Scat: Carl Hiaasen

Reading one’s way through an author’s works without referring to a list of their books or a chronology of their publications can produce surprises.

For the past several months, I’ve been randomly selecting Carl Hiaasen’s novels. Hiaasen sets his books in Florida, introduces often bizarre characters in wildly readable criminal plots which typically involve the over-development or environmentally damaging activities in the state.

They are also irreverently funny.

What I didn’t realize until about 20 pages into Hiaasen’s “Scat” is he has penned a series of young reader books.

“Scat” revolves around a middle school teacher who goes missing during a field trip interrupted by a fire in the Florida woods. Authorities have many suspects because the teacher is known for being strict, even cruel, to her students. 

But when school officials receive a message that the teacher is on leave – though no one has seen her since the field trip, authorities shift focus from a missing person search to an arson case for the fire in the woods.

The main suspect is a student who goes by the self-appointed nickname of Smoke.

Nick, a young student whose father is deployed to Iraq, sets out to learn what’s really happening in his school, in his town and in the woods.

Yes, “Scat” is meant for young readers but even an unsuspecting older reader will enjoy this story. Hiaasen lowers the heat of some of his better-known books for his young readers series. 

If he’s better known for Rated R books, think of “Scat” as being PG. 

The book still introduces some offbeat characters, embraces a degree of irreverence, remains funny and weighs in on environmental/wildlife issues in Florida.

“Scat” is what a book should be for all ages – a great read.

 

Namor: Last King of Atlantis

Namor, the Sub-Mariner, is one of Marvel Comics’ oldest characters. 

He’s even older than the company’s Marvel Comics name.

Created by Bill Everett for Timely Comics, the Sub-Mariner made his debut in 1939 in a comic book titled Marvel Comics (OK, he’s as old as what would become the company’s name). Similar to DC Comics’ Aquaman, Namor is the mutant son (yes, the Sub-Mariner is also Marvel’s first mutant) of a human sea captain and a princess of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis.

The Sub-Mariner can live below or above the sea, though his full strength lies beneath the waves. With wings on his ankles, he can fly. He’s nearly invulnerable and possesses superhuman strength.

During World War II, the character was part of Timely’s war-time superheroes of Captain America and the original Human Torch. Timely teamed them up to fight Nazis. The superhero team was later called the Invaders.

After the war, the Sub-Mariner disappeared from the comics. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby revived the character as a bad guy in Fantastic Four No. 4 in the early 1960s.

Since, Namor has been a villain and a hero. He’s been the king of Atlantis. He’s appeared in numerous comics as the bad guy, an ally or as a supporting character. He’s headlined his own comic book titles and mini-series through the decades.

In the most recent “Namor” series, the Sub-Mariner has given up his claim to the Atlantis throne and is willingly imprisoned. He is coerced to leave prison to hopefully end World War Sea, a battle between seven factions hoping to claim full reign of the world’s oceans. 

Writer Jason Aaron and pencillers/inkers Alex Lins and Paul Davidson, colorist Neeraj Menon and letterer VC Joe Caramagna create a riveting tale of Namor, the Sub-Mariner. The plot tells not only the tale of seven kings vying for supremacy but flashes back to various periods from Namor’s childhood and past.

The story hews to Namor’s traditions while finding new facets to make a nearly 90-year-old character seem new. One should expect nothing less from Aaron, who has done similar things with Thor, Wolverine, the Avengers and several other Marvel characters in the past.

His work on “Namor” seems particularly special. Perhaps because even though the Sub-Mariner is threaded throughout the history of Marvel Comics, his story and character are less explored than so many other superheroes.

“Namor” is an eight-part mini-series. A full paperback collection of the issues will be released in July.

It’s time to get to know the Sub-Mariner, again.