Mad Scientist blackmails government with a massive bomb in the heart of London. With one hour to go, this is the story of what happens next and what became of the world’s fastest man in the last hour.

Sometimes you get a rare example of everything that is right about the independent comic scene. Sure, in doing so you have to wade through mountains of turgid unskilled rubbish, but it is worth it for the gems you find in amongst the crap.

This is one of those gems. It reads like Alan Moore doing future shocks on top form. It is inventive, unpredictable and compulsive reading. It is, in short, a prime example of ideas based storytelling at its best.

It toys with your expectations and never quite pays off in the way you expect it to, but it is so well-written, imaginative and clever that you are drawn to like it and the plot twists never seem stupid, but always natural and believable.

This is the sort of thing independents can do really well. They can break free from the chains of teenage power fantasies and explore ideas and concepts fully. I don't believe that it's possible for Marvel and DC to really innovate, so it's left for people like AccentUK to blaze a trail away from comic clichés and into more imaginative territory.

Artistically, I wasn't too keen, but even then the worst I could say about the artwork is that it is not to my personal taste. I can see that it is good and consistent and works perfectly with the nature of the story.

Regardless of the artwork, I read through it all in a single sitting. Once I'd read the first few pages I found myself unable to stop. So do yourself a favour and acquire yourself a copy of a very early contender for the strongest indie comic of 2009.

10