A Thousand Faces, Issue #3, Winter 2008

A Thousand Faces is self-described as a

“quarterly journal of superhuman fiction [and] is the next step in the evolution of the superhero genre.”

But by “next step,” publisher Frank Byrns isn’t referring to bigger and badder BIFF-BAM-POW fight scenes that most people have come to associate with the ubiquitous comic book medium. Instead, the evolution has more to do with returning to the story-telling pulp roots of the heroic (even archetypal) figures of our past—but explored in a modern setting. Think NBC’s Heroes with a nod to the X-men.

This is superhero adventure without four color artwork. And as such, the evolution of the genre is necessarily dependent on good writing. In this day of visual and visceral entertainment, the short story form—to cut through the din that distracts us all—will have to offer quality tales written by competent authors. After reading two of the four quarters’ installments of A Thousand Faces’ first year of publication, I have to say that Byrns is offering just that—an impressive presentation and vision of what’s next in the hero genre.

Issue #3, Winter 2008, (which is actually the 4th issue as the premier was #0) features 9 short stories, 2 interviews, and 1 review by a variety of new authors and “repeat offenders.” It is available for a short time online, as well as in print via their storefront at Lulu (as are all past projects for a reasonable $9 per 100+ page issue).

Steve Goble jumpstarts the fiction section with his story, “The Bigger They Are.” This is a techno-laced and fast-paced crime-fighting tale with a twist. Edge (our protag) senses trouble on the horizon, but the expected confrontation doesn’t play out as the reader might guess—Edge needs help. Sure, when righting wrong, crime-fighters need to stick together. But what happens when it’s one of the good guys that must be “righted”? With enough fight and flight to satisfy the urban swashbuckler in most of us, the story is an engaging read, but the real payoff comes at the end when we discover what occurs after “the harder they fall.”

In “Gone Shooting,” author Andrew Salmon pokes a bit of fun at the burgeoning bureaucracy that inevitable arises when heroes turn mainstream. In a society that is finally beginning to accept the role of super-powered crime-stoppers, Fred Brand’s Project X smacks of vigilante justice; and the perception-conscious council of superheroes isn’t ready to return to their heady heyday of unmitigated crime-stopping. Or so it seems to Brand, who takes his Chance, and sets out on his own. Knowing that “Gone Shooting” is part of a Project X adventure series helps the reader fill in some gaps left open in this particular story. But even as a standalone, it’s a fun and engaging drama.

“Night Gambit” by Scott Harper is a delightfully nightmarish romp as told by a veteran beat cop with enough experience that even a demon zombie and vampire savior are met with barely a batted eye. Over the top and meant to be, the cop vs. monster scenario produces enough action and intrigue to keep the pages turning. And while the first person narrative is competently executed (and gives it that familiar “investigative” feel), the writing could have been a bit tighter. But overall, a fascinating world filled with outlandish creatures that leave you wanting more.

Andrew Salomon (not Salmon above) is a first time published author with “Everyone Likes to Feel Useful.” It is a well-written, thoughtful debut from a creatively told POV. The story raises the question: To what extremes will we go in order to regain that feeling of being liked and needed? Could a superhero be tempted to do something…unhero-like? To tell you more might spoil the fun of discovering the answer yourself.

Next in line is “Off the Record” by Brian A. Dixon. Tension between law enforcement and metahumans (“capes” as Sergeant Magrill calls them) is inevitable, it seems. The capes are always drawing a crowd, and the cops get to clean up the mess. So it comes as no surprise that tempers flare when Magrill confronts The Cyclone on location of the latest disaster. But there is a bit of a surprise waiting for the disgruntled sergeant by story’s end. Is it because both are “men in blue”? For the record, this little tale is a good little read.

We meet author Van Allen Plexico via his interview, the review of his book, Sentinels: When Strikes the Warlord, and through his story, “SENTINELS: The Spearhead of Invasion.” He’s a fantastic writer and has created a unique shared world setting for superhero stories that showcase the classic “comic book” style battles of good vs. evil. For those unfamiliar with the series, Sentinels “is actually the code name for a U.S. government operation to recruit paranormal agents (i.e. superheroes).” All three introductions to this author and his projects make for fascinating reading. The interview with Christopher Knowles, author of Our Gods Wear Spandex, is similarly enlightening and introduces the reader to the premise that “modern superheroes are the natural extension of the ancient traditions of Gods and Heroes, going back to the beginnings of civilization.” A worthy exploration.

James Mascia’s flash fiction, “Fear,” is the shortest, and therefore least developed, story in this issue. On the predictable side, it nevertheless raises the poignant question of responsibility. Will the protagonist become the antagonist once she becomes aware of all that she can do? The flash rightly leaves the reader wondering.

The second to last story in this issue is “Making Time” by Daniel R. Robichaud II and Robert Glencer. The authors do a good job of capturing the tension, hustle, and bustle of a “day in the life” of an ordinary wannabe superhero. The day got a bit crazy, but so does life—and the diary style storytelling was a good choice to capture that feeling. Not a very profound or complicated story, it still held my attention and provided a few smiles.

Wrapping up Issue 3 of A Thousand Faces is the novella, “The World’s Greatest Olympian” by Ricky Cruz. The quirky present-to-past/first person-to-third person-and-back-again narrative turned a simple plot into a humorous and adventurous coming-of-age story. I can imagine some readers simply giving up on it, but for those who see it through, there awaits a dramatic conclusion. “The World’s Greatest Olympian” has enough cultural flavor and historical allusions to keep the introspective reader occupied, as well as enough action and mystery to satisfy the hidden superhero in each of us. A fitting conclusion to the journal as a whole.

Editor and publisher Frank Byrns has compiled a well-rounded selection of stories. The one or two average to good tellings benefited by the by-and-large good to very good ones. The hero genre is well served by this project, and I await the next evolutionary stage (read issue) of this quarterly publication.