Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1983-07-01 00:10:10 |
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US 1 #3
Issue(s): US 1 #3
Cover Date: Jul 83
Title: "Rhyme of the ancient highwayman!"
Credits:
Al Milgrom - Writer
Frank Springer - Penciler
Michael Higgins - Inker
Ralph Macchio - Editor
Review/plot:
Frank Springer takes over from Herb Trimpe on art.
This issue introduces another new character with a goofy trucker name. He's Retread.
In this issue he says he used to be a Private Investigator but wasn't very good at it so now he's decided to become a trucker. The joke is that every issue he'll say that he used to have some job or another and wasn't very good at it.
Also in this issue we get an origin for the Highwayman, the villain that seemingly killed U.S. Archer's brother. It's said that he's been a trucker "since the early days of trucking" but sought immortality, including from the Ancient One and Aged Genghis...
...and eventually found it at the price of his soul.
The old man telling the story is actually the Highwayman himself, in disguise. The origin he's telling can't be true, based on what we eventually learn about him (i don't want to spoil it!).
Inspired by Retread's PI experience, U.S. Archer decides to track down the old man to get more information, and he winds up in a battle with the Highwayman's forces.
One of the problems with a series about trucks is the type of action you can depict is a bit limited. Frank Springer solves that problem by just ignoring it. I don't know how three 18 wheelers make 180 degree turns on a highway in time to attack a truck that is pursuing them, but they somehow managed.
Among the Highwayman's forces is a blimp. We'll learn more about the pilot of that blimp next issue, but i wanted to justify the inclusion of Baron von Blimp as a Character Appearing in this issue.
Eventually Archer and Retread learn that the old man was actually the Highwayman, and he gives them the slip.
Quality Rating: C
Historical Significance Rating: 1
Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A
References:
- U.S. uses his coin to control his truck by remote control, and a footnote assures us that this was established in US 1 #1 and isn't something they're just making up here.
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: N/A
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Comments
All this truckstop action, but no hookers or meth...
The title of this story is based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's epic poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", which in turn inspired a song of the same title by Iron Maiden from their 1985 album "Powerslave".
