Paul Tobin’s protagonist Trine Hampstead has a complex life. Her existence in issue two of “Mystery Girl†has been rocked by her abilities, still the mystery of how she’s gotten her power isn’t the most important problem right now. The thing is she cares about people. And when you have vulnerable people surrounding you, then you can be controlled. And that is only a minor crux in the latest chapter of this narrative.
Ultron says in the second Avengers film of how “Everyone creates the thing they dread†and for Trine, her abilities have created powerful enemies. There’s the hit man who’s hired to kill her, he succeeds, but not in the way you may think. Then there’s her trip to Russia, Trine speaks Russian, but is she capable of this before or after she gets her powers? What about the person who hires the assassin in the first place? Why does he want Trine out of the way? Does this person or persons know of Trine’s abilities, do they know how she acquired them? Tobin gives the reader so many questions in this seemingly linear story that you feel as if you’ve missed something. But it’s only the second installment. What more does Tobin have to offer us?
One thing is for certain the hitman is as intrigued about Trine as the reader. And you would think this would give some insight into Trine’s past. However, the hitman keeps nearly everything he’s learned to himself. So the only ones so far who know of Trine’s past is the man hired to kill her and Trine and they’re not sharing with the rest of us.
Oh yes, the excursion to Russia and the wooly mammoth Trine has been hired to track. What about that? In this story there’s so much to look at that Tobin has hidden from the reader about an existing prehistoric animal existing in the 21st century. It’s an adventure for Trine still, what about the people who employed her to track it down? One of the few things that the audience is privy to is that Trine can sense if someone means to do harm; a useful tool when people are out to get you. And as intriguing as finding a mammoth would be you get the sense that she’s running away from what many mere mortals do – boyfriend troubles.
Right now with her powers, people after her and trying to save her friends she has to deal with a man who doesn’t believe in her. Somehow Tobin always comes back to that point. Everyone at some time needs someone to trust them. That lack of belief and possibly fear can hurt and for Trine as much she loves her cop-boyfriend it may not be enough to keep them together.
Most importantly by the time you’ve finished the latest aspect of Trine Hampstead’s life, you’ll realize that it’s too short. There’s so much more you want to know and it has yet to be written.
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