The Judas Coin

Having read this, any thought I had of its premise being “perversely intriguing” seems pretty misguided now.  It could even be called “quaint” when you consider what DC is currently doing with Judas himself in his ongoing series.  Fortunately for the reader, Walt Simonson is a far greater talent than Dan Didio will ever be and the end result here is in a very modest way the “complete package” in its romp through the adventure, superhero and sci-fi genres.  Those of you looking for original storytelling won’t find it here, but the level of craft on display makes it a fun read for kids of all ages (more on that later).

Just about everyone knows that Judas was paid thirty pieces of silver for betraying Jesus.  However, for the purposes of this story, one of those pieces was lost after he tried to give them back and served to give whoever carried it nothing but bad luck through the ages.  Simonson uses this setup for what is essentially an anthology of tales featuring some of DC’s best and least known characters.  Through the ages we’re shown what happens when the coin crosses paths with the Golden Gladiator, the Viking Prince, Captain Fear, Bat Lash, Batman and Two-Face (because really, who else), and Manhunter 2070.

This eclectic cast of characters essentially gives Simonson license to tell us stories of treachery in ancient Rome, a viking battling a local deity, a pirate captain dealing with a mutiny, a cardsharp of the old west finessing his way out of trouble, Two-Face looking to replace his current coin, and a spaceship captain looking for trouble.  If you’ve read any story involving these kinds of characters then you won’t be surprised by what you read here.  Fortunately the creator’s level of skill elevates what could’ve come off as rote and uninspired in lesser hands.

Not only does each story have a welcome density that means that you get a complete story with each character regardless of its length (ranging from nine to seventeen pages) but there’s a sense of fun with their execution that lets you know Simonson was clearly enjoying himself in the process of creating these stories.  That fun is infectious, as we see the likes of the Viking Prince take on a giant warrior several stories tall and witness Bat Lash outsmart a group of angry gamblers that he cheated.  There are also some interesting stylistic choices in the last two stories as the Batman tale is presented in a landscape format that makes it seem like an old-school newspaper comic strip with articles detailing the backstory spread out in the borders.

As for the Manhunter story… I have to admit that reading about it is what finally convinced me to pick it up.  (So yeah, consider this “mission accomplished” Mr. Sims.)  The idea of a venerated superhero artist like Simonson adding some manga influences to his style sounded too bizarre not to see in action.  However, the creator isn’t really about the “millions of speed lines” that Adam Warren does so well, he’s just taking the “big eyes” approach and running with it here.  I was surprised to see that this little adaptation did give his art a more expressive feel to it and made the proceedings more energetic as a result.  If he wants to try out this style on another project, I’d be amenable to it.

Though the man’s work may lack the raw detail of today’s artists, this book shows that there is nothing he can’t draw.  The variety in style and execution he displays in drawing these different eras is nothing short of staggering.  It may not appeal to everyone, but I’m left feeling that it should.  Lest I forget, the lettering from longtime (and equally legendary) collaborator John Workman is also a sight to behold in the way it works itself so naturally into the art.

So if you’re a fan of Simonson, then you likely already have this in your collection.  Those of you wondering why I keep referring to his “legendary” status and can’t afford the ginormous omnibus of his run on “Thor,” then this will also show you why at a far cheaper price.  As for everyone else, you may just want to throw it in front of your kids.  Yes, there’s some minor objectionable language here and there but the sense of adventure and energy on display left me feeling that this is the kind of thing that turns a kid into a lifelong comics fan.  I could very well be wrong, but the thirteen-year-old inside me thinks different.