Story: Archie Goodwin

Art: Walt Simonson

After a 30 year absense, the Manhunter Paul Kirk finds himself in an international web of espionage and intrigue. Re-created to fill a role in a secret society, the Manhunter rejects this and sets out to find his own destiny!

Written as a series of back-up stories in the then-floundering Detective Comics, Manhunter was a very experimental comic. Knowing that he could not tamper with Batman to increase the sales of Detective Comics, Goodwin and Simonson decided to resurrect a character last seen in 1946. Told in eight pages, each part was self contained, but furthered the story of Paul Kirk and his struggle against the enigmatic Council, culminating in a full-story conclusion guest-starring Batman.

The story itself centered around the Council, an organization founded after World War II by ten individuals who believed themselves to be superior minds and wanting to protect mankind from itself. Recruiting agents from across the world, the Council had a hand in everything and shaped the world to their specifications.

Following a grisly accident which left him dead, Paul Kirk is resurrected to head the security division for the Council, which is a job that Kirk does not want. When he goes rogue, the Council sends all available agents to stop Kirk, most of which are clones of Kirk himself!

Also included in this edition is a special back-up story illustrated by Simonson and plotted by Goodwin, but was unable to be scripted before his death. Included as a tribute to Goodwin, this story takes place within the confines of the main story, but does not change what came before it.

All in all, this is an excellent book. If you're a fan of great serialized fiction and stories of intrigue and espoinage, this cannot be missed. Also, this contains some of Walt Simonson's earliest artwork on a story which he regards as being his best experience in comics. Do yourself a favor and pick up a great piece of comics history for the low price of $10. You'll thank yourself!