Mr. Moto

    (Moonstone, 2004)
™ and © John P. Marquand

John P. Marquand featured Mr. Moto, his unflinchingly polite Japanese agent, in six books beginning in 1935. Although the eight films released from 1937-39 bore only a slight resemblance to the novels, Peter Lorre’s presentation of the resourceful detective immortalized the character.

“Welcome Back Mr. Moto” is the first story arc released by Moonstone, and it follows the plot construction of Marquand’s books. Mr. Moto is not the protagonist of the story; he appears sparingly and only at the most opportune times. This approach is quite a departure from most comics, one that requires readers to invest themselves in the story of Ken Takashi, recently released from the Japanese detention center at Minidoka, Idaho, following World War II.

Rafael Nieves weaves a complicated spy story around the hot-headed Takashi, who must sort through the spies, double-agents, and racial intolerance to solve the mystery of his father’s death. Tim Hamilton’s art takes some getting used to, especially when he moves to flashback panels. Readers’ curiosity will be piqued, however. Just who is the enigmatic Mr. Moto?

— Karen O’Brien
Jump to issue:
  NotesWriterArtist