Barnum!: In Secret Service To The Usa

Author: David Tischman

Howard Chaykin is one of the finest comic creators in history. His work on titles like Amerikan Flagg, not to mention dozens of science fiction paperback covers, has made him one of the most beloved comics artists in history. In Barnum, he has re-imagined the legendary showman P.T. Barnum, and turned him into something akin to James Bond, or more accurately, El Santo in his super-science spy films. Using Barnum's real life cast of characters from Barnum's American Museum, Chaykin creates a world that is tinged with Steampunk, not to mention weird, and often serious alternate, history. Where Chaykin is at his best is getting characters to feel as if they are both historical and off-the-wall. Appearances by Barnum's famed Siamese Twins, Chang and Eng, as well as various other figures from history, makes it a lot of fun if you know what you're seeing. Perhaps the most fascinating part is the fact that is casts famed inventor (and Thomas Edison punching bag) Nikola Tesla as the villain. That alone makes it worth reading, but the fan and silly story makes it a true great! Why it's on the list: Well-written, and the most fun for anyone who loves 19th century balderdash!