Solomon Kane. Death's Black Riders. Scott Allie (Writer), Mario Guievara (Art), Juan Ferreyra (Colours), Richard Starkings (Letters), Dark Horse Books (2010)

After a slightly confusing opening the comic settles down into a great story full of swashbuckling adventure and action. Solomon Kane encounters a group of travelers being attacked by weird creatures in the Black Forest and he comes to their aid. The solve survivor is a Frenchman, Gaston and he and Kane travel to a inn where they shelter for the night. Naturally the inn has troublesome secrets of its own and is later besieged by more of the creatures. The action is fast and furious, the reveals are nicely staged and all the elements are present and correct.
There is nothing new in the story, the pleasure lies in the way that Scott Allie organises it. Solomon Kane is a driven character, a Puritan adventurer who believes he has a mission from God to fight and destroy evil. He is is intense and grim, a significant distance from the usual light-hearted swashbuckling hero and all the better for it. His intensity gives the fight a ferocity and force, this is a deathly struggle and it takes all his force of will to fight. The creatures who emerge from the forest are his equal in intensity and this gives the book some much needed tension. The key question is not if Solomon Kane will win but how narrowly he will win, and in this case the gap is satisfyingly narrow.
The art by Mario Guevara is full of energy and motion, even at rest there is a sense of lurking action waiting to explode. The action, other that in the opening sequence is superb, it has a genuine physical force to it that captures and expresses the enormous force of will that drives it. The colouring by Juan Ferreyra is a little to dark for an action book, the atmosphere is strongly supported, details are slightly lost. With a sword fight, it is very much a character fight and all the details count. The climax does get great boost from the colours, they add to the urgency and the ferocity.
A very enjoyable comic.

The Chronicles of Solomon Kane. Dark Horse Books (2009)

This volumes collects the six issues of The Sword of Solomon Kane (1985/1986) and two issues of Marvel Premiere (1976) originally published by Marvel Comics. The Marvel Premiere issues were written by Roy Thomas, all six of The Sword of Solomon Kane were written by Ralph Macchio.
One of the enduring pleasures of comics is seeing the different approaches creative teams take to the same story. The two Marvel Premiere issue and the first issue of The Sword of Solomon Kane adapt the Robert E. Howard story, "Red Shadows" in strikingly different ways while sticking to the same central story. Roy Thomas writes a two part story, with art from Howard Chaykin, colours by Dan Jackson and letters by Jom Novak, neatly splits the story into its two halves. Howard Ckaykin's art is sharp and angular, carefully paced with panel layouts driving the pacing. The writing is lush and overgrown, a delight to read and matching the drama of the art.
Ralph Machhio with art from Steve Carr & Bret Blevins, colours by Dan Jackson and letters by Steve Dutro compresses the story to a single issue and the art has softer edges and greater depth. Solomon Kane is a more human figure, Howard Chaykin delivers him as stripped down to the fierce drives that push him on, Steve Carr & Bret Blevins, show a deeply focused and committed man. Both capture the driven action and the determined pursuit of the story, weave in the supernatural elements with skill and deliver the conclusion with the savage judgement and force it needs.
The stand out story from the rest of The Sword of Solomon Kane issues is an original story , "the Prophet" with art by Mike Mignola & Al Williamson, letters by Steve Dutro and colours by Dan Jackson. Solomon Kane, a Christian fundamentalist with an unshakable belief that he is doing his god's business encounters a Muslim who has the same sense of divine mission. The encounter is superbly staged, with trails of treachery coiling around both. The conclusion is grimly satisfying, if it tilts to Solomon Kane it does not play down the price that is paid by those implementing a divine project.
The other stories "And Faith, Undying..." is another original story with art by Bret Blevins, colours by Dan Jackson and letters by Steve Dutro is a sharp story of faith, friendship and werewolves. "Blades of the Brotherhood" art by Bret Blevins and Al Williamson, colours by Dan Jackson, letters by Steve Dutro sees Solomon Kane back in England and entangled with ruthless pirates. Both "Hills of Blood" art by John Bogdanove and Al Williamson and "Wing in the Night" with art by John Ridgway and Al Williamson, colours on both by Steve Dutro and letters by Dan Jackson, are set in Africa. This is the mystical Africa of the pulp stories of Robert E. Howard and the stories make the most of it. This is an excellent collection of highly enjoyable stories, that do justice to the original Howard stories and critically to the wonderful character of Solomon Kane himself.

Solomon Kane . Michael J. Bassett (Director) Epic Tales Ltd (2009)

Superb and enthralling adventure film, anchored by a brilliant central performance, great action and superb storytelling. Solomon Kane (James Purefoy) a reformed pirate is trying to avoid violence in order to keep clear of the devil. He encounters a Puritan family planning on emigrating to America and they find themselves travelling though a devastated landscape. The family are attacked and Kane finds that he has to resume his violent ways to rescue the daughter. The action on the way to the thrilling conclusion is superbly staged, the cast are full of life and the supernatural elements are handled with flair.
The film tells the story of how Solomon Kane became the extraordinary character he is in the stories by Robert E. Howard. There is noting very original in the story of a man forced back to violence to do good, it all lies in the the telling. The film has the strength of mind to take itself and the story seriously, there is no winking at the audience. This gives the film a terrific force and allows the cast to bring their characters to vivid life. The budget has been well spent on the glorious locations and the great sets, the context for the story felt solid and severe.
James Purefoy is simply outstanding as Solomon Kane, convincing in every aspect of the story, the moment when he becomes the terrible Puritan avenger of the Howard stories is signalled with beautiful grace. Pete Postlethwaite as the father of the family Kane encounters on the road is a warm and credible. The villains are exactly as melodramatic as they should be, lead by the masked Overlord (Samuel Roukin), they still have a genuine menace and relish for mayhem.
This is a model of how to make a fantasy film adventure, it mixes the elements with care and attention to detail, catching the spirit of the stories with breathtaking skill. This film is an undiluted pleasure.

The Saga of Solomon Kane. Dark Horse Books (2009)

This is a very welcome omnibus reprinting of the Solomon Kane stories that ran in the Savage Sword of Conan and other Marvel comics. They are a wonderful collection of pulp fantasy action stories starring Robert E. Howard's Puritan,adventuring, god fearing, avenger, Solomon Kane. Kane was born in Devon and started his wanderings when England became politically inhospitable for Puritans under the Tudors, he travelled to the Far East, sailed with Sir Francis Drake and Sir Richard Grenville, was captured and tortured by the Spanish Inquisition, escaped and travelled Europe and Africa, returned home briefly before taking to the seas again.

The stories all take a wonderful, deeply serious and suitably extravagant treatment of the material, they bring out the pulp glory in the stories. The action is fast and furious, the settings are gloomy remains of ancient cities in Africa and Satanic castles in the Black Forest. Solomon Kane sees himself as God's instrument of vengeance and retribution and he is presented in exactly the larger than life stature that he requires. His passion is allowed to shine brightly and the desire for action and adventure that underlie it freely acknowledged.

The art is as generous as the writing, the range of styles is very great and the quality is consistently very high. The drama of the black and white art is relished by the artists as is the freedom to draw the swashbuckling action and the beautiful women. Great fun.

Solomon Kane. The Castle of the Devil. Scott Allie (Writer), Mario Guevara (Art), Dave Stewart (Colours). Dark Horse Books. (2009)

Solomon Kane is a Puritan who believes in facing evil with a sword and a pistol, he is a grim and dour man who follows his duty to his god and his conscience without reserve. Lacking any superpowers or a wide emotional range he is a difficult character to portray well in a comic. The creative team on this book do a great job with Solomon Kane, they give him a credible context to act in and they make a tremendous dramatic virtue out of his implacable nature. They do this by surrounding him with a large and varied cast who provide the colour and emotional backdrop that makes Solomon Kane stand out by contrast.

Solomon Kane is introduced via an ambush on his camp by robbers, this quickly and effectively establishes Kane as a savage fighter, rescuing a child hanging from a gibbet shows his more merciful side. Kane encounters a fellow Englishman, John Silent and they end up going to the castle of Baron Von Staler, the man who had hung the boy. Kane intents to meet the Baron and deal harshly with an evil man if that is needed. The baron's castle is referred to by the locals as The Castle of the Devil. Kane and John Silent are greeted as welcome guests into the castle and the story proceeds to take a very satisfactory route to a enjoyable and thoughtful resolution.

The cast are given room to breathe and the various plot strands are cleverly revealed and then equally cleverly knotted together. Kane who is more of an elemental force than a human is contrasted well with the rest of the cast who are full of life and vigour, all pursuing their various agendas with energy and will. The art has a slightly scratchy look which serves the story very well as does the vibrant colouring. Low key, gripping, this is superbly executed and thoroughly entertaining comic.