If you think about it longer than fifteen seconds, Miskiewicz’s big reveal about 9/11 is offensive. It’d be offensive if it were about the death of Elvis Presley or the Battle of Verdun; he’s hijacking a real event to drive his story. See, 9/11 is apparently about these bad warlocks in the eighteenth century planting haunted wood on Manhattan.

Is it not supposed to be offensive because it’s magical and stupid? Maybe. But it’s definitely magical and it’s definitely stupid and it’s also still offensive. Miskiewicz is latching on to the biggest event in U.S. history in decades. It isn’t to better Thomas Alsop, it’s to give the comic a story.

Yuck.

There’s also a long drug induced hallucination setup and it doesn’t give Schmidt much to draw. The murky visions into the past, flashbacks in flashbacks, it’s just too much.

Maybe it’s too dumb to be offensive. Or not.

D 

CREDITS

The Hand of the Island, Part Three; writer, Chris Miskiewicz; artist, Palle Schmidt; letterer, Deron Bennett; editors, Jasmine Amiri and Ian Brill; publisher, Boom! Studios.

It’s funny what doesn’t work in Thomas Alsop. Again, by not working I mean Miskiewicz’s script. Schmidt’s art is always on it. Even with the severely problematic cliffhanger.

There’s a lot of successful stuff this issue and the script is plotted quite well, at least in terms of the narrative events in the present action. Except Miskiewicz apparently doesn’t think about the character during the time previous to the art of this series. A big plot point hinges on the protagonist visiting someplace after ten years. Why not before this issue? Because then there wouldn’t be a comic.

Miskiewicz takes contrived to a new level.

He also rips off “Warehouse 13” a little.

While most of the issue isn’t bad and some of it is good, Alsop is apparently now going to be very ambitious (the best part of the comic is how little to resembles the previous).

I’m unconvinced.

C 

CREDITS

The Hand of the Island, Part Two; writer, Chris Miskiewicz; artist, Palle Schmidt; letterer, Deron Bennett; editors, Jasmine Amiri and Ian Brill; publisher, Boom! Studios.

Thomas Alsop is one confused comic. Not the art from Palle Schmidt, it’s excellent throughout. But Chris Miskiewicz’s story ranges from annoying to outstanding. Outstanding is when he flashes back to the titular character’s ancestor on Manhattan in the 17th century. Annoying is all the modern stuff.

Miskiewicz writes the modern stuff as the lead character’s obnoxious blog posts. They’re based on the idea he’s a charismatic guy. He’s not. Thomas Alsop is a tool. His adventures as the mystical protector of Manhattan are ill-defined too (especially given the events of 9/11, something I don’t know if I’d even want Miskiewicz to attempt discussing).

The modern stuff jumps around to show the reader Alsop hasn’t always been a tool–in the present-most time, he’s a rock star tool. Before he was just a buffoon. Miskiewicz is bad at writing the narration.

Still, the art, and flashbacks, intrigue.

C- 

CREDITS

The Hand of the Island, Part One; writer, Chris Miskiewicz; artist, Palle Schmidt; letterer, Deron Bennett; editors, Jasmine Amiri and Ian Brill; publisher, Boom! Studios.