Today, I'd like to review a little fun obscure title.
If the 90s saw comics evolve into far more grittier directions, during that era some little well crafted original titles emerged to strike back against that movement.
Leave it to chance is a very original story and a bright contrast that showed the medium could achieve so much more.
The story follows the young teenage Chance Falconer as she wants to follow the footsteps of her father Lucas Falconer.
You see, the town of Devil's Echo has had a long tradition of occult and paranormal activities.
And there's been a very long tradition of Falconer protectors.
But Lucas Falconer isn't just ready to pass down the torch of the Falconer legacy to Chance.
Her mother just died not that long ago because of the things Lucas fights daily.
And he really would have preferred to leave the role of practitioner of the occult to a male heritor.
For now Chance accepts this situation...until something weird occurs and she'll go investigate it itself with help from her pet dragon St. George!
At least if she can't count on the help of her butler Hobbs and the housekeeper Quince, she knows she'll get some support from Will Bendix - a newspaper reporter - and police officer Margo Vela.
The characters were created and the story written by famed British author James Robinson.
The artwork was done by the amazing Paul Smith.
The story is truly a return to fun all-ages adventure comics.
The comics was originally published through Homage Comics when launched in 1996 and imprint from Wildstorm/DC Comics, and then later on by Image Comics which also reprinted the earlier stories. The publication wasn't regular.
The on-going series covered ~2-3 story arcs with some little fillers in-between before ending with a whole new direction at (only) issue 13 in 2002.
Written by James Robinson & Paul Smith
Art by Paul Smith
Format: Single issue
The story opens by introducing us this whole new world and the fantastic characters that populates it.
Last week was Chance's birthday. She's now 14 years old, and it's about time her father started teaching her the trade of the family.
While Chance's visiting Dash, a faerie that lives in the garden, an old shaman is being pursued by some creatures in the streets of Devil's Echo.
Chance asks for a chance to learn the occult like her father (pun intended), but as usual he doesn't want to.
Dad goes on a trip.
Chance befriends a dragon she names St. George.
Meanwhile the elections are coming right up the corner. And some bad business along with it.
Chance goes searching for that shaman (Raven)'s missing daughter....and ends in trouble!
Overall: What an opener!
The art is fun, colorful. Paul Smith didn't place the universe right away, so there's place to grow for the city and the characters. The style would be much more simplified and perfected over the next issues.
The story is a real breath of fresh air after countless gritty and serious stories invading the industry.
Chance is current girl leaving in today's times. She goes against her family's old fashioned mentality and questions things.
Such a fun and lively character.
I give this one a: 3 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith
Format: Single issue
Chance barely escapes what appears to be gargoyles from the mob!
Thanks to a well timed save by her dragon friend.
In the sewers she finds a bunch of goblins preparing an uprising. Humans have thrown them further down the ground, now they want their well deserved place back above!
Chance goes back to Lt. Saunders, Lucas Falconer's friend at the precinct.
Chance then meets Margo, an officer. With the help from Will Bendix they start investigating on what is actually going on.
Chance discovers Abbott got a spy in Mayor Callow's crew to tip the voting.
Raven is kidnapped by a bunch of gargoyles.
Overall: The story is quite fast paced.
Thing keep moving around at a rhythm.
This second issue is as fun as the first one. We get more introduction to this world and the characters are already getting more fully developed, while the story goes along.
And it's only issue 2!
I give this one a: 2.5 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith
Format: Single issue
Did Abbott send those "troggs"? At least, he's not admitting it.
Without any proof, things can't go further.
Turns out Bell is the spy that was watching Callow as her right hand for Abbott.
And seems like he has his own vendetta against Lucas Falconer, the one who killed his very own brother!
So knows magic! And he plans on using the involuntary help from Raven...to make rain?!
Bell was Miles Belloc's brother. He perished in the same battle that cost Chance's mother, Louise Falconer's life. The rain start making the goblins come to the surface.
Chance goes outside to prevent a war with the humans.
But it's too late. Bell's revenge has already started...by bringing the banished Toad God back!
Overall: Woaaah! It just never stops!
I love how we got to know all this little world in so little time already.
Chance is such a fun engaging character!
And Robinson really knows how to close an issue, his cliffhangers are the best. But this one takes the cake!
A GIANT FROG!!
I give this one a: 3 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith
Format: Single issue
And so begins THE END!
...of the first story arc!
The rain is still going on strong. A giant frog is ravaging the city.
Leave it to Chance! (Ha! I really wanted to write this line...)
The police attempts to keep the situation under control, Chance goes against Bell on her own...
Raven is able to calm down the Toad God.
At the end of the day, only daddy gets mad. Chance went ahead despite her father's interdiction...well..well, she's a Falconer alright. But she isn't ready yet!
And Lucas Falconer doesn't want to see Chance risking her life like so for a living.
Overall: Everything will be fine... Leave it to Chance!
Great first story arc, well executed conclusion. Simple enough without any unnecessary convulsions.
The story is only beginning and yet so promising!
With the introduction and origin story established, future story arcs will now be able to surprise us and takes into completely new directions!
I give this one a: 3 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith
Format: Single issue
Devil's Echo in a party mood. It's the time of the Halloween Street Parade! A time when occult and everyday live side by side.
That is exactly the time when a new threat decides to arise!
Chance meets a little sad boy sitting on a porch. His name's Greg and he lost his pet monkey.
A bunch of satanic masks-wearing goons are running off with the monkey.
Chance finds an old man named Jean-Pierre, a friends of her dad.
In this spiritual day a lot of evil forces are accumulating with the synergy brought in from the people above.
They attempt to reach out to a creature in another plane of existence (through the monkey!) but Chance saves the day once again!
Overall: So this issue was only a filler...but a pretty fun one!
Fun enough, this issue was actually released in May originally! Blame it on the delays and whatnot most of the series suffered through.
The art is perfect, as always. Very dynamic during the chase in the streets.
I give this one a: 2 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith
Format: Single issue
Lucas Falconer sends his daughter away in a private school!
There Chance meets Headmaster Croft and Miss Longfellow who runs the place.
Chance makes some friends quickly with a girl named Ruby. And a new foe with the local popular girl named Kay.
At night everyone appears to be deeply sleeping...but they're in fact drugged!
It smells like a new mystery!
The following night Chance goes exploring deep down the school with Ruby, Kay, Zoe and Emily.
She finds Longfellow working with appears to be a ghost pirate. Is it Croft in a disguise, or actually the long dead Captain Hitch back to haunt the seven seas?!
Overall: By Lugosi's Bones!
A pirate story!
A pirate story taking place in the present, under a private school!
What a fun new story arc!
The new characters are a nice addition, and the whole situation - being stuck in a private school away from home - is a nice change of setting.
Another great issue for this great series!
I give this one a: 2.5 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith & George Freeman
Format: Single issue
As Chance seems to be drifting along the ocean, her dragon friend Georgie arrives just in the nick of time for a save!
Chance alerts the authorities but with no luck...
She tries to rescue her friends but gets captured in turn.
After the escape Chance goes after the ghost.
The coast guard arrive.
And Lucas Falconer has to finally see things keep happening around Chance - even if he allows it or not!
Overall: Kids will be kids, heh?!
All this bizarre and weird stuff just keeps happening to Chance.
It's part of her life and her heritage.
This was a short "arc", a two-parter only. But it was quite packed in characters, story and action!
Those new faces will now populate the pages of Chance's series!
I give this one a: 3 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith & George Freeman
Format: Single issue
Chance goes to the mall with her friends.
Let's just say go from bad to worse as they encounter a mysterious figure trying to sabotage the place.
Margo meets with Bendix regarding that.
It seems an architect thought dead lost his life in an explosion during the construction of the mall long ago. His name was Lincoln Fong. But he didn't die, he was just badly injured.
This "phantom" appears to be Lincoln back from the dead, trying to get his revenge.
Ruby is kidnapped by Lincoln who thinks she's is sister.
Lucas arrives at the scene but a bit too late. (isn't it always the case?)
Overall: Another filler.
It started as a pretty normal day at the mall..but with the luck Chance has!...
Still, pretty fun and original.
The story had a lot to cover in just a single issue.
Oh and just to mention it: Glossy paper! So class~
Decent issue.
I give this one a: 2 / 3 Score!
Comic title: Leave It to Chance #9 Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith & George Freeman
Format: Single issue
Black & white creatures come out of old monster movies.
The Count! (Dracula)
The Pharoh! (The Mummy)
Man-monster! (Frankenstein's creature)
The Howler! (The Were-wolf)
The monsters start wrecking havoc around the city.
Lucas Falconer joins the police force to investigate and stop the commotions.
Margo's partner, Roger Howard, gets beaten by the howler...and turns into a were-wolf creature!
The monsters appear to not be real, and therefore invincible!
Chance follows them to the bad guy's lair. She's spotted and runs away.
One of the villains, a kid named Lightfoot, tracks Chance down to a spot...
Overall: And thus beings the new story arc!
The story jumps forward by having all this mess start right away on page one.
The new direction follows upon what was built upon, but it still is quite new readers friendly. Any issue's a good starting point actually.
Great art, love the monsters. They look so iconic and yet perfectly fitting into this little world.
I give this one a: 3 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith & George Freeman
Format: Single issue
Lightfoot saves Chance.
The monsters are still attacking the streets, and it appears no one can stop them!
The werewolf cop fights the Howler.
Falconer prepares a mixture of solvents to dissolve the 2-dimensional monsters.
He also tries to revert Roger back to human but it doesn't work out.
Overall: The real villain is still at large, but at least the day is saved.
A great mid-story closure. The story will then diverge into another filler next issue but things will be back on the front scene after that.
Great issue, loved it!
I give this one a: 2.5 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith & George Freeman
Format: Single issue
A well renowned popular hockey player in Devil's Echo is killed, Raepher McDougal.
But it's not a little thing like "death" that will keep a dude like this from sports!
The family (meaning Chance, Lucas, Hobbs and Quince - a big hockey fan) goes to see a match in tribute to the fallen local hero.
McDougal comes back to the Ice Demons...albeit he now appears to be a zombie.
After the initial shock, they let him join the team back.
Chance finds the Troggs that killed McDougal.
The day is saved - and the trophy won!
Overall: This is by all means my favorite "filler story" of the entire series!
A very funny issue.
Great from start to finish, a "classic" in my eyes!
Loved zombie!McDougal.
I give this one a: 3 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith & George Freeman
Format: Single issue
Basically: Chance goes back to the fairies land only glimpses in the very first issue.
There she lives a pretty crazy-filled day fighting against bee-people that are trying to overtake the place from the fairies.
Georgie comes along to help Chance out.
One last adventure over there before she is technically "an adult" and won't ever be able to come back there.
Overall: This is the "Peter Pan" issue.
A very nice tribute to Neverland, fun, clever and true fashion of the genre. She even forgets all about this ever happening and never being able to go back there in the end.
Sadly this little side-dream is interrupted by a very sad turn of events...for next issue.
I give this one a: 2.5 / 3 Score!
Written by James Robinson
Art by Paul Smith
Format: Single issue
This is it!
The last one, the big one!
Devil's Echo has never known such a sad day.
After a little summary of the past stories, Chance decides to go out for a bit, to change ideas.
Meanwhile, Hitch is currently trying to recruit men for his crew. Working alongside Lightfoot now.
A guy named Milo Otway claims he will be able to bring back people on "All Fool's Night", one of the special dates in Devil's Echo.
Resurrection night happens and several zombies come out of the ground. They attack people.
Hobbs kicks ass to help people. Chance tries to revert things to normal but she gets distracted by her mom back from the grave.
Turns out this was all part of the plan of several villains that allied their force.
This paranormal activity - in the form of a pentagram on the city's map - was but the start to make the city fall in their hands...
Overall: Originally not planned as the definitive conclusion of the series, but rather the start of a whole new arc (note the "Image Comics" on the cover, no longer accompanied by Homage Comics).
Chance is finally ready to take her destiny into her hands.
The book closes with several bonuses, such as characters bios & pinups, sketches, etc.
Is Lucas Falconer really dead?
What is going to happen to Chance?
Who are those villains?
So many questions left...
I give this one a: 3 / 3 Score!
~
The book ended on an open ended note, with things looking forward.
But sadly the low sales of the title, and the relative obscurity of the series made Image cancel it.
Too bad.
I really thought this had a chance. (no pun intended!)
Chance is such a fun everyday character.
A fun intelligent girl with ideals, very likeable.
It was a great "modern" way to make fun good old fashioned adventure comics.
The illustration is so clean, like straight of animation. The art is cartoony without falling into caricatures.
The series even won a couple of awards, from the Best New Series at the Harvey Award to Best Title for Young Readers and New Series at the Eisner Awards.
There exists two trade paperbacks released around 2002 collecting the two first stories arcs.
That's all for this time's Quickies!
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