Author Description

My favorite Mack Bolan episode not written by the creator, Don Pendleton. What I really; love about this one is that Bolan's humanity is highlighted as never before. He is as credible and honorable as ever in this one. The story starts with him chasing from men, called regularly called "hunters" or "gunners", who had captured him and beaten him(before the story started). He managed to escape and hide away in a farm barn where he was caught by a family who thinks he is an escaped convict because of his cuffs and scars. We see a Bolan in this one who is hurt, physically now and emotionally from before (the death of his family is constantly mentioned, even his little brother, Johnny, who he fears contacting least he puts him in danger). Mack's compassion is shown when he does not want to endanger this farming family nor harm them just to escape. His moral conscience and obligation to duty is shown too, as he must find a way to stop these latest terrorists: men out to destroy a US computer base; yet he must not reveal his mission and identity, worst harm the innocent. The innocent must never be harmed, even if it meant his harm, or else his mission was void. This is also shown at the end when Toni, the farmer's daughter-in-law, is used as a human shield by the villain, Cowboy. Bolan hesitated to shoot for this said reason. Bolan's humanity is ultimately shown in his connection to the young lady who he makes love with. She is attracted to him, not just because of his bravery and noble cause but because she lost her husband to violence just as Mack lost his parents and sister to the Mafia. Bolan is revealed as the "principled warrior", fated to fight for humankind when he says he was not free to live a normal life, but bond by duty travel the perilous road of justice. Add the poetic description, metaphors, personifications and similes; and the skilled use of flashback and shifting point-of-views and you have an action classic. Well done, Mike Newton.