VERMIN CALLING
By Darryle Purcell
Offbeat Reads
198 pgs
Young Vernon Jiles was bullied as a child. His worst tormentor, his older brother. To survive these daily beatings, Vernon lost himself in his comics and soon developed a true love of graphic storytelling. Enough so that he began drawing his own comics and grew up to become a professional illustrator. But there was more to Vernon’s story for he possessed a very unique imagination, one his mind learned to harness in a most spectacular way. Vernon discovered early in his comic-creating career that he, by the power of his mind, could bring his cartoon characters to life.
Soon, his colorful friends, led by the fighting DuckTard, were parading around his studio and adding to the fun and mayhem of his daily life. Ultimately, realizing he had the ability to do good and protect people, Vernon assumed a secret identity, and the Vermin, the scourge of the underworld, was born. Again, all because of his amazing imagination.
When the beautiful Tenacity Mills answered an ad to be his assistant, she was instantly brought into his top-secret crusade. At first, the poor girl thought she was losing her mind, but gradually Vernon’s naïve sincerity won her over. Soon Tenacity was fighting crooks and communist agitators alongside Vermin and his cartoon posse.
Darryle Purcell is a gifted storyteller unafraid of exploring the wild and bizarre and he has no problems making the impossible seem totally believable. Never more so than in this crazy romp with two of his most likable characters ever. In fact, when you consider the plot, this reviewer doesn’t wonder if some of these exploits weren’t based on his own life. Now that would be crazy! And fun!
