I know, I know... this hardcover was released last week, but only for some. Reports of shipping delays and mixups to many stores arose, apparently due to the fact that only one of the three Diamond warehouses had the book in stock for the scheduled delivery date. So I figure, 'What the hell, I'll treat it as a First Look review for this week.'
I think most comics readers can remember the first time he or she sampled the artwork of the legendary Joe Kubert. His sketchy style is incredibly unique. My earliest exposure to his work were the covers of Roy Thomas's All-Star Squadron. Sure, Kubert's better known for his illustration of war stories, but he's also a stalwart of super-hero art as well. Those All-Star Squadron covers were the best of both worlds -- super-heroes in the Second World War. It's easy to see how this artist made such an indelible mark on the industry and the medium, and this hardcover graphic novel is really more of a tribute to his skill than to the ultimate icon of war comics.
In a dense, dark and cold German forest in November 1944, Easy Company, led by Sgt. Rock, is saddled by toomany casualties and too many greenhorns as their replacements. Determined, they make slow progress, and even happen upon a small group of German officers. Taken prisoner, the German personnel could prove to be vital sources of information of the Allied forces, but their capture leads to murder on the battlefield... not a killing as is to be expected in war, but murder. Rock and his men eye one another with suspicion, and that's yet another liability they cannot afford.
Kubert's gritty artwork is well suited to the subject matter at hand. His foreword notes he served in the Korean War, and one can't help but see that personal experience coming into play here. Kubert's work is at its most powerful during the quieter moments; his simple linework is able to convey a character's thoughts just through his eyes alone. But he also conveys the horror and chaos of war clearly here. His approach here is to show less, not more, but it works. It could be seen as the men's de-sensitivity to the death in which they're immersed. It could be seen as the hazy perceptions of men too busy and scared to fully absorb the ugliness around them. In any case, Kubert's sketchy approach adds a great deal to this story, but that comes as no surprise to those who have seen his work in the war genre in the past.
Azzarello's script is a surprising one. There are a variety of plotlines intersecting here. Part of the point here is to demonstrate that a soldier's life in this context was a doomed one. Only the few survive. Another point was to explore Ice and his past, and Bulldozer's hatred of the enemy. What really took me off guard was the inclusion of a murder mystery in the middle of this harsh story about how war erodes the soul.
Azzarello scores major points here with his strong characterization of two completely new characters. Tinny and Grease really come to life here, and I honestly didn't expect it. Tinny represents how war can transform the most average of us all into someone who is willing to go to any lengths to get the job done. We see his fear on his face, but we also see the ideals he's trying to live up to and the courage he finds. That courage arises not because he wants it, but because he needs it.
The quiet confrontation in the midst of the climactic battle elicits an easy comparison to elements from Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. The scene illustrates the difference between Rock and the German officer quite clearly. One is trying to take what he can from the conflict, and the other is just trying to survive and ensure the survival of others who depend on him.
