(2006) Alan Moore and others, Titan Books, £19.99, hrdbk, 156pp, ISBN 1-84576-385-8
This is the final collection of Tom Strong, printing the final issues, 31-36. Issues 31 and 32 are a two-part tale written by Michael Moorcock and drawn by Jerry Ordway and take Tom across the multi-verse to take part in a piratical tale which, Moorcock being Moorcock, also involves an albino on a quest for a Black Blade... 33 is by Joe Casey and Ben Oliver which has Tom, in a take on Fantastic Voyage, travelling inside Pneuman's body only to discover a new lifeform has evolved in there. Issue 34 is "The Spires of Samakhara" by Steve Moore, Paul Gulacy and Jimmy Palmiotti with a take on a familiar (Alan) Moore theme of fictional settings becoming real. 35 is by Peter Hogan, Chris Sprouse and Karl Story and ties up the story of Tom's ex, Greta Gabriel. And 36 is by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse, Karl Story and Jose Villarrubia and contains Tom's revelations at Promethea's apocalypse.
This has been a wonderful title (as has it's companion books Tom Strong's Terrific Tales and Terra Obscura, not to mention all the other ABC titles) but, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. There are around 25 or 26 volumes of the ABC books out there (including the blindingly brilliant Promethea and the excitingly excellent League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) and I heartily recommend them all to real comics fans. Oh, and there's more League to come...
Tony Chester
See also the spin-off Tom Strong's Terrific Tales: Book 1.
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