Solitaire (comics)
| Solitaire | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Malibu Comics |
| First appearance |
Hardcase #1 (as Nicholas Lone) Solitaire #1 (as Solitaire) |
| Created by |
Gerard Jones Jeff Johnson |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Nicholas Lone |
| Abilities | Advanced healing factor |
Solitaire is a superhero comic book created by Gerard Jones and Jeff Johnson in 1993 for Malibu Comics. It was published consistently from November 1993 until September 1994, when the series was, with the eighth issue, turned into a mini-series to be cancelled at the twelfth issue.
The character appeared a few more times after the cancellation of his series: first, in the one-shot Ultraverse Double Feature #1, published in January 1995, second (in a warped Black September form) in Black September # Infinity, and finally in issues 6-8 of Prime vol. 2.
Solitaire is a crime-fighting superhero. He uses detective skills and a network of street-level informants to wage a one-man war on crime a la DC's Batman. He is not, however, without superpowers, as Batman is. Solitaire has a rapid healing ability (like Marvel's Wolverine) which allows him to recover from stab wounds, gougings, and even gunshots.
Solitaire was unique among superhero comic books of the early 1990s for its overt Oedipal themes and mainly realistic presentation of real-world atrocities, including: sexual-abuse, urban cults, gun-smuggling, corruption, insurance fraud, and drug use.
Of further interest, the covers of the first six issues act as panels in their own right; they bridge the narrative gap found between issues 5 and 6 of the series. After reading the last page of issue 5, the reader is advised to look at the covers of the issues published so far, then at the cover of issue six. Then they are prepared to read the first panel of issue six.
Solitaire's secret identity is Nicholas Lone, son of Antone Lone, L.A.'s major crime lord within the Ultraverse.
This was, in fact, the main driving force of the plot of the series, as Solitaire's superpowers were given to him by his father after Nicholas tried to kill himself by driving a sportscar off a California cliff side. This suicidal desire was fueled by the realization that his life had become an empty shell due to the secrets he kept, knowing his father's true nature. Antone Lone then had his son's body installed with nanomachines capable of rebuilding his body. Waking up and realizing he could not die, Nicholas Lone swore to use the wealth given to him by his father to end the atrocities his father caused.
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Wikipedia