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This is our section for reviewing the Tomb Raider comics that come out each month, reviewed by our mate Robert Hodder.
So as a special presentation to all the faithful visitors and members of this site here is GULLIBLE's review of Tomb Raider #1 The Medusa Mask.
The story begins in Iran and Lara is in a bit of trouble with some of the authorities. Seems shes stolen back a priceless necklace for a Israeli museum and some fundamentalists want it back. Classic and true to the way Lara is in the game and is immediately engaging. You get action, adventure and the first few pages bring back nice and warm, nostalgic memories of Indiana Jones. We soon get to the real meat of the story when Lara is hired to find a legendary artefact, called (surprise, surprise) the Medusa Mask! Well this bit isnt that exciting but you get to see Lara show who wears the pants on her boat (not literally). Lara does her James Bond thing and goes to find the mask but as always the bad guys are already there to try to end our heroines career once and for all. Intrigue , exotic locations, explosions and gun battles. This definitely stays true to Tomb Raider in every way. Hats off to Andy Park, the illustrator, whos artwork on Tomb Raider also reflects the feel of the game. Lara looks luscious and if thats not all theres a whole selection of covers you can get just for this first issue alone. This is a collectors item of the first order
All in all a good read and certainly one you should pick up if youre a fan of the game, I grade Tomb raider #1 5 out of 5.
Our intrepid adventurer does seem to get herself into the most tricky of situations. Just beginning this 2nd instalment of the medusa mask ‘saga’ sees Lara do battle under-water with deadly divers and sharks. Although we get a good tense spread with Lara drifting through the water with two divers closing in on her, I think we could do without the recap of what happened last issue and reminding us who the characters are. I mean, it’s pretty hard not to recognise the lady with shades, pony tail, green tank top and two pistols.
Also the battle, though showing that Lara can wield more than just guns but big knives as well, is as short as the weakest of fads. And when we get to see Lara go up against killer wildlife (Jaw’s second cousin) well, this a little more disappointing as you don’t get to see Lara kill the beastie. Things were pretty cool in the first issue but this issue started off not as well as it could of been.
Moving on, Lara and her servant/ bodyguard Compton go searching for ex-boyfriend called Chase Carver by looking up a dealer from the past called Taj ,
only to get even more questions when both Compton and Taj are felled by two arrows and Lara can’t help them as she’s held at knife point by a shadowy stranger
(I’m betting it’s David Copperfield looking for a new assistant.)!
This is better since there’s more action and a lot of suspense, but while there are questions the tomb raider has to answer, we the readers are left to wonder such things like,
will we ever hear more about Lara’s connection with Taj ? Will we ever find out about her full (comic book) history? And is it me or are those tank tops getting tighter?
This issue could of been a lot better and all it really does is leave loads of questions and make us mumble “bring on Tomb Raider #3” I grade Tomb Raider #2, 2 out of 5
Open this book, and once you’ve skipped through the get-up-to-speed introduction, you’ve got the beginnings of a winner. Lara is still where we saw her last, held at knife point, by a shadowy stranger but of course she manages to get free (C’mon don’t tell me you thought this was a limited series!?).
The great thing about this beginning is that you get plenty of action and suspense, just the way a Tomb Raider comic should be. You have all the right ingredients:
It has action at it’s best, with the right amount of humour to make it light hearted (e.g. ”What do you think this is, a comic book?”). Of course once the action is over there’s always a danger that the comic won’t be as good. Fortunately this doesn’t happen here, as we get a nice good story about what happens to the Medusa Mask which delivers it’s own lot of suspense and intrigue, as well as some great interaction between the characters.
I guarantee you’ll start to feel for some of these characters (And oh how I would like to feel Lara... OOPS! Ahem! Back to business) and that you’ll really get into the book.
Once again, Andy Park constantly delivers fantastic pencils and keeps Lara looking her best throughout the comic.
Suspense, thrills, laughs and even a hint of romance await those who collect this issue.
I grade Tomb raider #3 4 out of 5.
It’s the finale of the Medusa Mask saga and this comic pulls all the stops to bring surprise after surprise on readers. The mystery villain is finally revealed and you will not believe who it is!
Unfortunately this is the only thing that makes this book special amongst the others. It’s all pretty rushed through and all it serves is to explain a pivotal moment in Lara’s past and end the saga.
It still contains the high quality artwork and maintains the characters personalities but the story could have lasted a bit longer to make it a true saga.
However this opening story is still a success for the Tomb Raider as it brings Lara into the Comic book Universe and establishes her as Queen of video games and the written medium.
I grade Tomb Raider #4 3 out of 5.
Let's be honest, it had to happen sooner or later. Lara Croft and dinosaurs.
When I was younger, I was one of the biggest Dino-fanatics around and even though my interest in them is more sedated these days, I still enjoy anything that's dino-oriented.
So as you can imagine I gobbled up this book, faster than a T.Rex, and settled down to read...
This book has a fair introduction to the story line. To summarise, Lara's been called down to investigate some interesting bones with the ever annoying Chase Carver in tow as well. Along the way they encounter something a 'tad' out of the ordinary.
Fortunately while the beginning is not as exciting as you'd expect, the suspense level does climb at the centre and at the end....well let's just say the next comic will be extinct by pre-adult readers scrambling to find out what happens next.
Let's hope that we get more Tomb raider books of this standard and higher in the future.
I grade Tomb Raider #5, 3 out of 5.
It seems that Lara and friends (including the sad and annoying Chase Carver) have travelled back to prehistoric times but as with most comic stories involving Dinos, you have the age old mistake of bring creatures from completely different periods together but this time at least we have a few explanations for this provided by Lara herself.
But what this has got to do with The Merlin Stone, a device used by the magician of Camelot isn’t found into the end and then it’s a pretty disappointing ending at that.
You have some great wildlife to kill, a great villainess (I’m afraid that’s the only hint you’ll get from me about who’s behind this), and a great artefact to look for but unfortunately there are many let downs (including the fact that Chase Carver lives!) and the way some of the fights are handled.
A Good attempt but this reminds me of issue 2 with its many let downs so I grade Tomb Raider #6 2 out of 5.
Yeah that’s right, Carver, the guy I feel is the most annoying thing since the first toaster went wrong. This issue he gets a little closer to Lara and you definitely get the feeling that these two are destined for one another. And this time the story writers make him a lot more human this issue, a lot more real life character other than the stereotypical rogue, who cheats at both gambling and women. I still don’t like the character that much but at least this time he’s a lot more bearable and understandable.
This is working up to be a good looking story with romance, action, and mystery and this time Lara is on the run! You don’t see that happen much so we are talking big time bad guys galore!
Can’t wait myself for the next part.
I grade tomb Raider #7 5 out of 5. A must have for all fans.
He looks powerful and speaks big and looks mean and ambitious enough to carry out his plans and you can definitely expect more of him over the course of this story-line. An excellent opponent for everybody’s favourite treasure hunter.
Speaking of whom, Lara and her new worker are stuck on the run with only little clues to what is going on. Mrs Hovan, though while an interesting idea of an everyday person being thrust into Lara’s world, is not really that much of an interest.
Lara is a lot more interesting though as she tries to put together the pieces and tries to keep herself alive.
And lets us not forget the best bit. NO CHASE CARVER!
Expect gun battles, mystery and an ending that will make you scream as your left wondering what happens next. To find out what I’m talking about Grab this book quickly.
I rate Tomb Raider #8, 4 out of 5.
It all feels like the bad guys have got Lara where they want her, but Chase Carver is at hand to save the day. Yes, the grinning pain in the butt is back this issue but the improvements to his character are still getting better. Making him more human while staying true to the nature of his being.
Unfortunately the main villain Roetek while trying to make like a Darth Vader, has fallen to five points above Dr Evil. Thats somewhere between serious and sort of pathetic. Not exactly what I was expecting of this bad guy.
On a major plus we get to see Lara in the bath!!!( All fan boys getting excited by this news please drool into the nearest basin.) (UN) fortunately her unmentionables have been covered up by comic code approved bubbles. We also get a few answers to some of the later issues mysteries.
Then we get back to action, beastie killing and the ever present cliff hanger ending! This is the follow up to the end of this of this story arc and I cant wait to see how Lara gets out of this one. However as Tomb raider comics go this one is pretty average.
I mark Tomb Raider #9, 3 out of 5.
Everyone remembers Lara, Chase and their new friend John Rivers being swept off their feet by a whirlpool and that is exactly where we find them first thing.. Things look grim for our heroes (who says the oldest lines aren’t the best?) but does anyone think they’d kill off the lovely lass this early on in the story?
That aside Roetek is coming up fast behind on Lara’s tail and he’s really mad that the Eye which has been the main interest of all the characters endeavours. He’s back to being a bad ass and that’s how we like him!
But don’t go looking for an action packed ending. Lara is still alive and meets up with former squire Quill who happens to have an eye for Lara and many other women. This while an interesting twist, does waste space for what could be used for ass kicking battles. Instead all we get is a few gun shots and a few explosions.
Roetek gets what’s coming to him (in a pathetic way as you will see), Louisiana gets blown up, and Lara doesn’t get the Goods! Yes the Eye will not be in Lara’s hands and what’s worse is that she doesn’t fire a single shot in this issue. All this conclusion does is prep readers for sequel stories about the Eye. Disappointing in action, mildly intriguing in plot. This is not the best Tomb raider can offer. And not the ending fans would expect for what could of been the greatest story lines since the medusa mask!
I mark Tomb Raider #10, 2 out of 5.