A new story arc gets under way in this issue, and with it comes a new artist: Carla Speed McNeil of Finder fame. Her style is a radical shift, not only over Jason Alexander's work from the previous arc, but for the series as a whole. But it's a good shift. Rucka's script plays to the artist's strengths. Just as the art is exposing readers to something, the script explores a new corner of the world of British intelligence. It makes for compelling reading, but that's par for the course for Greg Rucka and Queen & Country.
An unexplained death half a world away strikes down someone close to the Minders, and they leap into action as a result... but not nearly as directly as they'd like. The sudden death also forces the elite of British intelligence to consider recruitment, forcing a visit to an unusual and exclusive training academy. Meanwhile, a businessman is kidnapped in the middle of the street in broad daylight, transforming him into a human bargaining chip for some greedy and bloodthirsty men.
There's no denying the simplicity in McNeil's style, but there's also no denying how effectively she tells the story. There's a sad, stark quality in the artwork, and she conveys emotion incredibly well. The characters move and stand and sit and slouch like real people. I love that this simple style so convincingly captures the dark, dreary reality in which these characters exist. McNeil also subtly communicates the diverse array of ages of the cast of characters. The new recruit's energy and enthusiasm shines through, as does Paul Crocker's weathered soul.
Rucka's not content to tell just one story here. He hits us with a rather personal loss for the Minders right off the bat, and that would have been enough to keep me interested. It certainly boasts plenty of potential when it comes to suspense and characterization. But on top of that, we have a kidnapping plot and the introduction of a fresh face, someone whose gung-ho attitude will make for a sharp contrast with the rest of the cast. I also love how Rucka sets up his hero worship of Tara without bringing the characters together yet.
What makes this book so convincing -- or at least one of the elements that does so -- is Rucka's cultural awareness. The violent and unpredictable nature of life in Georgia comes off as incredibly real, and to take us into that almost alien world, Rucka provides his readers with ideas to which we can relate. The victims talk about women, about a worrisome mother. He brings these characters, ever so briefly, to a level with which the reader is familiar, thereby enabling him or her to become familiar with the nightmare that befalls them.
