Where Monsters Dwell #4 (of 5)

   You know, I've read loads of comics in the half-century-plus that I've been reading, but I believe this is the first issue to feature the hero facing the dreaded fate of having his... well, manhood chopped off.

   That's the fate the Phantom Eagle faces in the latest issue of Where Monsters Dwell - which is one of the most odd of the Secret Wars / Battleworld titles.

  Sadly, he almost deserves his fate. Karl Kauffman (the Eagle) is, in this series, a complete jerk. A womanizer, utterly amoral, a coward and a thorough creep, he finds himself in trouble as he (and the passenger he was transporting, Clemmie Franklin-Cox), crash in a prehistoric corner of Battleworld.

   They're attacked by dinosaurs and take refuge among a race of Amazons - but those women have little use (or tolerance for) Karl's schemes, so they decide to, uh, cut him down to size.

   Before the issue is over, all-out war has been declared, lives are lost and there's more destruction being planned.

   If you're looking for a hero to follow, you won't find one here. But you will find a funny, weasely anti-hero to follow (in the Flashman tradition) in a wild and wooly adventure.

   The art by Russ Braun is terrific, crafting a world of beautiful women, gruesome dinosaurs and lush environments. Add Garth Ennis' compelling story and you have a terrific adventure - but no heroes.

Grade: A-

-----------------------