[MarkWarner]

I think it would be true to say that last week's choice Radior The X-Ray Man was not a howling success ... but then again it was not an epic fail.

As for this week, blimey what's happening?? I was contacted by yet another member of the reading group who has chosen this book. It is a one shot from a single issue publisher. We really are heading off into the realms of obscurity. And it's atomic stuff yet again, I think the reading group will be glowing in the dark at this rate!!!

We are concentrating on the first story starting on our page 4. I just hope the inside is as good as the cover. I  also notice our one time, and much missed reviewer, unclerobin gave it a thumbs up! So I am sure this will be a hit all round! Whoops, I almost forgot, the book can be found here https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=25142.

[narfstar]

Of course I would enjoy this book  Great eye catching cover. Simple but effective. Superheroes were starting to wind down so probably not enough to bring in new readers. I enjoyed the first story. From the scientist being a reluctant killer to thinking it was a nice night for a murder, it was quirky cool. The art is pretty good the the Lawrence/Peterson team is much better than Peterson on his own. Peterson's pencils are stiff on Mr.Murdo.  In the first story radioactive elements seem to be available from the Sears Catalog and just as easy to obtain in the second story. Not a bad origin for our hero but we must read the second story to get an adventure. The second story is a lot of fun. Art Helafant was a good humor artist with quite a career.

In spite of the stiff art I liked the Mr. Murdo story and especially the wise cracks.
Enjoyed the little Natural History lesson even though the horse evolution chart has been abandoned now as not the way it was.

Skipping school would not be as common as it is now if the consequences were like those faced by Willie and Boitram. While I think that macro evolution is one of the biggest scientific fallacies, the story was fun.

[SuperScrounge]

Cover - The shadows on the hero's chest make his symbol look like a frowny face. (Let's hope it's not prophetic.)

The Atomic Thunderbolt - Okay, this was fun. Unlike last week's which felt like a very rough draft, this seems like a writer who has written a few superhero yarns before and knows what he's doing. Nice art.

Rigor And Mortis - Uh... wow, that was a change of pace, and part of the Thunderbolt universe as well. Huh? Well, it amused me.

Mr. Murdo - A much more serious murder mystery, although I cracked up at the tiger head on the wall named Bob. And later an antelope named Milt & a bear named Mort. Shout outs to friends and/or co-workers? Oh, I liked the story as well.

The Werewolf of Lonesome Gulch - Okay text story.

Natural History Facts - Nice little fact pages.

Willy Wanderlust and Boitram - Two kids who AREN'T interested in dinosaurs??? Cute setup. Sadly any explanation for the anachronisms was never printed.

[crashryan]

Does anyone know the history behind this odd comic? I get the impression Mort Lawrence and Robert Peterson may have been editors and/or publishers as well as artists. "Regor" sounds like a name made up by combining two real names, but I don't see how one can get it from Lawrence and Peterson.

A couple of things strike me as odd even in a one-shot, non-mainstream comic. First, the title character gets only one story to himself, an origin story. Second, the title character does guest-shots in a cartoony-style backup story. This has got to be a first.

The origin story isn't bad of its type. It creates more questions than it answers, though. Professor Rhonne operates like a classic lone-wolf mad scientist, but says the War Department supplied his lab and hideout. This implies that the Government knows what Rhonne is up to and by extension that they're aware he wants a human subject so badly he'd kill for one. I've got to hand it to the prof for honesty: "What do you want me for?" "For an experiment. It will probably kill you."

The artwork is wildly inconsistent. There are some nice Eisner-style layouts. However the figures range from so-so to very sloppy. At the end the art suddenly changes into a broad cartoon style. Maybe that was the result of a super-rushed art job?

Before we get to see Thunderbolt in action we run into filler features. The Helfant strip has its moments but is hard to follow. Thunderbolt's cameos are amusing though I wonder what they're doing here. Mr. Murdo is a nondescript gentleman-detective strip with okay art. Peterson's art on the natural-history fact pages is much better.

I'd rather have a second Thunderbolt story than "Willie Wanderlust." I don't know what to make of this strip. We really need to know more about the guy who looks like Colonel Sanders in a top hat, even if it's only his name. Obviously the story is intended to inform as well as entertain. Alas, much of the information is out-of-date. It seems odd to end the episode with the kids hauled off by birds as Colonel Sanders urges us to buy the next issue. It leaves the comic feeling incomplete.

All in all this wasn't a bad read. It held together better than Radior. I wish the artists had put a bit more work into the lead story.

[Mazzucchelli]

Focusing only on the first story, I had quite lots of fun reading it.

The plot presents huge contradictions, it

[narfstar]

He was suffering from PTSD and wanted to die. I found that easy to understand he was turned into a hobo and felt he had no reason to live.

[MarkWarner]

I have just finished the first story, and Uncle Robin is quite right this is one VERY strange comic. The crowning moment is after Professor Rhonne has proudly shown all the wonderful state of the art security the War Department has protected him with and all the cutting edge science in his laboratory, he then clumsily pulls the wrong lever blowing everyone up! This is followed by a minor bit of comedy.

How come some books I'd savage for that and others like his one I applaud? Anyway, on with this strange trip. Oh my and a double oh my! You have GOT to read the next story Rigor and Mortis. Totally bizarre and special guest star is Thunderbolt. I can see why Regor Publishing failed, but it was a heroic failure of real greatness.

Next up Mr Murdo. What is it with all names under the stuffed animal heads? Not a bad little idea about the two syringes and snake poison plus it has also has the line:

Please Eva ... I can't let a woman kill me ... it would ruin my reputation!

We take a breather with a comparatively sensible two pager about apparent werewolves and oil! Think Scooby Doo, then you'll get it!

Now two very "normal" pages of Natural History Facts that you can't help feeling are really nothing like the rest of the comic. But actually they do belong as they segue us into the finale with Willie Wanderlust and Boitram. These two loons are certainly at home in this comic!

Verdict: Well done mysterious reading group member for spotting this one. I loved it from cover to cover. A REALLY BIG wacky hit for me!

[paw broon]

What a good superhero read, but then I really enjoy these obscure characters.  I thought the art was perfectly serviceable and in places was nicely atmospheric.  Does the USA have gaunt castles like the one in the story?  Pell Castle is described as a house.  As crash noted, it did become more cartoony towards the end of the story.  My main complaint would be not seeing enough of Thunderbolt's moves in his costume.  How did he get the costume?  Did it come with the powers? So tantalising. 
Mr. Murdo is a new character to me so really pleased to stumble across him.
Rigor & Mortis, what a pair of numpties.  Actually, it was slightly amusing.  I don't think my local ASDA stocks heavy water and uranium. But maybe they would order some for me.  The saving grace of this story is getting to see Thunderbolt again.

[bowers]

Late again! This is one comic where the backstory seems far more interesting than the hero. In fact, Prof. Rhonne's  single-minded lunacy is by far the best part of the whole book in my opinion. I wonder if the Defense Dept. actually interviewed this guy before they built his road-traps and secret entrance. Unfortunately, we only got to see the hero on the two pages, and it wasn't all that exciting.
Rigor and Mortis seemed to be a hastily-done filler to show off more of Thunderbolt's abilities which were
not shown in the debut story. Just OK.
I actually liked Mr. Murdo a bit. Suave and detached, yet most effective. Art was good enough.
Willy Wanderlust was a strange little morality tale but it got it's point across in a somewhat quirky manner.
All-in-all, not a bad comic. Unfortunately, for a first issue, "not bad" is the kiss of death! Seen it all before and done better. Cheers, Bowers