Back in the ’80s, Ms. Tree was one of our favorite comic-book characters.
A hard-boiled private eye created by Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty (some DC fans may know the pair through another character - Wild Dog), Ms. Michael Tree more @$$ than hundreds of spandex-clad heroines put together.
In fact, Ms. Tree could teach Batman a thing or two about obsessive vigilantism.
Many of her stories - which were published by a variety of companies, including Aardvark-Vanaheim, Eclipse and DC - dealt with her vendetta against the Muerta family, mafia dons who ordered the execution of her husband.
She often employed lethal force, a compunction that landed the P.I. in jail and a mental institution.
Ms. Tree even kicked butt while dealing with a full-term pregnancy, something Wonder Woman will probably never attempt.
To the best of our knowledge, Ms. Tree faded from public view after the DC series ended in the early ’90s. So, the Keeper was naturally excited to discover the character is returning in prose form!
Collins, an accomplished mystery novelist who also won recognition for a well-received stint on Dick Tracy, wrote the story and Collins provided the pulp-esque cover art.
The book will be published in December by Hard Case Crime.
The Keeper is certain to pick up a copy, but must admit he’s a bit surprised to see Ms. Tree’s undergarments displayed so prominently on the cover. While the illustration certainly meets genre conventions, Michael Tree is known less for cheesecake and more for …
… well, this!
Hey, at least the paperback cover is still a lot tamer than what we’re seeing from Marvel these days!
