QUEEN & COUNTRY #8
Recommended (8/10)
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Oni Press
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Leandro Fernandez
Letters: John Dranksi
Editors: Jamie S. Rich & James Lucas Jones
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
Greg Rucka's got a proven track record, not only on this title, but in his comics work in general. So the fact that this issue boasts yet another strong script comes as no surprise. The real story in this issue, though, is the debut of a South American artist who's going to blow everyone away. This inagural North American comics debut of Leandro Fernandez seems guaranteed to make him a highly sought after talent in the industry, and smart readers will want to get on board here, at the first stop.
After the events of Sept. 11, everyone in the Western intelligence community wants a piece of Al-Qaeda. Agencies galore have operations on the go aimed at terrorist activities, and Paul Crocker's Minders are in the thick of it. When an Egyptian with potential ties to terrorism walks into a British embassy claiming to have information of interest, Minder Two -- Tara Chace -- is sent to check him out.
I was surprised but pleased to find Rucka's continued emphasis on real-world international issues that are so prominent in the news today. After the previous Taliban story arc, I thought he might want to shift gears, but the Sept. 11 subject is so compelling -- and so relevant to this series in particular -- that it seems he couldn't help but fashion another believable story about an unbelievable field. He explores the politics of espionage and the intricacies of what's really going on behind the scenes.
I'm told that Fernandez is a colleague of Eduardo Risso's, and it shows in his work. He makes excellent use of shadow to establish a tense, mature mood. It's not as though he's aping Risso's work, though. Fernandez definitely has his own unique look. His figures are far more lithe and angular, and he exaggerates features more. His dark, elongated vision of Paul Crocker is the most impressive view of the character yet. There's a greater intensity in his sharp face.
My only qualm with the art is Fernandez's portrayal of the title's heroine, Tara Chace. She's far more sexy and vibrant here than what we've seen before. I rather appreciated the more down-to-earth presentation of the character in previous story arc. She was attractive, yes, but not a super-model or anything. Mind you, Fernandez captures Tara's strength and intelligence wonderfully.
My favorite part of the script had nothing to do with Al-Qaeda or ineter-agency backstabbing. No, it was the flirtation between Tara and Ed, her fellow Minder. This playful office relationship serves to bring the story and characters down to earth. We can't imagine being in the line of fire, but we can understand that.
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