Before I even get started about the stories in this volume, I have to talk about the art. Leonard Starr has some of the most expressive faces I have ever seen in a comic panel. Without his characters saying one word, it is easy to tell what they are thinking or feeling - whether it be sad, angry, surprised, scheming, or any other emotion - - Starr has the ability to draw his characters in such a way that the reader is drawn into those emotions. I think it helps make the stories all the more real and captures the readers' attention even more. There are no "stiff" or "cardboard cut-out" characters in his strip. Each character, both major and minor, are all brought fully to life through the art. And the backgrounds! It is amazing just how detailed some of those backgrounds can be - from scenes of the city in the last panel of the very first strip to shrubbery and plants to the castle in the last story. Amazing, utterly amazing!
Now, on the stories in this volume...
The first story is a little bit light-hearted, as Mary finds a new acting job - and she'll be the star! But only if the producers can get an old Vaudevillian who, unbeknownst to any of them, is down on his luck and determined to make this play his comeback - even if it costs Mary her reputation! Of course, things start turning serious when a television host makes the moves on Mary in order to help advance her career - and when she spurns his advances, well ... you can pretty much guess what happens from there. Moving right along, the next story gets off to a start with the sudden appearance of shy little Magnolia Peachtree Dade (what a name!), who is not necessarily everything she first appears to be - and before you know it, Mary is being followed, Magnolia is taking advantage of Mary's generosity, and a mysterious suitcase turns out to be an important clue as to a bank robber's ill-gotten gains!
As with any good continuing drama, one story leads into another, and the resolution of Magnolia's tale leads right into Mary's next adventure, where she tries her hand at some summer stock - and where she meets the self-absorbed Jed Potter. But as anyone knows, an outside persona can hide something completely different inside, as Mary soon learns. But, tragically, this story does not have a happy ending by any means. Which leads readers to the next story, in which Mary is tricked into becoming a Hollywood starlet - but is the cost too high? Enter: the enigmatic Johnny Q - an alleged gangster who saves the day and worms his way right into Mary's heart! (You didn't really think there would be a continuing drama like this without any romance, did you?) Of course, this sets the stage for the final story and the unexpected return of ... Pete Fletcher!
It's the final story that I truly liked the best - a mystery, a creepy old castle, a ghost, and a "phantom" type leading man that turns Mary into a sleuthing actress as she tries to figure out who is sabotaging the production in which she is currently starring. Johnny Q, Pete Fletcher, and a whole slew of backstabbing, conniving, jealous, bitter, and downright vicious supporting characters keep the action going, the stories engaging, and the characters thriving. I don't know if anyone can truly compare to Leonard Starr when it comes to daily-strip storytelling!
RATING: 10 special German watches out of 10 for so easily drawing me into the life of Mary Perkins and making me truly care about what happens next!
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