Espionage, superpowers, and betrayal are some of the many themes in this Alan Moore-style look at disillusionment among superheroes.

57-70 pgs. B&W; $5.95 ea.

(W / A: Bram and Monica Meehan)

Espionage, superpowers, and betrayal are some of the many themes developed by Bram and Monica Meehan in Raised By Squirrels, an Alan Moore-style look at disillusionment among superheroes. Tyler McAllister, five years into his retirement, encounters Rose, one of his old operatives. She informs him that the person who attempted to have them both killed on a mission in Malta is the head of the Special Qualities Research Laboratory (S.Q.R.L.), the group the two were deep cover operatives for. Reluctant to join, McAllister finally agrees after he and Rose argue, and the two begin a journey to unravel the organization's mysteries.

Rather than rely solely upon traditional narrative, the Meehans present the unraveling of this tale much like Watchmen, with official documents and classified dossiers taking the place of traditional paneling. In volume two, a series of vignettes breaks up the story's movement and focuses upon various characters, including Dean Bookman, the flying superhero who becomes the head of S.Q.R.L.; Rose, the covert operative who falls for the wrong man; Bookman's secretary, who negotiates transfer of S.Q.R.L. to her boss; and Reginald Martin, a superhero with the power to create his own force fields.

Together, McAllister, Rose, and Martin face a series of ambushes along the way to discovery. Between Rose's badass hand-to-hand-ing, McAllister's stealth, and Martin's untouchability, the Meehans are assembling a considerable force to uncover S.Q.R.L.'s secrets. Unfortunately, in a world of Alpha-heroes and those who aren't, the three will have many more challenges to face if they plan to topple the S.Q.R.L. organization.

Somewhat sketchy, the artwork ranges from a charcoaled quality to fine lines of vivid quality and beautiful shadowing. Cityscapes seem to be the duo's talent, with beautifully inked images of Malta and Los Alamos. If that's not enough, the two toss in a featured gallery at the conclusion of each graphic novel, highlighting a wide variety of artists. The writing is generally straightforward, never too dramatic, and relatively compelling. What drives this story is mystery, and so far, the Meehans have done little to betray any spoilers. Definitely a series to consider for a few more installments. The real challenge will be whether or not the two can sustain a story like this without falling into associated clichés. | James Nokes

Read Raised By Squirrels for yourself at the Panel Press ComicSpace page!

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