Ruse #18
Story:
Art:

Written by Scott Beatty
Pencils by Butch Guice
Inks by Michael Perkins
Colors by Laura Martin
Lettered by Dave Lanphear

Published by CrossGen
Price: $2.95

My Verdict: Read it.

Having survived their terrible zeppelin accident, Emma Bishop and Simon Archard were making do on a deserted (or so they thought) island. Until, that is, Emma was snatched up by a massive beast reminiscent of Partington's gargoyles and plunted into a volcanic crater. There, she met the goddess-queen of the dangerous local tribesmen -- none other than the enigmatic Miranda Cross. As Simon and the explorer Theophilus Dare search for Emma, Archard's agents in Partington are trying to make do with the "news" that their leader Simon is dead.

Miranda continues making preparations to sacrifice Emma in some sort of ritual that, if all evidence is to be believed, will allow Ms. Cross to tap the power of the Enigmatic Prism to return to her home plane - the Negation Empire. What Miranda's role was in the heirarchy of the Empire is unclear, though she repeatedly makes reference to herself as a "bringer of law," leaving savvy readers to wonder what exactly her whole story is. Unfortunately, wondering is all we'll get to do for now, because the prism wasn't in Simon's cane when Miranda stole it. In a bizarre struggle of magical power, Miranda and Emma battle it out in the subterranean city of mud until the very earth begins to quake. As Archard and company race downward through twisting passages and falling rock, Emma and Miranda take to the skies on the back of a massive "gronk."

When the dust finally settles, Miranda has disappeared yet again, Emma has been saved by some sort of native that vanished as quickly as he appeared, Simon has his cane back, and the strange city of mud is reduced to a bubbling puddle of ruin. Some of Dare's men pay the ultimate price, but for the most part, they escape with their hides intact, though shaken from their most unusual experience beside the great Simon Archard.

Now THIS is what Ruse is supposed to be. None of the silly manservants, none of Archard's "irregulars," just rollicking two-fisted pulp Victoriana with monsters, fisticuffs, and just a touch of magic. These are the elements that made the series great in its earliest beginnings, and the diversions away from these core values have really started to raise some questioning eyebrows about the title of late. With this return (provided the mood can be sustained for a story arc or two), all doubts should be vanquished. It is plainly evident at this stage that the creative team behind the book CAN pull it off and make it brilliant. It only remains to see if they WILL pull it off and make it brilliant. Here's hoping, in any rate.

Beatty's writing seems to be sharpening up the further he gets away from the pre-plotted story arcs left behind with Mark Waid's departure. Butch Guice continues to dazzle with the pencils, despite the somewhat heavy load of cheesecake in this and the previous issue. Given characters like Miranda and Emma to work with, I suppose resisting the temptation must be difficult, so I'll let this one issue of gross fanservice slide (not that I mind it, mind you, but it does seem a bit out of place in the title).

Fans of Partington's favorite son should definitely pick this one up. The route the title seems to be taking weaves somewhere between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Doc Savage, and I have to say I like it. I'd even like to see them push the pulp angle a little harder, to break Archard free of the "Sherlock rip-off" shadow that the character has been living in since the get-go.