A Thousand Faces, Issue #4, Spring 2008

A Thousand Faces busts open its second season with another great lineup of superhuman fiction. And the story chosen by editor and publisher Frank Byrns to set the tone for a new year “in the evolution of the superhero genre” is…a reprint! But a reprint with a purpose.

“Heroic Measures” by Matthew Johnson, originally published in the December 2006 issue of Strange Horizons, is a tried and true, but not tired and trite, death-of-a-superhero story that captured Byrns’s interest and wouldn’t let go. It’s a well-told tale without the fan fiction flavoring so common to this genre. From this issue’s editorial, Frank Byrns writes:

“I couldn’t help thinking that there should be a place for stories like this…. Yes, there was superhero fiction published in one magazine or another, here and there, but no one place to get a regular fix. Thus A Thousand Faces was born.”

In addition to this reprint, issue #4 features seven original stories as well as two interviews. The first interview is with Christopher L. Bennett, the author of two novels for Marvel: Spider-Man: Drowned in Thunder and X-Men: Watchers on the Walls. The second interview is with Rob Rogers, author of Devil’s Cape. As a bonus, the first chapter of Devil’s Cape is available as a free PDF download. For those who enjoy sneak peaks at what’s new and popular in speculative fiction, this is a special treat.

Next up is a Tarzan tale but told from the ailing wife’s point of view. A continuation of the dead-or-dying-hero theme, it made me wonder if it couldn’t have waited to appear in another issue, given the narrative similarity to the opening piece. That being said, “Saving Jane” by Ron Savage exhibits a unique perspective on the Greystoke legend. Great-great-grandmamma Jane, always the recipient of her husband’s saving heroics, finds herself acting the heroine now that her husband has died but is ultimately uncomfortable with the mantle. In other words, it’s a reluctant sidekick story. As such, this introspective fiction is a fair addition to this popular opus but seemed to fall short as a stand-alone. The introduction of peripheral characters at the end changed the tenor by allowing a new relational crisis to develop without resolution, and I was left considering what direction a sequel might take as opposed to simply enjoying what I’d just read. Still, this was competently written and offers some insights to consider as to the nature of hero worship.

The clown as antihero has often provided the basis for disturbing explorations in superhuman fiction, and in “Auguste” by Jens Rushing, we’re confronted once again with that symbiotic connection between decent society and its sociopaths. It seems one can’t survive without the other, for even in their twisted way, our Auguste jesters serve to remind us that so many of life’s felicities are there for the taking, free of charge. Yet, according to the story’s narrator, we ignore fun and frivolity…to our peril. So take my advice, do not ignore this brief but engaging cultural commentary that successfully masks itself as a simple psychological thriller.

“Confidante” by Tim McDaniel is a humorous poke at many of the superhero clichés and provides some welcome comic relief to balance out the first few message-oriented stories of this issue. There’s nothing deep or hidden in this short fiction, unless one wants to reflect on the question of friendship and loyalty. Astounding Man, aka mild mannered Rob Rupert, is a naive and trusting superhero, while his friend, Weldon Brown, is an amateur opportunist, chronically looking to cash in on our hero’s fame. When Rob pooh-poohs selling ads on his cape, Weldon let’s his mind wander to more nefarious possibilities. The fun is finding out just how far Astounding Man’s confidante will go to earn his millions.

Scott Harper’s “Night Allies” is another “adventure of the night” story (my description) featuring Justin, the semi-good—or semi-bad, depending—vampire who assists the local Heroes Guild in maintaining law and order…when it best suits him. While Justin is an intriguing protagonist, the two stories I’ve read (this and “Night Gambit” in the previous issue) are told by two different characters—a beat cop in “Gambit” and a rookie guild member in “Allies”. This device gives the author some built-in writing style variety and offers the reader a fresh approach to a familiar character. Maintaining a certain series continuity while crafting a strong story that stands on its own is a difficult task, but I think Harper is off to a good start. But some might ask: “another vampire story?” Yes, for there will always be a place for a well-told tale, regardless of genre saturation.

In “Tonight with Roy Turgid,” author Robert Neilson presents a satiric comedy/tragedy featuring Nick The Newt Abendandon, a retiring (read “washed up”) American hero, and Roy Turgid, a popular talk show host…in Ireland. Neither had heard of the other, nor were they excited about the gig, arranged by Nick’s agent, Manny. I thought the plot was a bit “Confidante”-esque at first (a la the previous fiction by McDaniel), but this story quickly leaves Manny behind and focuses on Nick (and his sidekick, Lucky) and their live television appearance. The interview-a-superhero scenario is a bit overused, but the author offers a fresh angle when host Roy Turgid’s ratings gimmick backfires and confusion reigns. To share the gimmick would spoil the surprise, but the story’s opening line did foreshadow more of a tragic ending than a comedic one.

“Zero to Clean in Ten Minutes or Less” by Erin M. Kinch is a super flash fiction, in more ways than one. Cute and quick, it’s a snapshot of the ultimate dream—a woman with Mr. Supersonic for a mate. Liz can kick up her feet, stay at home, and eat bonbons…but will Ted grow tired of his new role as househusband? Liz may find out sooner than she realizes.

Last in the lineup is a lengthy, but engaging and gripping, short story by Alexander Burns, “Shades of Red.” This Lovecraft-inspired tale mixes science fiction, dread and horror, and superhuman fantasy into a strongly crafted piece that provides some good entertainment and a bit of biff-bam-pow excitement. Kelly, i.e., The Scarlet Ranger, and Mack, aka Starburst, stumble on a smuggling operation that neither gives much thought to. Putting away the bad guys is all in a day’s work, after all. But the sinister nature of the occult objects that are being transported adds a different dimension to this mystery—especially when we find out that a friend of one of the superheroes is involved. Add a few more twists and an ancient power that seeks to rise again, and you have an intriguing plot that doesn’t disappoint. Burns’s characters are interesting and nicely developed, while the backstory is subtly woven into the overall telling. No major loose ends, but there were enough unanswered secondary questions for the reader to wonder about—which is good. Solid storytelling turns a pretty good idea into one of the best superhero stories of the issue, and a good one on which to conclude.