Rucka and Fernandez wrap up this latest story arc on an action-packed note. Now while I appreciate a stronger focus on characterization, the well-choreographed, exciting visuals really show off just how cinematic Queen & Country really is. This issue just gallops along, and it takes the reader into an unseen but entirely plausible side of the world that so very few people every really see.
Tom and an interpreter hit the streets of Sarajevo, looking for some hint as to El Nage's whereabouts and plans, and an unwelcome interruption at a bar leads to an offer by a local... not an offer of information, but a lead nonetheless. Meanwhile, in Cairo, Tara Chace and another British agent stationed in the area succeed in flushing out the attention of those Nage was working with. But the real crisis is two continents away in Japan.
This issue is much more visually oriented in a title that's usually dominated by dialogue, and as a result, Leandro Fernandez really gets to shine. Tara's action sequence is intense and involved, but Fernandez pulls it off without a hitch. The scene merits multiple readings, not because it's confusing -- it's not -- but it's remarkably well done. Key, though, is the fact that the opening scene boasts a real but quiet visual intensity. The tense expressions on the faces of the guards and the terrorist agents immediately draw the reader into this extreme situation.
Rucka does an amazing job of capturing an international flair here. The action takes place in four global locales, and never once do I get the impression that there's an American perspective at play. Furthermore, Minder #1 -- Tom -- is fast becoming one of my favorite characters. Rucka has gradually built him up into a voice of reason, someone with a more balanced approach than Crocker and better acclimated to his job than Tara. I hope we see more of Tom in future issues, maybe even a story arc spotlighting him specifically.
The final scene is the one that really packed a punch for this particular reader. After being forced to (justifiably) kill a number of men, she falls back into her depression pattern. She clasps the liquor bottle. I'd like to think that this time, though, it's almost unconscious. In the first issue, it's an assassination that tears her down. But in this situation, Tara was defending not only herself but a colleague as well. It's not entirely clear, but it's almost as though Tara is unaware that killing anyone takes its toll on her, not just the nastier assignments.
