Television essentially eliminated a rather unique and exciting form of film: the serial. A number of comics properties were transformed into serials decades ago, each episode ending with a fantastic cliffhanger, only to be resolved the next week with an even more fantastic (and often crude) solution. I mention this because the combination of the episodic form of the comic book and the cinematic action and tone of the Snake Plissken property puts me in mind of the serial. The humor is low-brow but solid, the action over-the-top but entertaining. Snake Plissken Chronicles isn't going to blow anyone's mind, but it does provide some excitement and solid laughs.
Thanks to his quick thinking and stubborn refusal to die, Snake Plissken's watery grave turns out not to be so deadly after all, but he's a long way from land... and revenge. Fortune and the kindness of an old sailor provide the means to attain both, but a new threat stands in his way. And it loves disco. Clearly, it must be destroyed.
Rodriguez's gritty style suits the badass tone of the title character's adventures quite well. He conveys the action clearly, and the darker look over the visual component of the book reinforces the edgier nature of the story and characters. The opening, underwater sequence is particularly impressive. The artist conveys the Herculean task that lies before the protagonist quite clearly by successfully depicting the depths from which the character must emerge. I also like the textured and eerie look of the underwater setting.
Action and attitude are the order of the day in Snake Plissken Chronicles, but I've got to give O'Neill credit for some solid laughs. Big Red not only provides some conflict in the issue's second act, but his nature as a walking culture clash is hilarious. The Soviet Bloc collides with the Bee Gees to arrive at a ridiculous and entertaining character that would be quite at home in a Garth (Preacher, Punisher) Ennis story.
What sets the title character apart from other protagonists is that he's no hero. He's not even an anti-hero. He's a criminal, through and through, as a key scene in the middle of this issue demonstrates. He's thrust into a seemingly heroic role by circumstance, not by choice. His mean streak really sets him apart. This comic book has made me curious about the movies that inspired it. I was never really interested in the Escape action flicks, but now I'm curious to see if the same edge in the main character might set those films apart from generic action-oriented fare.
