Writer – David Michelinie
Artist – Walt Simonson
Inker – Wally Wood

Leaving Loch Ness, Hercules and his companions are travelling once again, this time upon a raft on the Irish Sea and all seems well until out of the blue, they are attacked by fighter jets. It is then that tragedy strikes the group as David cannot swim and assumedly drowns while the others make their way to shore. It is at this very moment that a bit of ridiculousness happens and whether that was due to new writer David Michelinie or penciller Walt Simonson is probably lost to history. It entails the entire scene where David supposedly drowns because as Hercules is saying that it is too late to go back, the artwork clearly shows that it is not. So while the moment is supposed to be a tragic one, and it is to a degree, it is a little funny as well in a black humour-type of way. As it is, Michelinie introduces a new villain in Lady Agatha, one that is not all that she seems. At first, Hercules and his friends do not know what they should do when they confront her and in that moment, the old lady makes the decision for them. What is quite interesting about this tale that Michelinie weaves is that it tells us a bit about World War III without perhaps meaning to. What we can infer from this issue and from others is that in all of their adventures thus far, the companions continually run into other humans, whether friend or foe and this one is no different. It is also not so long after the war as there is still quite a bit of technology that works whereas in Kamandi, most of it is obsolete being hundreds, if not thousands of years old. That aside though, there is a bit of action to keep the story going at a good pace, the origin of Lady Agatha given which in itself is quite good and a very surprising cliff-hanger. Also, Lady Agatha has the means to travel through time. Whether it occurs to our heroes or not, they now have the ability to go back and try to prevent the war if they so choose or any number of things that might come to mind. Time will tell if this is what Michelinie has in mind, but it will be a lot of fun to find out.

4 out of 5