The Rainbow Orchid. Volume 3. Garen Ewing (Writer & Artist). Egmont (2012)

Clever and very satisfying conclusion to the story, the cast and plot are excellent, the whole story executed with great style and flair. Julius Chancer, recovering after the savage attack on his group by Evelyn Crow that lead to the death of Nathaniel Crumploe decides to abandon the search for the Rainbow Orchid. As Julius amnd Lily Lawerence are about to return to their camp to search for Nathaniel's body, he appears along with Julius's boss Sir Alfred and Mr Dubbin from the Empire Survey Branch. The search for the orchid is resumed and the journey to the hidden valley where it may be located started. Evelyn Crow, displaying admirable commitment to her task of stopping the party continues in pursuit. At the same time in England the plot involving Urkaz Grope and why he wants to win the Trembling Sword of of Tybalt Stone becomes clearer. In the mountains a forgotten civilization is found and twists and turns of the story continue. The reveals are very clever, the action dramatic and the conclusion entirely satisfying.
Garen Ewing has managed to subtly update the adventure stories of the British Empire without ever loosing or compromising the elements that make them distinctive. The quest by Europeans for a plant that has critical importance to a hidden civilization, the return of a native that opens old political and romantic wounds, the secret agenda of an agent of empire and most of all a really committed, effective and resilient villain are deftly woven together with a light touch. The expectations that the form sets up are neatly and satisfyingly undercut as good more or less triumphs and evil more or less is defeated but triumph and defeat are mixed.
The art is outstanding, suitably old fashioned it captures the spirit of the story and at the same time is entirely contemporary in its story elements. The cast look the part, they fit the historical context and the genre ideas with ease and carry off the sharper modern action with force.
Clever, engaging comic storytelling of the highest order, the whole Rainbow Orchid saga is a treat right to the nicely biting end.

The Rainbow Orchid. Volume Two. Garen Ewing (Writer and Art). Egmont (2010)

This is a very engaging and highly enjoyable comic, a really well done adventure story with a strong plot and an engaging cast.Julius Chancer, Lily Lawrence and Nathaniel Crumpole fly to India in pursuit of the fabled Rainbow Orchid. They need it to win a foolish bet made by Lily Lawrence's father with the very unscrupulous Urkaz Grope. Grope has dispatched Evelyn Crow, along with some assorted thugs, to stop Julius by any means possible. The multiple threads of the plot are explored in more detail, the reveals are nicely staged and the story is advanced in a very entertaining fashion.
The art is lovely, while Garen Ewing has a very distinctive style, he has a great range with his cast, each person is distinct and their actions are clear and crisp. The level of detail is very welcome, the physical context for the action is always very well judged and gives a great depth and weight to the story. The structure of the story is excellent, the plot lines are clearly laid out, the explanations are woven into the narrative in a very natural way.
Julius Chancer is a engaging hero, impulsive and brave, he is given a credible back story and time to have some doubts. He is not a superhero and the story gains greatly from his competent humanity. Evelyn Crow is a wonderful villain, her implacable and stylish energy creates the central tension in the story. None of the others in the cast are shortchanged, everyone is given enough space and content to make an impression without crowding the story too much. Garen Ewing has managed a very difficult balancing act between action and character, speed and plot density all delivered with sparkling art, a pleasure.

The Rainbow Orchid. Volume One. Garen Ewing (Writer & Artist). Egmont UK Ltd. (2009)

Excellent, fast paced and very well cast period adventure story. Julius Chancer is an assistant to Sir Alfred Catesby-Grey an Ancient and Historical Researcher. They become involved with a famous silent film actress, Lily Lawerence and her father Lord Reginal Lawerence. Lord Reginald has made a foolish bet with a mysterious businessman Urkaz Grope regarding a flower exhibition. A search for the fabled Rainbow Orchid, a flower mentioned by a Greek philosopher thousand years ago, which may have been located in India much more recently by an acquaintance of Sir Alfred. The plot develops at a steady pace, the reveals are nicely paced and done and the action is fluid, the ending is nicely set up to lead into the next volume.

The art and structure of the book has a deliberately nostalgic feel that adds greatly to the enjoyment and atmosphere of the story. The possibilities period setting, post World War I, have been utilised very well. It is a period when an adventure with trains, boats and the Mysterious East is credible and non-ironic. The plot is nice developed with a variety of threads introduced and promises of further development implied. This gives the story a nice context with the suggestions of greater plots afoot.

The cast are varied and have nicely distinctive personalities and voices, the art is clean and inviting, it suits the period and the style of the story very well. There is a lighthearted sense to the story that is very welcome. This is a very engaging story, well worth a read.