Sanderson of Metro

Two masters of the superhero pulp fiction world, Frank Dirscherl and Bobby Nash, have come together to tell this tale, the NEVER before told origin of the first Wraith/Paul Sanderson, as only they could. Witness to the original Sanderson's early childhood, the emptiness in his soul, his yearning for meaning in his life, his finding it in the wilds of Africa and coming face-to-face with the man who would one day become his greatest nemesis. And finally, how he was endowed with the awesome powers of the Eyes of Judgment, becoming the very first Wraith Dread Avenger of the Underworld. This action packed, atmospheric thrill ride could only be told now and could only be told by master storytellers like Dirscherl and Nash. An epic, never to be repeated and not to be missed.

Sanderson of Metro (Superhero Pulp Fiction)

By Frank Dirscherl & Bobby Nash

Trinity Comics

ISBN #978-0646979236

Trinity Comics

Price $13.58 (Paperback)

232 Pages

Rating 4-Stars

From the comic book series the authors bring the origin of The Wraith to prose fiction.  Paul Sanderson, of Metro, is a spoiled rich kid reaching for attention from his mother and father and can’t find it. As an adult he sets out to travel the world looking for his place in it. Almost dying in the African desert, he is saved by a native who tells him there is an ancient prophesy about a white man coming who will save the world, and Paul is the fulfillment of that prophesy. He is taken to a mountaintop where an old man trains him for his coming place in history as the Dread Avenger of the Underworld. But it goes deeper than this. If Paul dies, he is to pass on the power to someone else.

In fact, it is the second man telling the story, as Paul has already died and been replaced by Michael Reeve, a Metro policeman. The story is well written, and the Paul Sanderson’s character flushed out fairly well, but for an origin story we don’t get a whole lot of action. There’s just enough to move the story along. And by the time he starts to fight crime in Metro City, it’s time for him to die and be replaced by the super hero who will carry the legend on after Paul’s death. This is Book #1 in the prose series, and I suspect there is more action in future stories, or at least I would hope so. For those following the Wraith’s stories in comic books, this prose entry will clear up a lot of mystery behind the character, and is a must read for that reason alone. I highly recommend this well written entry for all comic book fans.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE MAN IN THE BLACK FEDORA