When John Thompson's epic story "These Forces of hGwa" concluded in Sphinx Comics #2, we thought that was the end of it. The final page showed the Tibetan shaman Thon and his wife Rda ready to help the Jews escape from ancient Egypt and the oppressive rule of Pharaoh Ramses II. Hurray! The Jews shall be free from tyranny!

But Sphinx #3 continues the story of Thon and Rda from where Sphinx #2 left off (well, it might be hundreds of years later, but it's still the same story). This chapter is a 23-page epic called "Agents of Dread," and it begins by showing that Thon and Rda are back in Tibet, but the planet Earth is still "in a time of crisis." Yes, the Jews escaped Egypt, but the evil forces of hGwa are still in control and threatening to "send the world into destruction."

However, by this time Thon is over 300 years old and his body is tired and worn out. In order to combat the hGwa, he needs to die and reincarnate himself in a new body that will be ready for the battle. No small trick, right? But no problem for Thon! He lays down and allows himself to kick the bucket, after which his spirit "transmigrates" across 2,500 years and all the way to the city of London in the 16th century, where it injects itself into the womb of a woman (who is having sex) at the very moment she conceives. Nine months later, Thon is reborn as Sir Francis Bacon, the real-world author, philosopher and scientist.

At this point in the story it becomes clear that Thompson is once again doing a comic mashup with deeply rooted world history, and if Sphinx #2 taught us anything about that, we will be greatly entertained by it.

So this version of Francis Bacon grows up in London with a loving family and studies the great intellects of both Eastern and Western worlds, as well as ancient texts of the occult. But remember, he's still really Thon and he still knows he must go to war with the hGwa to save the world.

As a young man, Bacon is visited by a mysterious figure named Doctor Dee, who seems to understand what the hell is really going down. He tells Bacon that the Spanish Armada, a naval fleet secretly driven by the forces of hGwa, is on the verge of capturing the British kingdom and controlling the world. Before he rushes out the door, Doctor Dee gives Bacon a magical book as a going away present. So Bacon studies the magical book for two days and then uses telepathic communications to help Sir Francis Drake (vice admiral of the British navy) save England's sovereignty by defeating the Spanish Armada!

After the Armada is thwarted, Bacon provides William Shakespeare with all of his famous poems, plays and sonnets (a legitimate matter of history still widely debated by literary scholars). Towards the end of "Agents of Dread," Doctor Dee shows up once again, alerting Bacon that the forces of hGwa have stepped up their offensive by infusing their evil souls into people all over England, spawning a battlefield of good and evil that Bacon must confront. Unfortunately for us, the story concludes by saying it will be continued in the next issue, which is never published!

Ah, but not to worry my friends. The adventures of Bacon/Thon and the forces of hGwa do indeed see one more chapter, as "Agents of Dread" is concluded in Eternal Comics. You might not like the conclusion, but at least you're not left hanging after Sphinx #3.

As in Sphinx #2, Thompson assimilates specific events from the past into his own story that intertwines mysticism and preternatural powers to reinterpret history. Like "These Forces of hGwa" from the previous issue, "Agents of Dread" has a fair amount of narration in text boxes, but the mix of narration and dialog seems to work a little more efficiently here. Thompson seamlessly integrates a fair number of 19th century engravings into collages with his equally detailed ink illustrations help to define and flesh out the story.

Following "Agents of Dread" are "Ten Drawings," each taking a single page and nearly all masterful examples of psychedelic art. The first one is particularly unusual, as it reproduces a drawing that Thompson produced at the age of seven (1952).

Overall, I'd posit that Sphinx #3 is slightly better than Sphinx #2 with the writing, but slightly inferior to #2 for the artwork. Together, they make up a terrific little series (and makes me wonder how Sphinx #1 would measure up).



HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES:
The Print Mint produced approximately 10,000 copies of this comic book. It has not been reprinted.

Thompson's choice of Sir Francis Bacon as a principal character in a story about ancient magic and mystery should come as no surprise to those who have researched Sir Francis Bacon. Though he was an innovative and influential scientist, Bacon's reputed connections to secret societies such as the Rosicrucians and the Freemasons doubtlessly exacerbated Thompson's belief that Bacon had a deep interest (and involvement) in mysticism and the occult. Some of Bacon's own writings certainly encouraged that line of thought and influenced a diverse range of spiritual authors and esoteric organizations throughout history.

I must note that Thompson makes a grievous error in his narrative for "Agents of Dread." When Thon helps the English navy defeat the Spanish Armada, Thompson references Sir Walter Raleigh as the commanding officer of the English battleship H.M.S. Revenge, when it was Sir Francis Drake who was actually aboard that battleship. Thompson later references the name "Drake" when referring to the subsequent conflict, so he knew that Drake was the correct historical figure in the battle. However, the name "Sir Francis Drake" is never actually mentioned anywhere in the book.

COMIC CREATOR:
John Thompson - 1-36