Gold Key Alliance #1

   My comics shop owner was looking out for me this week.

   I had overlooked Gold Key Alliance, but he plucked it out of the stack and asked if I was interested.

   Since it includes several characters I enjoyed when I was a tad, my answer was obvious.

   I knew this series included several classic Gold Key Comics heroes, including Magnus Robot Fighter, Turok Dinosaur Hunter, Dr. Solar and Sampson.

   Of course, the trick in bringing those characters together is the fact that they each come from a completely different reality.

   Magnus is from the distant future. Turok lives in an alternate reality where dinosaurs still live. Sampson is from a dystopic future, post disaster. Dr. Solar is the only "modern day" character in the bunch.

   This series solves that problem, oddly enough, by bringing the characters all to the present, though it's a world that's different from the one we know. In this reality (which seems to be set in the modern day), robots are commonplace (though they don't seem to be as sophisticated as the ones the original Magnus faced), there's a dinosaur preserve guarded by Turok, Sampson seems to have a fragile grip on reality, and Dr. Solar - well, let's just say that character has a lot in common with the new Thor.

   As a first issue, this isn't bad - but it has to spend a lot of time checking in with the characters and doesn't always give us a clear idea of what the heck is going on - but it rolls along quickly and includes some fun action sequences.

   So while it's not "my" Gold Key, it has potential. It made enough of an impression that I shouldn't need reminding to pick up the next issue.

Grade: B

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