The Secret Victorian Era in Comics: Secret Societies, Decay, Justice, & History
By Alex Ness
August 7, 2022
ARRIVING AT THE END OF JULY
I've mentioned health issues and life issues. But I have to say, this column and the articles appearing in it will not end, unless my life ends. That might sound dramatic or intended to be perceived in a dramatic fashion. I am not saying I'll be dying any time soon, I have no idea when, where or the manner in which I will pass. Other than the medicines taken and doctor guidance, and healthier life choices, it isn't up to me to choose the time of my passing. I can say is this, my wife and son, cats, family and friends have blessed me, and whatever time I have, is made greatly better for their presence. However, my cat princess Katya erased the work you are reading, as it was being written, by rolling over on my keyboard as I wrote. She removed text and then saved her changes in one fell swoop. I was so frustrated and she looked up and rubbed her face on my beard and chirped. So, the present article is a work that is a third or fourth draft.
THE MYSTERIOUS WORLD BEFORE THE MODERN ERA
The writing of this article was greatly enhanced by the help of Richard Chapell.
This article is about the Victorian era, and earlier eras, as has been depicted in comic books, and the related context and narrative making the era one deserving our interest. I suggest buying each as they offer a great reading experience. However many of these books are out of print, so by suggesting them, I am not dealing with them as recent releases, they are included simply for their potential interest in readers, and for the fact that pretty much each one proved that there are ways to tell stories that do not include archetypes of heroes in uniforms or costumes. Works are presented in no order of preference.
SEBASTIAN O
Grant Morrison & Steve Yeowell
Published by DC/Vertigo
SEBASTIAN O imagines a steampunk world, in the Victorian era, wherein all of the possible advancements that were historically ignored, have been adopted and advanced. Add upon that, Sebastian Alfred O’Leary is one of the Victorian era dandy's, men who dress and act in an unusual manner, as a mask or personae rather than as an expression of self. The best aspect of Sebastian O is how it embraces the intellectual world of the era, without blindly adding tropes and cliche. His dandyesque acts suggest one thing, but his mind and fists are far more masculine than his enemies realize. The art isn't perfect, but is perfect for the story. It looks in ways as if it was created to present a feel, rather than depict a story. And it works perfectly here.
REX MUNDI
By Arvid Nelson, Juan Ferreyra & EricJ
Published by Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics
The phrase Rex Mundi refers to King of the World, but it doesn't mean what many suppose it might mean. It is not aimed at Christ, nor at any human. To the Cathars it represented the anti God who stole control of the planet from the Jewish or Christian creator God. To others it represents the true king of earth, Satan. Rex Mundi is a secret society who lived from the Crusades era to the present, and could be considered a group that chose to fight to create a world they could control. It also offers rather clever changes in the timeline to represent how they have had an effect upon reality.
THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN
By Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
Published by DC, Top Shelf and IDW
Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill take the many figures from the novels and pulps of the past 150 years who have entered into literary public domain and make them into a team of adventurers and agents for the British Empire. There have been many teams, each in a different era, given a charter and purpose, and support, by the crown. The stories told are complex, focus upon the talents and flaws of each character, and despite Alan Moore's reputation for writing dark works, there is a joy and flavor of adventure over the overlaying darkness often found in comics of this sort. If not the greatest of Alan Moore works, it is a high quality effort made better with the excellent work of Kevin O'Neill's art.
THE VICTORIAN
By Trainor Houghton and many others
Published by Penny Farthing Press
The Victorian is a sort of time traveling hero, who was given the responsibility of preventing a long term conspiracy that threatened world peace and financial stability. He was a steampunk hero, and one who has lived over many centuries, despite being a mortal man. The work has a quality about it that is consistent, but it had many different writing and art teams interpreting the story and character's grand design as revealed by Trainor Houghton. There is a problem with that, in that the cover art could be brilliant, while the interior art less so. The concept was brilliant, but sometimes the scripting was less competent than the idea behind the story. While I think it was quite good, I'm also aware that people coming in at the middle of the story would be confused, and people who demand the same art and writing through a book rather than see it evolve and differ by the team could be disappointed. All I know is, that I liked it a lot. For me at least, numerous hands and ideas if applied to a project, do not diminish a work, rather, they offer ways to improve it.
By Guy Davis
Published by Caliber Comics, Oni Press & Dark Horse Comics
Guy Davis is an artist who does more with less, his use of light and shadow replace a more detail oriented artist. Davis's writing is more realistic than the artwork, and as such there is a dynamism in the approach found in The Marquis. It is dark work, happening in a time when the Church controlled most of Christian Europe, the late middle ages, when having no doubt and having great faith were more important than logic and order. The book's genre is of horror, taking place within a framework of supposed ascendant minds, architecture, ideals and leaders. It brings to mind black and white Gothic film with scenery taken from the 18th century Roman Catholic regions of Europe. If it is horror, and reflects great black and white film, it is also beautiful. The character the Marquis looks in ways like a plague doctor, along with a religious official for funeral rites. And he is a doctor, looking to cure the darkness found in the human soul, as well as the darkness that causes crime, decay, and betrayal. The work is done by a master, and should never be out of print.
PARLIAMENT OF JUSTICE
Mike Oeming and Neil Vokes
Published by Image Comics
Take the world of the Marquis and bring it ahead in time a few years, and let the seed of evil found in the 1700s of the Marquis and let it come into full bloom here in the city where the Parliament of Justice and his allies hunt evil. The look of the work demonstrates a great deal of intriguing detail, fictional establishment of the kind of city we learn it to be. The writing is powerful, and when the last page arrives it is clear you were reading a focused, direct story, that can be seen as a powerful myth and morality tale. You will understand in the end why there aren't more stories but it left me wishing for a broader and well explored universe. This book was excellent.
RUSE
By Mark Waid and Jackson Guice and Mirco Pierfederici
Published by CrossGen, Marvel
When Ruse appeared on the stands I honestly was blown away. It featured a crime solving pair and a wicked opponent possessing of great beauty. It had witty dialogue, excellent art, and only somewhat appeared tied into the universe found at CrossGen. I bought every copy, and then the writer left the series, and then CrossGen went kaput. The renewal of the series at Marvel was good, if not spectacular. Mark Waid, however, is a brilliant writer, so for me it worked, whoever would do the art. The faux Victorian setting works, the characters are well done and interesting, and I wanted way more of these stories.
SHERLOCK HOLMES and Dracula, the Invisible Man, and War of the Worlds
By Martin Powell, Doug Murray, Seppo Makinen and Topper Helmers
Published by Caliber Comics, Malibu Press
Sherlock Holmes was a superhero of sorts of his era, having a mind and ability to solve issues and crimes, other men could not. He and his partner Holmes did appear in a straight Sherlock Holmes series from Eternity comics, but these books focus upon his meeting with other characters from other media of the same era. Bram Stoker's Dracula faces off with Holmes, as does the Invisible Man, and then he steps into danger when the Martians from War of the Worlds land on Earth. If you enjoy Arthur Conan Doyle's characters, the writers and artists of these works did a respectable job and I suspect you'd find yourself happy with your purchase.
VICTORIAN ERA KILLERS AND LOST SOULS
By Rick Geary
Published by NBM
Rick Geary's work has an appeal in ways none of the other works has. It has a look as if it came from th era being written about. And maybe true crime isn't your genre, Geary tells stories based on facts, and comes up with entertaining work, and interesting works. I think these are good, and if you like the style of art, you'd enjoy how well he recreates a look of the past, and writes in a fashion to recreate personalities of an era long past. I think these works are highly worthy of praise.
VICTORIAN SECRET AGENTS
By Ben Dunn & various creative talents
Published by Antarctic Press
This won't sound like I like this series, but that is only due to the comparison with the other works that have been shown above, and all of them are serious works, aimed a certain literary minded audience. I might well be too old to be moved by cute girls in costumes, or lesser stories with cheesecake art. But, this isn't really that. It is a fun, less serious but competent look at girls in steampunk roles, and for the right audience would easily be worthwhile. I was given some of the issues by a friend, and I enjoyed them, for what they were.
About Getting Reviews from Me
I
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