Review by Ian Keogh

The beauty of The Man From Maybe hides in the details, not remarked on, but combining to form an idea of a world to come. It’s genre gumbo as grizzled cowboys mix with dinosaurs and fantastic technology, with a plot gradually coalescing around a rich collector’s attempt to acquire alien artefacts. The Man From Maybe himself is a futuristic cowboy who still rides a horse, and Jordan Thomas ensures the details around him remain blurred, as he never confirms or denies any rumour about his achievements. Probably best for business that way.

Thomas never strays far from predictability. The characters who aren’t going to see the story out are almost highlighted as he follows the Western template, but the wonder is provided by Shaky Kane’s art. Jack Kirby remains the primary influence, yet collaborating with a writer removes the meandering and lack of clarity sometimes accompanying stories Kane writes himself. There’s the same gloriously designed imagery, but in service of a stronger story, yet Thomas has enough sense to keep some details vague, allowing Kane’s imagination to take over, and the result of that is some glorious looking scenes. Some are also creepy, with a memorable design for the chief villain of the piece in a static, expressionless mask.

Like most Westerns, break the plot down and it’s relatively simple, the joy being seeing the characters go through their paces with the righteous vengeance at the end. The slight departure is the Man himself being reflective and cautious, indicating the rumours may service his reputation, but the truth is that he’s survived so long through considering circumstances beforehand.

There’s a lot of fun to be had with The Man From Maybe for anyone who enjoys a space Western, and it’s a character and concept that could return.