Acts of the Spirit

Eyewitness (Book 2) Acts of the Spirit (2006), Head Press Publishing, Robert James Luedke, 104 pp., $13.99.   

Spiderman 2, The Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek:
The Wrath of Khan. Sometimes the sequel is better
that the original. In 2004 Robert James Luedke/Head Press
published Eyewitness: A Fictional Tale of Absolute Truth.
This full color 94 page graphic novel tells the story of
Terrence Harper, a world renown forensic
archeologist who is called to Israel to examine a
recently discovered ossurary (bone box) dating from
the first century AD. The ossury contains ancient scrolls
and other artifacts. The scrolls once translated appear to
be an independent account of the New Testament gospels
written by Joseph of Arimathea. Luedke weaves a story of
modern day international intrigue with extended visual
glances of the Biblical story presented in the scrolls.

The scrolls’ Biblical story begins somewhat before the last
Supper and proceeds through the Trial, Passion, Crucifixion
and Burial of Christ. The book concludes with Harper making
a confession of faith in Christ, in a car with his good friend and
assistant Raj, immediately before being caught in an explosion
triggered by a suicide bomber.

The second book, Acts of the Spirit takes up where Eyewitness
left off. We find that Harper has survived and is in crucial
condition. Luedke’s art has improved dramatically from the
first book. The coloring is much improved and the pacing from
panel to panel is better and the burdensome dialog balloons
that clogged a number of pages in the first book have been
streamlined and makes for a more enjoyable literary experience.
In the first book there are sections of pure prose copy interrupting
the flow of the graphic narrative. These sections are gone in the
second book making for a better and simpler reading experience.
Luedke effectively uses humor to lighten the heavy sense of conspiracy and foreboding evil.  He takes a lesson from Charles Dickens and places a ‘Ghost of Easters Past’  to guide an unconscious Harper through Christ’s Resurrection, Ascension and the early days of the church as recorded in the book of Acts. Luedke continues to switch back and forth between events in First Century Israel to a modern 21st Century spy thriller—and he does it very well.

In this Acts of the Spirit Luedke tops his first effort and we can
look forward to the concluding volume in the trilogy in two years.
As Christian readers we pray that this book will cause the
non-Christian reader to seriously consider the claims of Christ.
Robert James Luedke desires this book to have ministry
beyond its entertainment value.
(This review was written in August 2006).

www.headpress.info