Issue date: 2/17/05 Section: The Verge

The Incal: The Epic Conspiracy - 3 1/2 stars

Having been a fan of comics in my early days up to high school and once even wanting to be a comic artist; I was excited with the idea of reviewing a comic. After looking at the press package of "The Incal: The Epic Conspiracy," I dove right in to the 160-page complex world of 'The Red Ring,' just a part of a galaxy of numerous mutants, worlds that span a universe. I didn't even read the press release that came with it. I jumped right in and was impressed. Little did I know this was a comic book that was being redistributed for its 25th anniversary-a comic that was first introduced around the time I was born-between 1980-'88. It's definitely for mature audiences only, so it's appropriate I read it now rather than when it first came out.

This proves that even in comics, the classics stand the test of time and language barriers, being reproduced in French, Spanish and English, from what I could find out. The writer of Epic Conspiracy, Alexandro Jodorowsky, weaves some very serious social commentary around an interesting story that had me asking many questions along the way. As hard as I tried, I sometimes guessed wrong and tried to swerve along with the twists and turns that followed. It does have its predictable moments but those are very few. Jodorowsky, not surprisingly, has an impressive list of works that also include film and literature. Add an award winning artist, Moebius, and film designer for "Alien," "Blade Runner" and "The Fifth Element."

Formerly a series of 12, The Incal is now being redistributed as a series The Incal: Orphan of the City Shaft," "John Difool: Class 'R' Detective" and 'Epic Conspiracy' to celebrate its influence on the current generation of comics.

The great thing about 'Epic Conspiracy,' besides the art, is the cast of characters that come in all shapes, sizes, colors and varying levels of heroism and villainy. It centers on the typical, underdog, every man, a low class detective by the name Difool and how he comes to impact, change and shape the world around him. It also examines the psyche of Difool and his desires-a very compelling piece that should make many look back at comics of the '80s for other treasures.

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