In the 20th century, western society rocketed forward with technological advancements, many of them thanks to the two world wars in its first half. Those earlier days of the 190ss must have been tumultuous ones, especially for those raised in the 19th century. Busiek explores such generational gaps and the notion of war in a world similar to our own, save for the fact that instead of technological leaps forward, the world embraces magic as the path to the future. This is a wondrous but grounded new title, another examplem of Kurt Busiek's rich imagination.
It's 1915, and the world is at war in Europe. Prussia is leading a destructive wave across the continent, and nothing seems capable of stemming its soldiers and the fiery giants that attack on their behalf. The United States of Columbia has not yet joined the war, but some have joined the fight by signing up with the Overseas Aero Corps, a famed team of men who fly above battlefields, each joined by a small but fierce dragon. Fletcher Arrowsmith dreams of flight, and he feels that it is the responsibility of good men to fight against injustice. Unfortunately, his father -- a blacksmith with a disdain for new magical ways -- forbids Fletcher to chase after those dreams.
Pacheco's artwork is stunning here. He brings plausibility to a world full of magic. The members of the Overseas Aero Corps, even though they wear capes soar overhead, look like soldiers, not super-heroes. His designs here overall are strong and striking, yet grounded as well. There's a softness in his work here that reminds me a little of the style of Stuart Immonen and an edge that reminds me of Mike McKone's. Sinclair's colors are stunning. They bring energy, magic and wonder to the story, but they're also appropriately subdued, in keeping with the more grave and down-to-earth elements.
The greatest strength of this debut issue -- and of the property in general, I would suspect -- is Busiek's detailed reshaping of the world and our history, filtered through the lens of magic. The key is that the writer tempers the imaginative and wondrous qualities of this re-envisioned place with a sense of realism. Culture and history are altered, but they're still familiar as well. The nations draw their new names from our past. Busiek sells the premise by blending history and fantasy into one cohesive unit. I was also impressed with Busiek opts to set his story almost a century in the past. Given how different this world is, the historical component could have easily been set aside, but Busiek wisely maintains it.
Arrowsmith is The Lord of the Rings and Saving Private Ryan in one cohesive package. The core plot here -- a young boy rebelling against his father's wishes and joining the armed forces -- is a familiar one, but it's granted a fresh quality through the fantasy elements. I think the only flaw with this issue is Busiek's choice to present all of the dialogue in the opening scene entirely in French. I understand the language, but I'm guessing the bulk of his audience will be left out of the loop. Pacheco's art comes close to telling the story on its own, but the dialogue does provide a little more in the way of detail.
