Melanos. After the disastrous affair of the Black Hive, White Mask resigned and swore to never work with the Group again.

Max Tornado and Mozam then joined the Group, but Max Tornado soon asked to become a "Reserve Member" because of his duties towards NASA.  Dax (Mysterious Archer I) was recalled by the Brotherhood of Archers and replaced by a second Mysterious Archer, Jukka Häyhä. At that time, after a battle with Fred "Blackie" Sullivan, Gun Gallon, exiled from the other dimensional realm of Orios, joined the Group.

Eventually Cletus Nero (Dark Flyer I) retired, only to be replaced by his son, Dominik Nero (Dark Flyer II). Gun Gallon returned to Orios and was replaced by Plasma, Jeff Sullivan's daughter. Mozam left and was replaced by Rakar (II), who had just left the Marines and helped Hexagon against their arch-enemy, the Necromancer.

Later, the Necromancer managed to get control of the Group and forced them to battle the Strangers on the Moon. Jeff Sullivan appeared to die there and was replaced by his brother, Fred, who had reformed. Ben Leonard then joined the Group under the alias of "Râ". The Group was recently manipulated into fighting the Enchanters, but soon teamed up with them to battle the dark goddess Aruna.

I know what you are asking: "Terry, what can you tell us about this book?" Nothing.  Seriously, if that history above does not get you curious then having a full plot synopsis will do nothing!

There is some character information so you don't sit there thinking "Who's this?" -in fact, you could just take these as new characters. The artwork within compliments the stories superbly. Honestly, I neverread the story until my third pick-up of the book. I was dealing with another computer breakdown and glanced at the cover of this book and next thing I knew I had forgotten the PC!

The art, especially by Berger, is superb. This is what Harrier Comics could have been. The art is so smooth and detailed and the printing quality is so good that panels pop out at you.

I will be honest with you: I have only been really excited  three in the last few decades when it came to new comics. Once was in the 1970s with Seaboard's Atlas Comics and the other time was in the 1980s when Archie brought out its Red Circle Comics and the 1980s Hong Kong Jademan Comics. Since then things have just plodded along. Is it weird that at my age I am now getting so excited by a new (rejuvenated) line of comics?  

Please do yourself a favour and try a copy of this book. I hope it might spark fresh enthusiasm in others.




1 comment:

  1. These pages remind me of some of the better material, that one would find, in the old - now extinct! -'Starblazer' titles. Very nice, well drawn black and white. Yes, well. Some for my collection I think.

    ReplyDelete