Random Happenstance

This is another mini-series not unlike DC's Sword of the Atom, in that I feel like I buy it every time I come across a cheap issue, but I may or may not have a full run floating around anywhere. For all I know, I could have twelve copies of today's book: from 1986, Solomon Kane #3, "Blades of the Brotherhood" Adapted by Ralph Macchio, from the story by Robert E. Howard, pencils by Bret Blevins, inks by Al Williamson. Cover by Bill Sienkiewicz.

Lurking on a beach in England, Solomon Kane meets young hothead Jack Hollinster, who is sour over winning a duel without killing local blackheart Sir George Banway: Banway had been badmouthing his girl Mary, while also coveting her for himself. Kane has been eyeballing a ship, barely visible from shore, that may or may not belong to Jonas Hardraker, aka the Fishhawk--"Hardraker" seems like a cooler name, man. Kane is hoping to settle an old score, and is probably only half paying attention to Jack.

Later that night, both Jack and Mary are separately, and easily, duped into going out to the Banway place. Banway plans on keeping Mary for two months, then turning her over to Hardraker, who would also dump Jack's body somewhere it would never wash up. The poor couple needs an act of God to save them, and get it with the arrival of Kane, who had been hunting Hardraker for two years: he had killed the young daughter of a friend of his, driving him mad with grief. With no other family to avenge the daughter, Kane took up the job; as Hardraker calls him "Sir Galahad." Kane is more than willing to just shoot him, but Hardraker argues with the "Puritan" that he deserves a chance: Kane gives it to him, one-on-one, with knives. Jack and Mary are freed, and cover the other pirates with pistols, as Kane and Hardraker fight: Kane makes short work of him.

When the other pirates make a try for it, Kane, Jack, and Mary are forced to flee; and Mary is quickly recaptured by Banway, who walks off a point-blank pistol shot. Jack manages to catch up with them on the beach, as the other pirates don't hang around. Jack fights well, but Banway had been wearing armor under his shirt--probably at the duel as well, which wouldn't have been cricket--and Jack breaks his sword. Banway thinks he's going to be able to murder Jack and have his way with Mary, but may have forgotten Kane, who stabs him in the face: "When a man sets foot on the adder, he asks not its size." 

Although the couple wish Kane would stick around, he's got the Lord's work to do: walk the earth, slam evil, etc. Which is a lot like Caine in Kung Fu, come to think of it. I really like Bret Blevins' art, but I don't think he ever did a long run on anything I read: probably had some of his New Mutants issues at some point, though.